The Boston Celtics took care of enterprise on Tuesday evening, winning their Game 1 matchup in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers by a rating of 120-95. It was a dominant defensive show paired with two big-time scoring nights from Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
Listed below are three belongings you might need missed.
1. Lockdown protection → Jaylen Brown block
After a comparatively shaky first quarter, the Celtics’ protection locked in and shut down the Cavaliers. This Brown block on Donovan Mitchell completely encapsulates their play on that finish.
Brown and Jrue Vacation switching seamlessly on the prime of the important thing, capped off by a monster block. Simply stunning.
Their defensive connectivity can be on full show on this clip.
Clearly, Jayson Tatum ends the possession with a foul however have a look at every little thing earlier than that. The Celtics aren’t switching when it’s their large man within the motion (Luke Kornet, on this case). Nonetheless, Tatum and Derrick White see what’s occurring and swap their matchups as a substitute.
2. Jayson Tatum’s sly confidence
White had an enormous recreation, and Tatum was requested about his current play after the very fact. Throughout his response, he slipped in a refined tidbit about simply how good the Celtics are, successfully noting how annoying it have to be to play them.
It was small, but it surely was humorous.
“He’s been nice. I really like the way in which he’s been enjoying on each ends of the ground,” Tatum stated of White. “It simply places plenty of stress on the protection tonight and final collection. We’ve simply obtained plenty of other ways to win a recreation, and I’d assume that it’s robust for the opposite staff to kinda try to determine that out.”
3. Mike Gorman nonetheless will get love
Mike Gorman has known as his final Celtics recreation. However he can’t keep away from the motion.
He was in the home for Recreation 1 in opposition to the Cavaliers on Tuesday evening, and once they confirmed him on the jumbotron, it was the loudest pop of the night. The gang went ballistic.