Celtics out-duel the Cavs in 117-113 win

The Boston Celtics dropped two tight ones in extra time early within the season to the Cleveland Cavaliers, however after tonight’s 117-113 win, they’re in place to attempt to tie the season sequence earlier than subsequent week’s closing matchup. For the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell continued his dominance with 44 factors, his second 40-point outing in opposition to the Celtics this 12 months. Boston was led by Jayson Tatum, who broke out of his stoop to notch 41 factors, 11 rebounds and eight assists..

For the primary time for the reason that All-Star Break concluded, Jayson Tatum seemed far more snug on the market. Following his ejection in opposition to the New York Knicks on Monday, Tatum put up 15 factors within the second quarter alone, the place he had house to essentially get snug.

Curiously, Grant Williams obtained zero run for Boston. Joe Mazzulla’s going to have plenty of powerful selections to make because the workforce enters the ultimate stretch earlier than the playoffs begin subsequent month (sheesh). Mike Muscala stuffed in decently. He’s not almost the defender Williams is, however he held his personal whereas spacing the ground (regardless of not making a shot).

Boston feasted within the inside, which is an attention-grabbing method given gestures wildly the entire 7-footers on Cleveland’s roster. After a dreadful capturing efficiency in opposition to the Knicks, Boston had tunnel imaginative and prescient to the rim, and that led to a first-half grind that led to some entertaining hoops. As tight as Boston’s protection was tonight (and it was actually crisp), Cleveland saved discovering a method to keep within the recreation behind well timed buckets from Mitchell and Darius Garland (29 factors, 9 assists).

Then the third quarter occurred, and Tatum actually wakened.

As soon as JT hit the aspect step 3-pointer over Jarrett Allen, I confidently stated to nobody particularly, “I would like you to place the phrase out that we’re again up.” I’m going to say one thing dangerously controversial, however the Celtics are a significantly better workforce when Tatum performs like he’s unstoppable. He hit his season common about midway by means of the third quarter, scoring an extra 18 factors within the body.

Whereas tonight was a lesser-than-usual efficiency from Jaylen Brown (16 factors), Marcus Sensible and the beginning frontcourt picked up the slack. Sensible was a defensive menace after being referred to as out by Bam Adebayo, stealing the ball 3 times to go along with 14 factors.

Robert Williams and Al Horford simply missed perfection from the ground, and never for a small quantity both. Horford put in 23 factors on a good 6-8 from behind the 3-point line together with 11 rebounds, and Williams put in 11 factors on excellent capturing to go along with 11 rebounds.

Nobody for the Cavs was exceptional in any manner exterior of Garland and Mitchell, the latter of whom put in 19 in simply the third quarter to attempt to preserve the Cavs alive (they had been mainly lifeless). Boston outscored Cleveland 41-26 within the third quarter.

Donovan Mitchell stayed within the recreation by means of the beginning of the fourth, serving to to propel the Cavs to a 7-0 run to chop the result in 13. Whereas Cleveland wasn’t capable of utterly shut the hole, they saved it annoyingly aggressive. With Mitchell taking part in all the second half till the sport was out of attain, the chance was there. The Cs by no means totally relinquished management, nonetheless, even by means of a mini-collapse within the closing minutes wherein Darius Garland put up 11 fast factors in a rush to chop the result in 4.

Sensible and Tatum iced the sport on the freethrow line.

The Celtics pulled out a enjoyable one in opposition to Cleveland to earn their forty fifth win of the 12 months. Their subsequent contest comes on Friday in opposition to the re-tooled Brooklyn Nets as they search to reclaim their spot on the high of the league.