“When we play connected basketball, with physical half-court defense and intentional, poised offense, we play better, and that’s kind of what we did.”
Jayson Tatum scored 38 points, making a season-high eight 3-pointers, and Jaylen Brown added 31 points as the Boston Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers 118-101 on Saturday night, snapping the Pacers’ six-game winning streak.
Tatum, who also had 13 rebounds and six assists, combined with Brown for 27 of the Celtics’ 46 baskets on a night they shot 51% from the field and never trailed.
“(Indiana) is really good,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “When we play connected basketball, with physical half-court defense and intentional, poised offense, we play better, and that’s kind of what we did.”
Boston, which came into the game third in the NBA in field-goal percentage defense (.449) and third in rebound rate, limited the Pacers to a season-low point total and outrebounded them 70-42.
