BOSTON — The Celtics were on top of the world as TD Garden buzzed just five minutes into the game. The C’s ambushed the Cavs as they sprinted ahead 25-3 early, putting the first-place Cavs in a huge hole before fans were even settled into their seats.
But an early big lead can be dangerous as the Cavs kept clawing back all night. By early in the fourth quarter, the Cavs finally took the lead. While the Celtics tried to battle back themselves, they didn’t have enough stops as the second half was a grind for the reigning champs. Donovan Mitchell, a huge part of why the Cavs won 123-116 over the C’s, explained some of the lessons they learned through their four games against Boston in what’s becoming a rivalry.
“The biggest thing is play the full 48 minutes,” Mitchell said. “Both teams are going to go on runs, both teams are really talented offensively, getting stops. Not overreacting to some of their 3s. Offensive rebounding has been huge in these four games. Those are some of the things we’ve seen and, ultimately, if we see them and we get to that point, we gotta be ready.”
Mitchell was stellar as there was plenty of impressive shot-making all night Friday. The Cavs star poured in 41 points, including 26 in the second half. On the other side, Jayson Tatum was stellar with 46 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists as he took over for portions of Friday’s game. And can’t forget Jaylen Brown’s 37 points as he played through a thigh contusion he suffered from earlier in the week.
The C’s and Cavs won’t meet again for the rest of the regular season, splitting the season series 2-2. They each won once on the other’s home courts as the Cavs avenged their loss from Feb. 4 by beating the Celtics on Friday in Boston. Cleveland also now holds a 7.5-game lead in the standings for the No. 1 seed as it’s looking increasingly like Boston won’t be able to catch them.
There’s still plenty of basketball to be played in the coming months, but Friday had the vibe of a playoff game. The physicality was clear as the refs allowed both sides to get their shots in. If the seeds hold and both teams advance through the East Finals, they could be on a collision course. It’s still a little early to forecast that far considering the factors at play, but that’s also part of what made Friday’s game so enticing.
“The more you play these guys or these elite teams, you get great feedback on what worked, what doesn’t work, what could possibly work if you have to play them in the playoffs,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “But I don’t know. This game, it doesn’t feel like we’re over the mountaintop by no means. No (Kristaps) Porzingis, no (Jrue) Holiday. I do like just getting a win makes us a little more confident in our mentality if we had to play these guys in the playoffs.”
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