Jaylen Brown, 21, becomes youngest Celtics player to score 30 points in a playoff game

Michael Singer | USA TODAY

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Not that Boston Celtics second-year guard Jaylen Brown needed a coming-out party to regular NBA observers, but Tuesday night’s 30-point show served as such for the playoff audience.

Brown, 21, poured in 30 points on 12-of-22 shooting to become the youngest Celtics player in postseason history to reach the milestone in Boston’s 120-106 win over Milwaukee to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Tommy Heinsohn did it when he was 22 years old in 1957.

Without Kyrie Irving for the postseason, the Celtics will be dependent on guys like Brown, Terry Rozier (23 points, eight assists) and Jayson Tatum to carry the offense. Their average age? 21.6 years old.

"We're confident as ever," Brown told reporters after the game. "Teams have been writing us off all year, and we just keep proving people wrong."

The Bucks got a second consecutive fantastic game from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 30 on 13-of-17, including eight assists and nine rebounds. The Greek Freak did most of his damage in transition or in the post. Surprisingly, the Bucks shot 59.7 % from the field against the Celtics, who were the best defensive team in the NBA this season.

But Tuesday was about Brown realizing his tantalizing potential.

Jaylen Brown puts the defense on skates! pic.twitter.com/YgBf782oOH — Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 18, 2018

Brown showed off his wide-ranging skill with probing, shimmying drives, a deft three-point stroke and one mammoth left-handed dunk in the first quarter. He knocked down five three-pointers as the team shot 41% (13 for 31) from deep.

The performance is even more impressive considering how little the Celtics relied on Brown during his postseason debut last season.

He averaged just five points and two rebounds in over 12 minutes per game as the Celtics made it to the Conference Finals.

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This time around, it’s as if the Celtics are playing with house money while missing two of their best players in Irving and Gordon Hayward – and another, Marcus Smart, is out possibly until the second round.

Up 2-0, a second-round matchup would see the Celtics face either Philadelphia or Miami. But before we get to that possibility, let’s see whether Milwaukee can make a series of this.

Game 3 is Friday night at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Michael Singer on Twitter.