NBA Playoffs: Jaylen Brown drops 40 as Celtics take 2-0 lead, Tyrese Haliburton out with hamstring injury

It wasn’t as dramatic as the first game, but the Boston Celtics would win.

The Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers 126-110 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday to take a 2-0 lead as the series heads to Indianapolis. Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET.

After necessitating a last-minute collapse by Indiana on Tuesday, Boston was fully occupied, Jaylen Brown in particular. The Game 1 hero scored 40 points on 14-of-27 shooting, scoring at every level on the court and bothering the Pacers on defense all night.

The result tied a career playoff high.

Brown played a central role in the 20-0 run that put the Celtics in control late in the first quarter and early in the second. The Pacers would cut the lead to just two points in the third quarter, but the Celtics continued to throw haymakers and led by 15 at the end of the game.

Brown’s co-star Jayson Tatum needed much more time to get going, but still finished with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Derrick White had one of his best nights playoffs with 23 points and six assists.

Considering they’re still without starting center Kristaps Porzingis, this has been an ideal start to the series for the Celtics, who could end the series as early as Monday and give the big man all the rest he needs to be ready for the NBA Finals.

Unfortunately for the Pacers, the 2-0 deficit wasn’t the only loss of the night. Star guard Tyrese Haliburton left the game in the third quarter and did not return, with Indiana announcing him as out with left leg soreness. He had 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting with eight assists and no turnovers.

Haliburton appeared to be dealing with something at halftime, but a later replay showed him walking away, grimacing after an awkward step in the third quarter. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle told reporters After the game, Haliburton’s hamstring was sore at halftime and he tried to play until the end.

The Pacers will be monitoring Haliburton as they begin a must-win Game 3 at Indiana, but it could be a tough injury to return considering Haliburton missed 10 games in January with a hamstring strain.

With Haliburton limited, Pascal Siakam stepped up to lead the Pacers with 28 points on 13-of-17 shooting and five assists.