Brown's outstanding performance lifts Celtics' spirits.
Under the guidance of Jaylen Brown, the NBA play-offs semi-final champions, the Boston Celtics continued their dominance, securing an impressive win against the Indiana Pacers with a score of 126:110. This victory marked the team's second home game success in the Conference Finals, increasing their series lead to 2:0. The talented 27-year-old player shattered his personal playoff record, scoring an impressive 40 points in the process.
Brown had previously saved the Boston Celtics in game one with a clutch three-pointer from the corner in overtime. Displaying an exceptional level of tenacity, Brown expressed his commitment to securing wins both on offense and defense. In the second game, the Celtics and Pacers engaged in a fiercely contested quarter, with the lead exchanging hands a total of ten times. With 1:14 minutes remaining in the quarter, the Pacers held an advantage of 27-22. However, the Celtics responded resolutely, scoring an astounding 20 points consecutively before the Pacers went over six minutes without making a single score.
Despite the Pacers bridging the gap to just two points in the early stages of the second half, the Celtics displayed remarkable composure, scoring an impressive 16 of the following 21 points. The series will now continue with two respective games hosted in Indiana. A total of four victories are necessary to claim a spot in the NBA Finals.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers have surprisingly terminated their contract with coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who had steered the franchise to the play-offs quarter-finals for the first time in six years. Bickerstaff's team achieved this remarkable feat with a win over the Orlando Magic, which featured German world champions Franz and Moritz Wagner. Despite his accomplishments, Bickerstaff was unfortunately not allowed to continue. He had replaced John Beilein in February 2020 when the Cavaliers suffered defeat to Boston in the second round (1:4). The Cavaliers commenced the championship round with a 48:34 win record, defeating Orlando 4:3 and advancing to the semi-finals. Unfortunate circumstances saw superstar Donovan Mitchell absent for the latter two games against Boston.
"J.B. is a highly respected NBA coach and an exceptional individual," Cavaliers president Koby Altman said. "Making such decisions is never easy, particularly when reflecting on how the franchise's rebuilding process began under his guidance." Altman acknowledged the challenges of running a business and the need for "bold risk-taking" to advance the team's progress.
Read also:
- Prodigies of sport: Littler's predecessors
- Nagelsmann's announcement: A restless Christmas for national team players
- What sports fans prefer to watch on television
- The calm before the upheaval: Nagelsmann's European Championship plans
Source: www.ntv.de
