Celtics take down first-place Cavaliers 112-105

The world champion Boston Celtics traveled to the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday night in a big Eastern Conference showdown. Both teams scored well below season averages all night and it was Boston’s bench unit that finally helped propel them to victory 112-105. Boston now moves to 36 wins and has a 2-1 advantage in the season series.

Boston started the game very slowly, going 1-9 from the field. The Celtics wouldn’t score a second basket until a Jaylen Brown putback tip at the 8-minute mark of the match. Brown would be the Celtics only scorer with seven straight points to lead the C’s early.

Kristaps Porzingis was effective protecting the rim for Boston early with 2 blocks to start the contest as Cleveland started out the game with a woeful 2-17 from the field. The game would be just 9-6, with Boston up at the 4-minute mark in the first quarter.

Brown continued his scoring all throughout the quarter, hitting on a team-high 12 first-quarter points. Donovan Mitchell finally hit a fadeaway to break the scoring drought for Cleveland.

Payton Pritchard then hit on his first triple of the game from the bench, becoming just the Celtics second scorer. Mitchell then hit a pair of baskets to get the Cavaliers going. Big man Al Horford would round out the quarter for Boston with a blistering 8 points in just 6 and a half minutes as Boston finished the quarter up 29-15.

Boston’s shot finally came around at the start of the second quarter, as Sam Hauser and Jayson Tatum hit on their first triples of the match.

Boston’s big men were relentless to start the match generating lots of second chance points with eight offensive rebounds. Veteran Al Horford’s tenth point of the match on a put back would see the road team up 40-23 with plenty of time to go in the second quarter.

Jayson Tatum’s second three-pointer of the game came over an outstretched Evan Mobley, who was caught out on a switch on Boston’s top scorer. Cleveland was helpless to stop the Jays in the half as the star duo had 24 points at the midway point of the second compared to just the Cavs 26 points.

Sam Merrill hit a pair of threes for Cleveland late in the second quarter as the home team started to chip away at the large lead. Despite holding the lead throughout, Boston didn’t shoot the ball well from the field, at just 35%. Boston was winning the rebounding battle though with 13 offensive rebounds compared to Cleveland’s 11. Brown would finish with 16 points on 7-11 from the field, leading the C’s offensive output; Boston would end the half with a ten-point lead, 54-44.

Kristaps Porzingis started the second half strong for Boston with 5 quick points and an outlet assist to Jayson Tatum. Porzingis would later hit on a turnaround jumper for his 11th point on the night as Boston kept the lead in double figures at 11 points, 66-55. Jaylen Brown had to sit with his fourth foul of the night as he was called for a third offensive. The Celtics wing then received a technical foul from Scott Foster as he went to the bench.

In a frustrating stretch, Boston would see the lead dwindle to 6 points as the home crowd started to energize the Cavs. Jarrett Allen was having himself a game for Cleveland as the former Brooklyn Net had 16 rebounds and 14 points for Cleveland with a full quarter to go. All-Star guard Darius Garland, who got under Jaylen Brown’s skin drawing 2 offensive fouls, was also scoring in dynamic fashion, as he had 17 points after three quarters.

Porzingis continued to score for Boston with a loud one-handed dunk, Al Horford would hit an open corner triple, and Jayson Tatum capitalized on a loud fast break dunk after a brilliant steal from Payton Pritchard. Donovan Mitchell would score 8 straight points for the home team and would pace the Cavs with 24 points. Boston did enough to hold the Cavs at bay, retaining a 12-point lead of 87-75 after three.

Derrick White opened the scoring in the fourth for Boston with an open three-pointer. Jaylen Brown then registered his fifth assist of the night as he fed Luke Kornet cutting through the key for two-handed slam.

With Cleveland hanging around in the game Derrick White stepped up to pressure Donovan Mitchell into a back-court violation, the Celtic Guard then hit a long range three-pointer for Boston’s 95th point on the night. Kristaps Porzingis was the beneficiary on a blown defensive play for the Cavs, as the unicorn strolled into the key for his easiest points on the season, a wide open dunk.

Cleveland went on a quick 12-2 run to get back into the game, down just 5 points with six minutes to go in the game. Jaylen Brown was whistled for his fifth foul of the game as Donovan Mitchell hit on a free throw to cut Boston’s lead to 4. The physicality of the game started to ramp up as Max Strus was whistled for three quick fouls as the game slowed right down. Boston’s Derrick White was cash money in the fourth, scoring 14 points and hitting on four three-pointers as Boston got the lead back to double digits.

Payton Pritchard unfortunately fouled Darius Garland on a quick three-point make with under a minute to go. Cleveland would get the game back to within 5 points with just 20 seconds to go in the contest. Boston ended the game at the foul line in a tough road game with plenty of intensity. The Celtics would win 112-105, and move within striking distance in the Eastern Conference. Boston next host the new look Mavericks on Thursday at 7:30 pm EST.