Jaylen Brown scores 30 points to lead Celtics to 119-104 victory over Pacers

By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer

Jaylen Brown had 30 points and 10 rebounds and the Boston Celtics opened a 23-point first-half lead before coasting to a 119-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. 

Sam Hauser hit five 3-pointers, scoring 17 points for Boston, and Neemias Queta had 17 points and nine rebounds. The Celtics bounced back from Monday night's one-point loss at Eastern Conference-leading Detroit. 

Pascal Siakam had 32 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who had won four of seven games since losing 13 in a row in December and January. Jarace Walker scored 19 points off the bench for Indiana. 

Hauser hit his first three attempts from 3-point range - two of them in the game's first 68 seconds. The Celtics led 57-34 with 3:22 left in the second quarter, but Indiana cut the deficit to nine in the third before Anfernee Simons hit a 3-pointer. 

The Pacers never got back within single digits. 

New Red Sox pitcher Ranger Suárez, who was in town to announce his five-year, $130 million contract at Fenway Park on Wednesday, sat courtside with agent Scott Boras and received a nice reception when they were shown on the scoreboard. 

Up next 

Pacers: Visit Oklahoma City on Friday and Atlanta on Monday to finish up their five-game trip.
Celtics: Visit Brooklyn on Friday night.