It wasn’t going to occur once more for the Celtics in Cleveland.
Boston took a 12-point lead into the fourth quarter Tuesday night time at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, simply because it did in the identical constructing again on Dec. 1. The Cavaliers rallied to win that first matchup. Within the rematch, the Celtics held robust, profitable 112-105 in a battle of the highest two groups within the Japanese Convention standings.
Derrick White scored 14 fourth-quarter factors, together with 4 3-pointers, to stave off first-place Cleveland, atoning for a pair of missed free throws that helped spark a late Cavs surge.
The Celtics improved to 36-15 and 7-2 over their final 9 video games. Their present four-game profitable streak is their longest since November, they usually’re again inside 5 video games of the 40-10 Cavs for first place within the East.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 22 factors, seven assists, 4 rebounds, two steals and two blocks, and Kristaps Porzingis added 19 factors, seven boards, two steals and two blocks, with almost all the latter’s offensive manufacturing coming after halftime. Al Horford, who spent your complete second half of Sunday’s comeback win over Philadelphia on the bench, recorded simply his second double-double of the season (13 factors, 10 rebounds) as a part of a standout sport for Boston’s reserves.
Horford, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet all completed as a plus-10 or higher; one of the best mark by a Celtics starter was Tatum’s plus-1.
Defensively, the Celtics totaled six blocks and 10 steals and held the Cavs to 39.6% capturing, tied for his or her lowest mark of the season. Cleveland shot 28.3% from 3-point vary, effectively beneath its NBA-leading season common of 39.6%.
The Cavs and Celtics personal the NBA’s finest and third-best offensive scores this season, respectively, however the first quarter was a defensive wrestle, with the groups combining for simply 13 factors over the primary 7 1/2 minutes. Jaylen Brown, who missed the final Celtics-Cavs matchup with an sickness, was the one constant scoring menace throughout that sluggish begin.
He scored the Celtics’ first 12 factors — 4 makes on the rim and one jumper within the paint — and, at one level late within the quarter, had as many made area targets as each different participant on either side.
Across the four-minute mark of the primary, the spigot opened. Donovan Mitchell (31 factors, 10 rebounds, six assists) discovered some offensive success for Cleveland — together with a highlight-reel dunk on Porzingis, who’d swatted two pictures earlier within the sport — however many of the momentum belonged to Boston.
The Celtics closed the opening quarter on a 13-4 run, all with affect reserves Horford, Pritchard and Kornet on the ground. Pritchard hit a 3-pointer to spark Boston’s run, and Horford scored his group’s closing eight factors of the quarter, the final of which got here on a nook three off a gorgeous cross-court move from a double-teamed Tatum.
Boston led 11-6 when Pritchard and Kornet checked in with 4:09 to play within the first. By the point Brown, Porzingis, Derrick White and Jrue Vacation returned for his or her second shift on the 7:29 mark of the second, the Celtics’ benefit had ballooned to 43-25. The Celtics obtained two threes from Tatum and one from Hauser throughout that blitz, with Hauser’s coming off a nifty on-the-move move from a rolling Kornet.
Kornet, a difference-maker off the bench of late, had three assists and three of Boston’s 13 offensive rebounds within the first half.
The Cavs shot simply 30% from the sphere and 16.7% from three earlier than halftime, however they rallied late within the second quarter, chopping their deficit from 20 factors to eight. Brown’s buzzer-beating turnaround jumper made it 54-44 on the half.
The Celtics held an 11-point lead 5 minutes into the third quarter when Brown elevated for an unsuccessful dunk try on Cleveland’s Georges Niang. Niang initially was known as for a foul on the play, however after a Cavs problem, the foul was transferred to Brown — the fourth of the sport for the Celtics star. Brown’s response to the reversal additionally earned him a technical foul whereas sitting on the bench. (He later sat out the ultimate 5:30 of the sport after choosing up his fifth private, ending with 16 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 assists.)
Cleveland sank the technical free throw and scored on its subsequent two possessions to make it a six-point sport. However Boston punched again. Pritchard hit a 3 moments later, and Tatum and Porzingis discovered and exploited a sequence of mismatches because the Celtics rebuilt a 15-point cushion.
Porzingis was one of many NBA’s high first-quarter scorers in January, however he scored all however 4 of his factors within the second half Tuesday, together with 11 within the third quarter.
White hit two threes early within the fourth, then two extra on back-to-back possessions after a Mitchell-led run reduce Boston’s result in 4. Over his final 4 video games, White is averaging 19.6 factors and capturing 46.8% from three (22-for-47).
A four-point play by Darius Garland obtained Cleveland to inside 5 within the closing minute, however a Tatum steal and late Jrue Vacation free throws iced the sport.
Subsequent up for the Celtics is a house matchup towards the new-look Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night time — and, earlier than that, the NBA commerce deadline, which is Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.
Don’t count on Boston to make any offers in the identical stratosphere because the stunner that despatched Luka Doncic from Dallas to Los Angeles late Saturday night time. However president of basketball operations Brad Stevens may look to swing a commerce or two to shore up the again half of the Celtics’ roster forward of their playoff push. Jaden Springer’s $4 million wage makes him the most logical trade candidate for a Boston group that might use extra wing depth and bench scoring.
The Celtics have acquired gamers forward of the final 4 commerce deadlines, most lately bringing in Springer and Xavier Tillman final February.
Off the rim
Regardless of a report on the contrary, Philadelphia Eagles proprietor Jeffrey Lurie instructed reporters Tremendous Bowl LIX Opening Night time he’s not interested in shopping for his hometown Celtics. “I’d by no means say by no means, however I’m not seeking to personal one other sports activities franchise,” stated Lurie, who was born and raised within the Boston space. “The Celtics, once more, are distinctive. They’re so effectively run. They’re so gifted. They’re my childhood group. Nonetheless, I don’t count on that to occur.” … Anthony Davis, shipped to Dallas over the weekend within the Doncic blockbuster, may make his Mavericks debut in Thursday night time’s NBA Finals rematch at TD Backyard. “If not Thursday, then greater than probably Saturday at dwelling,” Davis, who’s coping with an stomach harm, instructed reporters Tuesday, through ESPN. … The Mavs swung one other commerce Tuesday, buying famous Celtics killer Caleb Martin from Philadelphia. Martin averaged almost 20 factors per sport towards Boston within the 2023 Japanese Convention finals and hit a career-high seven 3-pointers within the 76ers’ Christmas Day win on Causeway Road.
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