Jaylen Brown scores 30 points, Celtics beat Bucks to even series

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There was a moment during the Celtics’ series-opening loss to the Bucks when it seemed as if Jaylen Brown would never make a shot.

Early in Game 2, it felt like he might not miss.

Brown scored 25 of his 30 points in the first half, and Boston beat Milwaukee 109-86 on Tuesday night to even the Eastern Conference semifinals at one game apiece.

"It’s the playoffs. That's it," Brown said. "We can’t let one game kind of dictate how this series goes. We wanted to be aggressive from the gate."

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Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, left, shoots while pressured by Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) during the first half of Game 2 of an Eastern Conference semifinal in the NBA basketball playoffs Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Brown shook off a dismal shooting night in Game 1, going 9 for 10 in the first half, including 5 for 5 from the 3-point line. Jayson Tatum added 19 points and eight assists. Grant Williams finished with 21 points. Al Horford had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

"We wanted to come and play like our season was on the line and we did," Brown said.

The series doesn't resume until Game 3 on Saturday in Milwaukee.

Boston finished 20 of 43 from beyond the arc and scored 24 points off 16 Milwaukee turnovers.

"We wanted to match their physicality and punch back tonight," Celtics coach Ime Udoka said. "A big message was show them who we are."

They did that.

The Celtics played without Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart after he was ruled out before the game with a bruised right thigh he sustained in Game 1. Derrick White took his place in the starting lineup,