Jaylen Brown exploded for 44 points as the NBA champion Boston Celtics broke a two-game losing streak with a dominant 142-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
Brown set an aggressive tone early, scoring 15 points in the first quarter, contributing to a 39-22 lead for the Celtics.
He made six of the Celtics’ 23 successful three-pointers and added four steals, marking his highest score since netting 50 against Orlando in January 2022. “He was exceptional,” remarked Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, as Brown electrified the TD Garden crowd with powerful dunks. “He has the ability to influence a team and the atmosphere with his energy and physical play.
“When he gets in the zone, he really locks in, which was evident on both ends of the court.”
Jayson Tatum contributed with 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Payton Pritchard added 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists off the bench for the Celtics, who overcame the absences of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to achieve their highest point total of the season.
The decisive win against the team they defeated in last season’s Eastern Conference finals helped the Celtics avoid their first three-game losing streak of the year.