Jayson Tatum leads the Celtics to 120-117 win ending the Cavaliers unbeaten streak
On Tuesday night at the Garden the Boston Celtics welcome the undefeated 15-0 Cleveland Cavaliers to town. The Cavaliers are the story of the early season in the NBA getting off to their best start in franchise history. Boston has looked like the dominant title defenders most expected but this will be a great test for both sides early in the season. Both sides head into the matchup relatively healthy with Boston still without superstar big man Kristaps Porzingis and Cleveland missing notable Celtics killers Dean Wade and Caris Levert, with Isaac Okoro also out for tonight’s matchup. The Celtics will need to get off to a better start than they have in recent games if they want to keep pace with the undefeated Cavaliers. Celtics-Cavs has been a great matchup over the last twenty years with some instant classics between the two sides will we get another one on Tuesday night in Boston?
First Quarter:
It was a back and forth affair early on with both sides trading leads throughout the first quarter. Jayson Tatum was making an immediate impact for Boston with 3 rebounds an assist and two steals in the first few minutes of game action. Boston would take an early 12-4 lead off a Jaylen Brown 3 pointer would force Kenny Atkinson to call his first timeout of the night.
Boston would get it’s lead up to 12 with 4 minutes left in the first quarter 20-8. Cleveland withstood the early barrage though and would go on a 6-0 run of their own to make it a 20-14 game and force Joe Mazzulla to call his first timeout of the night.
The first would end with Boston leading 26-20 after a great buzzer beater from Sam Hauser. Cleveland was able to withstand the Celtics early surge and settled in as the quarter went on. This game was as advertised through one quarter a highly skilled battle between two of the best teams in the league.
Second Quarter:
Boston would start the second on a 6-3 run taking a 32-23 lead with 10 minutes to go in the half. Tatum was doing everything early for Boston with 8 points 5 rebounds and 3 assists in his first 12 minutes. Boston’s 6th man would continue his great start to the season with Pritchard racking up 10 points in his first 10 minutes.
Boston would make it’s 9th 3 of the night with a little over 5 minutes to go in the half giving Boston a 46-38 lead while the Cavs had only two makes from beyond the arc to this point. The Celtics would take another double digit lead with 4 minutes to go in the half after a Tatum 3 pointer would make it 51-41 Boston.
The Celtics hot start from beyond the arc would continue going 12/19 to increase their lead to 59-44 with two minutes left in the half. Boston would extend it’s lead on the back of Tatum to 65-48 at the half. Tatum was up to 17 points 8 rebounds and 4 assists and was making it look easy. If the Celtics continue to play Mazzulla ball in the second half Cleveland’s unbeaten season is sure to come to an end.
Third Quarter:
Boston would immediately take a 20 point lead in the second half after a Derrick White 3 pointer made it 68-48. The Celtics torrid 3 point shooting would continue Boston was now 15/23 from beyond the arc after a Holiday 3 made it 71-53 with 10 minutes left in the third.
Boston would lead most of the third quarter by twenty points, Cleveland would try and chip away getting Boston’s lead down to 10 with 4 minutes left in the third . Tatum was sensational through 3 quarters with 21 points 11 rebounds and 5 assists halfway through the 3rd.
Cleveland would go on a 16-3 run to cut it to single digits late in the third quarter and Boston wasn’t going to be able to rest their starters in the 4th quarter. The Cavs run would continue cutting Boston’s lead to 82-76 with 3:25 left in the third. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were outworking Boston on the glass a problem for the Celtics all year.
Cleveland’s dominant 3rd quarter got them right back into the game outscoring the Celtics 40-28 in the quarter. It was still Jayson Tatum’s game though as a 3 pointer as time expired would give Boston a 5 point lead 93-88 headed into the 4th. Tatum was now up to 28 points 11 rebounds and 5 assists on the night a complete performance from the Celtics best player.
Fourth Quarter:
Cleveland would continue to battle back and keep it close outscoring Boston 7-6 early in the 4th cutting Boston’s lead to 99-97 with 8 minutes left in the game. The Celtics were starting to get agitated with some of the refereeing after Joe Mazzulla lost a challenge on an Al Horford foul early in the 4th.
Jayson Tatum sat the first 4 minutes of the 4th and with Boston only trailing by a little he was brought back in to hopefully bring the win home for the Celtics. The Cavaliers would cut it to a two point game with 7 minutes left and Boston starting to feel the pressure of losing a 20 point lead at home.
Boston was led by the great play of Horford, Tatum and Pritchard down the stretch. Tatum was making everything look effortless all night while Horford was cleaning up the boards and Pritchard was hitting massive shots to extend Boston’s lead.
Pritchard would hit a 3 pointer with 5:29 to go to give Boston a 107-100 lead. The Celtics would lead by 6 with 3:30 to go but an offensive foul by Jaylen Brown would give Cleveland some life in the final minutes. Tatum’s great night would continue as it seemed he was willing the Celtics to victory, Tatum was up to 32 points 12 rebounds and 7 assists with 2:30 to go in the game.
The Cavaliers would win a challenge with 1:12 left to get the ball back trailing by 7 hoping for a miracle to win this one. Jaylen Brown would all but ice it for Boston though hitting a crazy jump shot with 47 seconds left to make it 116-109 and all but secure the win for the Celtics.
Cleveland would refuse to go away in the final minute with Mitchell hitting a 3 pointer to make it 117-113 with 21 seconds left but it was still out of reach for Cleveland with Boston shooting free throws the rest of the way. The Celtics would go on to win 120-117 and the NBA world was treated to the game of the early season between two of the East’s title favorites. The Celtics will be back in action on Friday night against the Washington Wizards in Washington.
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