BOSTON — Both the Celtics and Cavaliers will play more important, consequential games past their Tuesday showdown. But for a regular-season game in November, the stage doesn’t get much brighter than this. The East’s two powers delivered an NBA Cup nailbiter as the Celtics beat the Cavs 120-117 at an electric TD Garden. The C’s improved to 12-3 on the season while the Cavs dropped to 15-1.
There was plenty of anticipation going into Tuesday’s game as the Cavs rolled in with a perfect 15-0 mark, tied for the second-best start ever. In the NBA’s storied history, it was the first time a team 15-0 or better faced the reigning champions. Plus, throw in some NBA Cup stakes and it’s the perfect recipe for juicy storylines.
The Celtics led throughout the first half, though the Cavs hung around enough to make it interesting. But the C’s went ahead big late in the first half, going on a 19-7 run to take a 65-48 lead at the break. Boston was powered by its 3-pointers, going 14-for-22 from beyond the arc compared to Cleveland’s 4-for-14 showing.
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But the tide shifted in the third quarter. The Celtics pushed their lead up all the way to 21 points as it looked like they were trying to send a message to the rest of the league. But the Cavs weren’t willing to go down, cutting it to a five-point game going into the fourth quarter. The Celtics did enough throughout the fourth to never allow the Cavs to take the lead, sealing the victory Tuesday.
The Cavs missed multiple role players Tuesday as that led to a short bench without guys like Dean Wade, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro and more. But on the flip side, the C’s are still without big man Kristaps Porzingis as he progresses in his rehab from surgery.
Jayson Tatum led the way with 33 points and 12 rebounds for the Celtics. Derrick White added another 19 points and six rebounds. Cavs star Donovan Mitchell had 35 points as he willed his team down the stretch. Evan Mobley had another 22 points and 11 assists for the Cavs.
The Celtics take on the Wizards at 7 p.m. Friday in Washington D.C. as part of another NBA Cup game next. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s win over Cleveland:
Fending off: The Celtics weren’t perfect Tuesday as their defense showed some cracks, but it was a gutsy win against the East’s top team. The C’s made the right plays and found the 3-pointers they needed as part of the victory. While they were up by 21 points and the Cavs came back to make it a game, that’s part of life in the modern NBA. The C’s played well against the Cavs star backcourt. Mitchell shot 13-for-29 from the field, so while he scored 35 points, the Celtics made it an overall tough night for him. Darius Garland was just 3-for-21 shooting as part of a nightmare night, finishing with eight points and seven assists.
Letting it fly: The Celtics did what they do best Tuesday as they knocked down plenty of 3-pointers throughout the night. They finished shooting 22-for-41 (53.7%) from behind the arc. That was a huge part of Tuesday’s game as the Celtics generated multiple open looks throughout the night. While Boston wasn’t as efficient inside the arc, which allowed the Cavs to hang around, the C’s won it playing their style of putting up those 3s.
The little areas: C’s coach Joe Mazzulla has talked about the margins plenty, and that’s an area where the Celtics weren’t as successful Tuesday. Boston’s 13 turnovers led to 20 points for Cleveland. The C’s also allowed 60 points in the paint. One area, too, that was huge for the Cavs was the difference in bench play. Their bench outscored the C’s reserves 36-20, and that’s despite the Cavs being short multiple role players Tuesday. The Cavs needed their bench to play well considering Garland struggled mightily and they were win.
NBA Cup stakes: As if Tuesday’s game didn’t need anymore juice, it also had an impact on the East Group C standings. The Cavs rolled in with a 1-0 record after beating the Bulls while the Celtics were 0-1 following a loss to the Hawks. The Celtics don’t control their destiny, but Tuesday’s win helps significantly. They’re now tied with the Cavs at 1-1 in the standings. Boston has yet to play the Bulls and Wizards, while the Cavs still have the Hawks and Wizards. There are still other factors and results at play, but the C’s can still eye a potential shot at the knockout stages. They’ll likely need to get some blowouts together, though, as point differential will likely end up mattering if there is a three-way tie in the standings like last year.
