The Boston Celtics looked flat on their own floor Monday night, and the numbers made it worse. Facing a 6–22 Indiana Pacers team, Boston fell behind by 20 points early in the third quarter as mistakes piled up and energy vanished. Head coach Joe Mazzulla responded with a jolt that changed the night, pulling his entire starting lineup, including Jaylen Brown, with 9:37 still left in the period.
The decision stunned the building and clearly caught Brown off guard. What followed, though, reshaped the game and etched Brown into Celtics history during a 103–95 comeback win over the Pacers.
Brown admitted postgame that the move lit a fire rather than calming nerves.
“To be honest, I was, I was pis*ed. You know what I mean?” Brown said. “It felt like we were mailing it in… but we trust our coaching staff, so it was the right decision.”
The reserves responded immediately, chopping the deficit down to eight before Mazzulla reinserted the starters. From there, momentum flipped, and Brown took control.
Celtics’ Bench Sparks Momentum Shift
Boston’s second unit provided the lift the game needed. Hugo Gonzalez logged the full third quarter and chipped in four points and four rebounds, matching Luka Garza’s output in the period. Anfernee Simons added nine points as the Celtics finally found pace and physicality.
Mazzulla focused his praise on depth rather than discipline after the game.
“We always talk about depth,” Mazzulla said. “We have 12, 13 guys that can help us win games in different moments… anybody on our bench can impact winning.”
That stretch proved decisive. The Pacers never regained their early rhythm, and the Celtics entered the fourth quarter within striking distance, exactly where Brown wanted them.
Jaylen Brown Takes Over, Joins Celtics Legends
Once the fourth quarter started, the game belonged to Brown. He scored 14 points in the final period, outscoring the entire Pacers roster by himself as Indiana managed only 13. The outburst capped a dominant all-around performance: 31 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a steal.
The night carried historic weight. Brown has now scored at least 30 points in seven straight games, a feat previously accomplished only by Larry Bird and Paul Pierce in franchise history, per NESN.
He has reached the 30-point mark in 11 of his last 12 outings, bringing his season total to 17 such games. Only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has more this year. Brown’s 29.4 points per game sit at a career high and track toward the third-highest single-season scoring average the Celtics have ever seen, trailing only Jayson Tatum and Bird.
Brown made it clear the win meant more than numbers. He credited the bench for setting the tone and Mazzulla for making a call that sparked urgency.
“We won tonight, but it was because of those guys,” Brown said. “So it was a great call by Joe.”
What started as frustration turned into history, and for the Celtics, a reminder that accountability and depth still matter, even on nights that start sideways. Things should only continue to get more interesting if the rumors are true and Tatum ends up returning this season.
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