Boston Celtics extend lead over Indiana Pacers in NBA Eastern Conference Finals as Jaylen Brown hits 40

Jaylen Brown scored 40 points, five rebounds and two assists as the Boston Celtics comfortably defeated the Indiana Pacers 126-110 in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

The first game of the series had been closely-contested, with the Celtics relying on overtime to snatch a 133-128 victory.

But they were in the driving seat for the majority of the second game of the series, with Brown’s tally helped by 23 points, six rebounds and five assists from Jayson Tatum and 23 points and six assists from Derrick White.

Brown’s performance equalled his best in a playoff game and came just days after he missed out on making this season’s All-NBA team. But Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla dismissed the idea his player was making a point about the snub.

"I think he [Brown] cares about it in a way that motivates him, and I think he doesn't really care about it at all," Mazzulla said.

"He understands that winning is the most important thing. He just cares about the right stuff."

The Pacers may be without Tyrese Haliburton for the remainder of the best-of-seven series after he was forced out of the game in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury.

According to Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, Haliburton aggravated a strain he first suffered in January, consequently missing 10 games.

"He [Haliburton] was sore at half-time," Carlisle said. "He was getting work done for the entirety of half-time. He came out, gave it a shot and all the effort that he could.

"I haven't talked about it directly to him, so I can't read minds, but it wasn't going well. The trainers determined he had to be brought to the back to be worked on and then he was ruled out."

The third and fourth games of the series will be hosted by the Pacers later this week.

In the Western Conference Finals, the Dallas Mavericks will look to extend their 1-0 lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves this evening.

The eventual winners of both series will meet in the NBA Finals which start on Thursday, June 6, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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