Fans applaud Celtics forward Jayson Tatum before Wednesday night’s game against the Pacers in Boston. Charles Krupa/Associated Press
BOSTON — Jayson Tatum had 30 points and 12 rebounds in less than three quarters and the Boston Celtics used a blistering start to pull away from the Indiana Pacers, winning 155-104 on Wednesday night to remain unbeaten.
The 155 points were the second-most in a regular-season game in franchise history.
One game after blowing out the Wizards in Washington, the Celtics (4-0) returned home and beat the Pacers even worse, opening a 10-point lead in the first three minutes, making it 20 in the second quarter, 30 in the third and 53 in the fourth.
Derrick White had 18 points and Jaylen Brown had 16 before the Boston starters went to the bench late in the third quarter, when the Celtics opened a 38-point lead. Sam Hauser scored 17 points and Payton Pritchard had 15 in extensive minutes off the bench.
T.J. McConnell scored 18 points for the Pacers, who were missing point guard Tyrese Halliburton after he turned his ankle when he stepped on Jalen Smith’s foot Monday in a loss to Chicago. Smith (knee) also sat out Wednesday.
Tatum had four points and three rebounds in a 14-0 run in the opening minutes that turned a two-point deficit into an 18-6 lead. White hit a pair of 3-pointers at the end of the first, when Boston scored 18 of the last 25 points of the quarter to open a 44-27 lead.
Indiana never got closer than 14 points after that, spending the last 21 minutes trailing by 30 or more and falling behind by 50 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the game.
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