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The Boston Celtics didn’t have to attend lengthy for his or her probability at revenge. Simply 5 days after dropping a disappointing additional time contest in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers at house, the Celtics took the court docket in Ohio with an opportunity to settle the rating. However regardless of the change of venue, the consequence seemed fairly comparable, because the Celtics as soon as once more dropped a tightly contested sport in additional time in opposition to this Cavaliers roster.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics for the night with 30 factors, whereas Jayson Tatum struggled by means of his first notably poor scoring efficiency of the season, scoring 26 factors on 8-of-21 taking pictures for the night time (although he added six assists and 4 blocks). The Cavaliers have been led by younger All-Star Darius Garland, who led the best way with 29 factors and 12 assists, masking for a gradual begin from newcomer Donovan Mitchell (25 factors, 11-of-27 taking pictures).
Garland made his return to the lineup for the Cavaliers this night, and his presence was instantly impactful. The 22-year-old guard introduced his presence early and infrequently, racking up a game-high 14 factors within the first quarter and maintaining tempo with the Celtics nearly single-handedly. He cashed in on a trio of three-pointers and went 3-of-3 from the free throw line after a foul on one other deep try, and the anemic Boston offense struggled to maintain tempo. They shot 40% from the sphere within the quarter, and trailed 35-27 heading into the second.
The Celtics’ offensive woes didn’t essentially get solved because the second quarter progressed, however their protection clamped down on the Cavaliers to a a lot higher extent. Neither staff discovered a lot in the best way of constant scoring within the early minutes of the body, however because the clock ticked down, they began to tighten the screws a little bit bit. Pushed by some tenacious protection, an 8-0 run pushed the Celtics forward to their largest lead of the primary half, and so they entered the halftime break main the Cavaliers 56-50. Cleveland scored simply seven factors throughout the final eight-and-a-half minutes of the quarter.
The third quarter was a Jekyll-and-Hyde state of affairs for the Celtics, who seemed comfy and assertive within the opening minutes earlier than giving strategy to a Cavalier surge because the quarter pressed on. Coach Joe Mazzulla’s aversion to calling timeout reared its head as soon as once more, as Cleveland ripped off a 10-0 run over the course of lower than two minutes earlier than Mazzulla lastly, belatedly, known as his first timeout of the complete sport (!) on the midway mark of the third quarter. The momentum shifted in the direction of the Cavaliers in a rush, and a 33-20 quarter for Cleveland left the Celtics down seven factors as the sport entered its last quarter.
The Celtics ended the third quarter with two free throws from Tatum, and because the sport shifted into the fourth, these freebies turned the spearhead of a 14-0 Boston run. The Cavaliers went practically six minutes with out recording a made area objective, and the Celtics have been capable of reestablish management of the sport within the course of. A 16-6 begin to the fourth quarter put Boston forward by three factors nearly midway by means of the body.
The Cavaliers weren’t completed simply but. After a couple of minutes price of traded buckets, a LeVert three-pointer adopted by a Mobley two pushed Cleveland again to a lead with just below 4 minutes to play in regulation. The 2 groups traded buckets for the following possessions, earlier than an offensive foul by Brown gave strategy to a three-pointer from Mitchell and a layup (after a Good layup) to place the Cavaliers forward 104-100.
Good would join on an and-one jumper moments later, however Mitchell would hit one other three with just below a minute left to play. A Tatum layup on the following possession would carry the Celtics to a 106-105 deficit. With lower than 20 seconds to play, the foul sport started, and a Grant Williams foul that will not have been absolutely intentional put Garland on the road with 10 seconds left. Garland cut up the 2 free throws, and the Celtics trailed 107-105 earlier than an assertive slam from Tatum tied the sport up with 6.7 seconds remaining. Tatum blocked a shot try from Mitchell as time expired, and the sport went to additional time.
So the Celtics and Cavaliers went to additional time for the second time in two tries. Cleveland pushed forward with a 5-2 benefit within the early minutes of the additional time interval, because the Celtics struggled to seek out an offensive rhythm — together with a Tatum bucket that was wiped away by an apparent journey. After an open dunk by Allen, Tatum and Brown transformed on consecutive baskets to attract the Celtics again inside one level with lower than a minute to play, 114-113. Good missed a two-pointer with 28 seconds to play, adopted by a Garland miss 3 seconds to go to arrange the ultimate shot, however the last possession amounted to nothing, and the Celtics misplaced yet one more sport to the Cavaliers in additional time.
Subsequent up, the Celtics return house to the TD Backyard for one more probability for revenge, going through a Chicago Bulls staff that handed them their first lack of the season, this Friday at 7:30 PM EST on ESPN.
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