Jaylen Brown became the first Celtics player to achieve this feat in the playoffs originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
Jaylen Brown dominated Game 2 of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, helping the Boston Celtics earn a 126-110 victory at TD Garden and take a 2-0 series lead.
He also made franchise history in the process.
Brown scored 40 points on 14-of-27 shooting (4-of-10 from 3-point range) while also adding five rebounds, two assists and a steal in 37 minutes. He was also 8 of 11 from the free throw line.
It was the second 40-point conference finals performance of Brown’s career. He also scored 40 points in the Celtics’ Game 3 loss to the Miami Heat in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals.
Brown is now the only player in Celtics history have multiple 40-point games in the conference finals over a career.
It should be noted that the Eastern and Western Conference Finals format began in 1971. Celtics legend and Hall of Fame guard Sam Jones scored over 40 points in two division finals games during his career. Division finals were basically the old version of conference finals before 1971, but not the same format used today.
Brown also joined Jones, Larry Bird, John Havlicek, Paul Pierce, Isaiah Thomas and teammate Jayson Tatum as the only Celtics players with multiple 40-point games in playoff history.
CELTICS PLAYOFF HISTORY: Multiple 40-point games
5 Havlicek, bird
4S. Jones, Tatum
3 pierce
2 Thomas, BROWN-Dick Lipe (@DickLipe) May 24, 2024
Brown is averaging 33 points, six rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 51.1% from the field against the Pacers in the conference finals so far.
It’s only been two games, but Brown is probably the leading candidate to win the Larry Bird Trophy, awarded to the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
Game 3 of the series is scheduled for 8:30 pm ET on Saturday in Indiana. NBC Sports Boston coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET with Celtics pregame live.
