Jaylen Brown delivered his best performance of the season, erupting for 44 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 142-105 blowout victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. The win snapped a two-game skid for Boston, which improved to 23-8 on the season.
Brown’s stat line included six 3-pointers, four steals, and a 16-of-24 shooting display.
The Celtics were in complete control from start to finish, fueled by Jayson Tatum’s 22 points and 13 rebounds. Boston drained 23 shots from beyond the arc and held Indiana to just 28% shooting from deep.
Payton Pritchard stepped up in the absence of key players, recording 18 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds. Al Horford added 13 points.
The Celtics avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season despite missing Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) and Jrue Holiday (shoulder). The defensive effort was equally impressive, with Boston forcing nine steals and dominating the boards with 52 rebounds.
The Pacers, now 15-17, struggled offensively without Obi Toppin and Andrew Nembhard, who were sidelined with injuries. Tyrese Haliburton led Indiana with 19 points and nine assists, while Bennedict Mathurin added 18 points.
Indiana’s season-best five-game winning streak has now been followed by two straight losses. The team also struggled to contain Boston’s perimeter shooting and was outmatched on both ends of the floor.
Boston’s dominance extended to the bench, where Pritchard, Luke Kornet, and Neemias Queta contributed significantly. Rookie Jordan Walsh chipped in nine points, hitting two of three 3-point attempts.
This marked Brown’s 11th career game scoring 40 or more points, and his performance was a timely response to Boston’s recent struggles.
For Indiana, Pascal Siakam finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, but the team lacked cohesion against Boston’s relentless pace. Myles Turner was held to eight points, and the Pacers’ bench failed to provide enough spark to counter Boston’s firepower.