Jayson Tatum led with 27 points and Jaylen Brown contributed 22, helping the Boston Celtics secure a 116-107 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden. This win continued Boston’s perfect home start (12-0), improving their overall record to 18-5 to start the NBA season.
The Celtics, facing the Cavaliers for the second time in a row after a previous win on Tuesday, continued their strong performance with their sixth win in seven games. Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White also played key roles, scoring 18, 15, and 14 points, respectively, contributing to Boston’s position as the top team in the Eastern Conference. Tatum also pulled down 11 rebounds, with all five starters scoring in double digits.
Holiday commented on the team’s focused and detail-oriented play, noting their ability to control the game and respond effectively to the Cavaliers’ challenges.
“I think we were locked in, attention to detail,” Holiday said. “This game we kind of controlled the game from beginning to end, withstood their punches, and were able to make plays down the stretch.”
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 31 points, with Caris LeVert and Darius Garland adding 26 and 19 points, respectively. However, the Cavaliers faced their third consecutive loss.
The Celtics, who saw their lead reduced to three points in the final quarter, regained control thanks to Tatum’s impressive plays, including a fadeaway and a step-back three-pointer. This surge increased Boston’s lead to 101-91 with just over eight minutes remaining.
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Cleveland attempted a comeback, cutting the deficit to 107-102 on LeVert’s drive, but Holiday’s layup and Tatum’s dunk following a Cleveland turnover sealed the game for Boston.
Brown reflected on the game, suggesting that the Celtics could have performed better and should aim to decisively close out games against challenging opponents.
“I thought we could have played a lot better, to be honest,” Brown said. “I thought we played a little lethargically and allowed them to keep the game kind of close. That’s kind of dangerous against certain teams; they’re in striking distance and can get hot at any moment. We’ve got to do a better job of putting teams away.”
The Cavaliers, trailing for most of the third quarter, found late momentum through Garland’s dynamic play, including a left-handed scoop and a three-pointer, closing the gap to 90-87 at the end of the third quarter.
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Boston showed improvement from their previous game against Cleveland, exhibiting strong ball movement and shooting, and capitalized on the Cavaliers’ slow start to establish a 14-point lead in the second quarter. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised the team’s growth and consistent performance, particularly in execution and teamwork.
“I think it’s growth to constantly be challenged throughout the season,” Mazzulla said. “I’ve seen over the last two games our guys kind of staying at a certain level, really work to execute and play together.”
Boston shot 56.1% in the first half, including 8 of 17 from beyond the arc, leading 65-54 at halftime. Despite Mitchell’s 21 points in the first half, Cleveland struggled with their three-point shooting and overall field goal percentage. After a perfect free-throw performance in their last game, Boston made 17 of 20 attempts from the line in this match.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers Updates
Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff acknowledged the need for a more assertive start, although the team improved as the game progressed.
“I don’t think that we came out as aggressive and assertive as we needed to,” Bickerstaff said. “I thought we did settle (for shots) a little early, but we did pick it up.”
Looking forward, the Cavaliers will host the Atlanta Hawks, while the Celtics are set to play the Orlando Magic at TD Garden in back-to-back games.
