On a frigid Friday night in Indianapolis, the Boston Celtics turned up the heat and delivered a dazzling offensive showcase, overpowering the Indiana Pacers 140-122 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The win not only extended Boston's winning streak to four but also marked the start of their longest road trip of the season on a high note. With the victory, the Celtics improved to 19-11 and solidified their third-place standing in the Eastern Conference, while the Pacers slumped to a league-worst 6-25 after their seventh consecutive loss.
Jaylen Brown was once again the man of the hour, pouring in 30 points on 13-of-20 shooting and adding four steals. This performance marked Brown’s eighth straight game scoring at least 30 points, a feat matched only by the legendary Larry Bird, who holds the franchise record with nine consecutive 30-point games set back in the 1984-85 season. Brown, now averaging 29.4 points per game, continues to etch his name into Celtics history with each passing night.
“By the looks of the shots he was making at the end there, he was going for it, and credit to him,” Sam Hauser told NBC Sports Boston sideline reporter Abby Chin. “He’s so special, and he can kind of just score on anybody in this league at will. Great having him as a teammate, for sure.”
It wasn’t just Brown lighting up the scoreboard. Payton Pritchard was relentless, finishing just shy of a double-double with 29 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Derrick White chipped in with 21 points, five rebounds, and six assists, providing steady leadership and timely buckets. Off the bench, Sam Hauser delivered a season-best performance, drilling 7-of-8 shots from beyond the arc to tally 23 points. Hauser’s sharpshooting was a key catalyst in Boston’s comeback and offensive explosion.
Luka Garza also made his presence felt, scoring 15 points on a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, grabbing five rebounds, and finishing with a sparkling plus-26 in 27 minutes. The Celtics’ bench, which has often been scrutinized, played a pivotal role in shifting the momentum, especially during a raucous second quarter.
The game didn’t start in Boston’s favor. Indiana, despite missing key players like Tyrese Haliburton and reeling from a string of injuries, came out firing. The Pacers began the night 6-for-6 from three-point range, racing out to a 15-point lead midway through the first quarter and holding a 39-28 advantage after the opening period. Ethan Thompson’s putback capped Indiana’s largest lead at 28-13 with 5:13 left in the first.
But the Celtics, as they had done in their previous meeting with Indiana earlier in the week, methodically chipped away. The second quarter was a masterclass in offensive execution. Hauser sparked the surge with back-to-back threes, and Baylor Scheierman added a catch-and-shoot triple. Boston’s ball movement, rebounding, and defensive tenacity flipped the script. The Celtics outscored the Pacers 47-22 in the quarter, including a 19-2 run that saw them seize control. Brown and Pritchard were especially deadly from midrange, picking apart Indiana’s defense. Boston took its first lead on two Brown free throws with 7:24 remaining in the half, part of a 13-0 run that put them up 57-48. By halftime, the Celtics led 75-61, and the Pacers never seriously threatened again.
“We started to get some stops, the ball was moving, we started making shots and the tide just kept kind of turning,” Hauser explained. “We started rebounding really well, and coming out of halftime, we blew out the lead a little bit more. It was a lot of good things happening at once there.”
The third quarter saw Boston continue to pour it on. Nine minutes into the second half, Brown hit a midrange jumper, then stole the ball and delivered a slick behind-the-back pass to a trailing Garza for a transition layup. That sequence stretched the lead to 20 and pushed Boston over the 100-point mark. By the end of the third, the Celtics led 111-91, and the outcome was all but sealed.
There was a brief flare-up late in the third when Hauser’s first missed three of the night led to a tussle between Boston’s Jordan Walsh and Indiana’s TJ McConnell. Both received technical fouls, but the incident did little to alter the game’s trajectory. The Pacers, last season’s Eastern Conference champions but now a shadow of their former selves, were simply outgunned.
Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard led the home team with 18 points and eight assists but also committed five turnovers. T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin chipped in 13 points each, while Jarace Walker finished with 12. The Pacers’ early hot shooting faded quickly, and their depleted roster couldn’t keep up with Boston’s relentless attack. The loss marked Indiana’s fourth consecutive home defeat and further entrenched them at the bottom of the standings, likely eyeing the NBA Draft lottery after a season derailed by injuries.
Other notable moments included the presence of Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum, who traveled with the team as he continues to rehab from Achilles surgery. Tatum worked out pregame at Butler University, under the watchful eye of Celtics president Brad Stevens. Stevens noted last week that Tatum is "obviously made great strides" in his recovery but won’t return until he’s "110% healthy." Reserve Chris Boucher missed the game for personal reasons, and Josh Minott was a healthy DNP, reflecting the depth and health challenges both teams have juggled.
Boston’s shooting numbers were eye-popping: 57% from the field and 51% from three-point range (20-of-39), compared to Indiana’s 18-of-44 from deep. The Celtics’ 20 made threes underscored their offensive versatility and willingness to share the ball, a hallmark of coach Joe Mazzulla’s system.
Looking ahead, the Celtics continue their five-game road trip with a stop in Portland to face the Trail Blazers on Sunday. With four straight games against Western Conference opponents—all with losing records—Boston has a golden opportunity to build on their momentum. Jaylen Brown, meanwhile, will look to match Larry Bird’s iconic 30-point streak, adding yet another layer of intrigue to the Celtics’ midseason surge.
The Pacers, meanwhile, travel to Miami in search of answers and a badly needed win. For now, Boston’s blend of star power, depth, and resilience has them surging at just the right time, while Indiana is left to regroup and hope for better health in the weeks ahead.
