The Boston Celtics completed the 4-0 series sweep with a 105-102 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, earning their second trip to the NBA Finals in the last three years. Jaylen Brown was honored for his contributions in the sweep by winning the Larry Bird Trophy as the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
Brown's scoring set him apart in the four-game series against the Pacers -- he averaged 29.8 points on 51.9 percent shooting -- but the All-Star also added 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game.
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Brown dropped 26 points in the Celtics' 133-128 Game 1 overtime win, including a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime. He made an impact on both ends of the floor, adding seven rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a block.
Boston's 126-110 Game 2 win was Brown's biggest night of the series. He racked up a game-high 40 points in 37 minutes on 51.9 percent shooting -- including 40 percent from deep and added five rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
Brown followed up his 40-point night by getting hot when it mattered the most in the Celtics' 114-111 Game 3 comeback win in Indy. The Celtics trailed by as many as 18 points, but Brown helped shift the momentum in Boston's favor, finishing the night with 24 points, three assists, two rebounds, a steal, and a block.
Brown once again stepped up in Boston's series-clinching 105-102 Game 4 win over Indiana, scoring 29 points on a 50 percent clip with six rebounds, three steals, two assists, and a block to help the Celtics reach the NBA Finals.
Brown's newest accolade adds to his already impressive resume -- All-Rookie, All-NBA, three-time All-Star, and now East Finals MVP. He now joins teammate Jayson Tatum, who won the first East Finals MVP award in 2022.
Brown and the Celtics will now have to stay ready as they wait to see who will represent the Western Conference -- either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas currently holds a 3-0 series lead. The NBA Finals kicks off on June 6.
