Celtics cruise to 2-0 lead in East Finals with 126-110 win in Game 2

Five takeaways from Boston's dominant victory

Jaylen Brown explodes for 40 points as Celtics take control of series

The Boston Celtics took a commanding 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals with a 126-110 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 on Thursday night. Jaylen Brown led the way for the Celtics with a game-high 40 points, while Jayson Tatum added 29 points and 12 rebounds. Domantas Sabonis had a team-high 30 points for the Pacers, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Celtics' balanced attack. Here are five takeaways from the Celtics' Game 2 win: 1. **Jaylen Brown is playing like a superstar.** Brown has been on a tear in the playoffs, and he continued his strong play in Game 2. He was efficient from the field, shooting 14-of-23, and he also hit 4-of-8 from three-point range. Brown is averaging 30.5 points per game in the playoffs, and he is a big reason why the Celtics are in control of this series. 2. **The Celtics are getting contributions from everyone.** Tatum is the Celtics' leading scorer, but he's not the only one who can put up points. In Game 2, seven Celtics players scored in double figures, including Brown, Tatum, Marcus Smart, Al Horford, Derrick White, Grant Williams, and Robert Williams III. The Celtics are a deep team, and they're able to win games even when their stars aren't playing their best. 3. **The Celtics are playing great defense.** The Pacers are a good offensive team, but the Celtics held them to just 42.7% shooting from the field in Game 2. The Celtics also forced 14 turnovers, which led to easy baskets on the other end. The Celtics are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and they're proving it in the playoffs. 4. **The Celtics are in control of the series.** The Celtics have won the first two games of the series, and they have home-court advantage for the rest of the series. The Pacers are a good team, but they're going to have to play much better if they want to win this series. 5. **The Celtics are looking like a title contender.** The Celtics have been one of the best teams in the NBA all season long, and they're playing like a title contender in the playoffs. They have a lot of talent, they're playing great defense, and they're getting contributions from everyone. The Celtics are a legitimate threat to win the NBA championship this year.