Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 30 points as the Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to four games by beating the Indiana Pacers 140-122 on Friday in Indianapolis.
Brown scored at least 30 points for the eighth straight game. Larry Bird holds the franchise record for consecutive games with at least 30 points (nine in 1984-85).
Payton Pritchard added 29 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Celtics, who trailed by 15 in the first quarter. Sam Hauser came off the bench and tossed in 23 points, making 7 of 8 3-point attempts. The Celtics shot 51% (20 of 39) from behind the arc.
Boston also received 21 points, five rebounds and six assists from point guard Derrick White.
Indiana took its seventh straight loss overall and its fourth consecutive home defeat.
Andrew Nebhard led the Pacers with 18 points and eight assists, but he committed five turnovers. T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin each scored 13 for Indiana, and Jarace Walker finished with 12.
The Celtics earned a 103-95 home victory over the Pacers on Monday behind 31 points from Brown.
On Friday, the Pacers began 6-for-6 from 3-point range and took their largest lead of the game, 28-13, on an Ethan Thompson basket with 5:13 left in the first quarter. Indiana led 39-28 after 12 minutes.
Boston took its first lead on two Brown free throws with 7:24 remaining in the second quarter. The free throws were part of a 13-0 run that put the Celtics in front 57-48.
Boston outscored Indiana 47-22 in the second quarter and held a 75-61 halftime lead.
A Pritchard basket handed the Celtics a 111-97 edge with 1:24 left in the third, and Boston carried a 111-91 advantage into the final quarter. The visitors’ lead peaked at 28 after a Brown 3-pointer put the Celtics up 129-101 with 5:43 left.
–Field Level Media
