Cavs surprisingly fire coach
Brown’s record game makes Celtics cheer again
24.05.2024, 07:44
Led by Jaylen Brown, record champions Boston Celtics in the NBA extend their lead in the semifinals of the play-offs against the Indiana Pacers. The top team in the regular season also wins game two of the series. Brown sets a personal play-off best.
The Boston Celtics have won their second home game in the NBA Conference Finals and extended their lead in the series to 2-0. An outstanding Jaylen Brown led the best team of the regular season to a 126-110 victory against the Indiana Pacers. The 27-year-old star player set his personal playoff record with 40 points. Brown had already saved Boston in overtime in game one with a difficult three-pointer from the corner shortly before the end.
“This is the playoffs,” said Brown. “Whatever it takes to win – defensively and offensively – I’ll do that.” After the lead changed hands ten times in the opening quarter of the second game and Indiana was leading 27-22 with 1:14 minutes left in the quarter, Boston turned things around. The Celtics scored 20 points in a row, while the Pacers went over six minutes without scoring a basket of their own.
Even when Indiana came within two points at the start of the second half, Boston found the right answer and scored 16 of the next 21 points. Pacers star player Tyrese Haliburton had to leave the court in the third quarter with an injury to his left leg. The series continues with two games in Indiana. A total of four wins are needed to reach the NBA Finals.
“Aggressive risk-taking”
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers have somewhat unexpectedly parted ways with coach JB Bickerstaff after four years. The 45-year-old had recently led the franchise to the quarterfinals of the play-offs for the first time in six years with a victory over the Orlando Magic, including German world champions Franz and Moritz Wagner, but Bickerstaff is not allowed to continue. Bickerstaff succeeded John Beilein in February 2020 after the Cavaliers’ resignation, after they were eliminated by Boston in the second round (1:4). Cleveland had entered the current championship round with 48:34 wins and had eliminated Orlando 4:3. Superstar Donovan Mitchell was missing in the last two games against Boston.
“JB is a respected NBA coach and an incredible human being,” said Cavs President Koby Altman. “Decisions like this are never easy, especially when you look back at how the franchise’s rebuilding began under his leadership.” However, the NBA is a business that sometimes requires “aggressive risk-taking” “to move a franchise forward.”