Celtics vs Pacers Game 2 takeaways: Jaylen Brown makes history, Cs find backup big

Takeaway No. 1: Jaylen Brown goes into takeover mode in Celtics-Pacers Game 2

Jaylen Brown comes up huge for the Boston Celtics tying a playoff career-high with 40 Points and five boards on 51% shooting overall to go with 40% on threes. On a night when Jayson Tatum took a while to get going, the C's 1A superstar continues to step up in the big moments. Whether it was pull-up threes, operating in the mid-range, or being an effortless driver against smaller defenders like Andrew Nembhard, JB showed the full offensive repertoire tonight.

Fresh off being snubbed from the All-NBA team as many fans league-wide believe. It is hard to believe a 64-win and media-proclaimed "Superteam" only has one top-15 player. The Larry Bird trophy would be a nice addition to Brown's accolades and he honestly should be the clear frontrunner. In two games of the Eastern Conference Finals, the All-Star is averaging 33 points, six rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 51% shooting. He had one of his best playoff games ever in game two and the biggest shot of the series in game one.

Takeaway No. 2: A sprinkle of Oshae Brissett is what the Celtics needed

Luke Kornet went down with a wrist injury early in this game and Oshae Brissett was the next man up. The stats do not jump off the page, but upon his entry in the game, the C's defense went to another level sparking a 17-0 run to open the second quarter. There's a noticeable difference when the Boston Celtics no longer have to play drop coverage and a wing-like O'Brissy can guard in space.

Indy did most of their early damage in the first half in the mid range. Those shots were not available with five guys on a string defensively. In these 12 minutes, the veteran forward hustled hard for extra possessions on the boards, got three high energy steals, and was a plus 18 defensively. Big credit to Joe for adapting in the series instead of staying glued to his same eight guys.

Takeaway No. 3: The Celtics can only play who is in front of them

The tired narrative of the Boston Celtics getting to coast through the Eastern Conference Playoffs and just getting the benefit of facing injured teams. The reality is the C's should not be penalized for winning games they are supposed to win. Haters in the media and casual fans want to perpetuate this narrative of "Oh a healthy Heat team would beat them", or "the Celtics did not win the game, the Pacers handed it to them. "

You can only play who is in front of you, but if someone wants to believe an eight-seed who barely made it out of the Play-In Tourney would beat a 64-win team, then the conversation is not worth attention. The Cs largely dominated the season series with the Miami Heat being fully healthy. The Cavs even if healthy, did not have the chemistry and fit of a squad to beat Boston. If Indy has indeed lost Haliburton, then let it be known before he went down the C's were on pace to beat them again even with his presence.