Celtics fall to Cavaliers 118-94 after Donovan Mitchell dominates Game 2
On Thursday night at the Garden the Boston Celtics took on the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals looking to take a decisive 2-0 series lead. Boston was led by Jaylen Brown and Derrick White’s red hot shooting in game 1 enroute to a dominant 120-95 win. Boston headed into this one still without Kristaps Porzingis but all the reports surrounding his calf injury have been positive and the team sounds pretty confident that he’ll be back when needed. While Cleveland was still without one of their big men in Jarrett Allen heading into game 2.
First Quarter:
The first quarter started a little slow for both sides but a good sign for Celtics fans early was the play of Jayson Tatum and Al Horford. Two players that the Celtics need to get going offensively a little more were on there game early in this one combining for the teams first 9 points giving Boston a quick 9-2 start.
It didn’t take long for the Celtics to get going after that though as a Derrick White 3 pointer would get them up to a 14-5 lead and JB Bickerstaff would quickly call a timeout to try and keep the game from getting away early.
Cleveland would battle back after the timeout and cut it to a single possession game 16-13 with 5:14 to go in the first quarter, forcing Joe Mazzulla to call a timeout of his own. Cleveland would go on an 15-2 run to take a 30-21 lead with 58 seconds to go in the first putting Boston in it’s first hole of the series. A late possession 3 pointer by Tatum who was the Celtics best player in the first quarter would cut Cleveland’s lead to six, 30-24 at the end of one.
Second Quarter:
Boston would come out firing in the second half immediately going on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 30 and force JB Bickerstaff to call another early quarter timeout. Horford and Tatum would continue to play well and be aggressive as a Horford and Tatum would both hit 3-pointers to give Boston a 40-33 lead with 8 minutes to go in the half.
The teams would continue to trade shots throughout the quarter with Tatum leading the way for Boston on both ends. Celtics fans got a small scare when Jrue Holiday ran into a screen and came up a little lame but he shook it off and appeared fine never coming out of the game. Cleveland would end the quarter on an 11-3 run to tie the game up at 54 heading into the half.
Third Quarter:
Cleveland would get out to a quick start in the 3rd jumping out to a 62-57 with 9:54 left in the 3rd forcing Joe Mazzulla to call a timeout. The third quarter was Cleveland’s best of the series so far as they attacked Boston on both ends going up 74-65 with 5:44 to go in the third.
Fourth Quarter:
The fourth would start with everything continuing to go Cleveland and Donovan Mitchell’s way as even his 3 pointer that looked off would bank in giving the Cavs their largest lead of the night 95-80 with 11 minutes to go in the game. As the quarter went on it just looked more and more like it wasn’t the Celtics night and it certainly was Donovan Mitchell’s as he was up to 29 points on 10/18 shooting with 9:25 to go and Cleveland holding a 99-83 lead.
Boston would continue to be ice cold shooting the ball and Cleveland would stay red hot extending their lead to 102-85 the first time the Cavs had broke 100 points under JB Bickerstaff in the playoffs. Boston would never really get it close as Cleveland was hitting everything extending their lead to 20+ for most of the 4th.
Joe Mazzula would wave the white flag for Boston putting all his subs in with 4:58 to go in the game. Cleveland earned this win handily dominating Boston inside and out led by their best player in Donovan Mitchell catching fire offensively. Boston would now head into Cleveland on Saturday night losing home court advantage and looking lost while doing so. Boston would go on to lose 118-94 in one of their worst performances of the season, now all eyes will be on them in game 3 to bounce back and not get into a 2-1 hole as massive favorites in the series.
