The Boston Celtics dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, winning 120-95. Derrick White continued his remarkable shooting streak, scoring 25 points and shooting 7-12 from beyond the arc. They showcased the expected potential of an NBA title contender with dominance on both offense and defense.
“It feels good. I think the most important thing is to win,” White said. “I’ve said before, it doesn’t matter if I score zero or score however many I scored today. When we win, I’m doing enough.”
Jaylen Brown scored 32 points, while Jayson Tatum added 18 points and 11 rebounds. The Celtics’ offense was highly efficient, converting 18 of 46 three-point attempts and pulling away in the second half to take a commanding 15-point lead into the fourth quarter.
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“Derrick White has grown,” Brown said. “He’s a new version that we haven’t seen before. He’s put the work in, his body has developed a little bit, he’s got some more playoff experience. And he’s being aggressive, and we urge him to do that more and more down the line.”
White’s impressive performance marked the third consecutive game where White made at least 20 three-pointers, a feat only a select few, including Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard, have achieved.
“Derrick White has grown,” Brown said. “He’s a new version that we haven’t seen before. He’s put the work in, his body has developed a little bit, he’s got some more playoff experience. And he’s being aggressive, and we urge him to do that more and more down the line.”
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The Cavaliers struggled to keep pace, shooting 11-42 from deep. Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 33 points and six assists, which wasn’t enough to overcome the Celtics’ cohesive teamwork. Mitchell played a significant amount of minutes, and his endurance was crucial in keeping the Cavaliers competitive.
“We try to put him out there as long as we can. He’s playing over 40 minutes a game. So we’re doing our best to keep him out there because we know how impactful he is,” Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
The Celtics’ victory showcased their well-rounded offense and strong teamwork, as they recovered from a slow start to pull away from the Cavaliers. Boston had dominant results in pick-and-roll, whether the ball handler scored, spraying it out to a spot-up shooter or hitting the roller. In those sequences, Boston generated 1.324 points per possession, including a 29-point total from the ball handler and 12 points from the roller—setting new highs in their postseason run. Having base actions thrive while additionally scoring 24 points in transition proved far too much for Cleveland to overcome.
“There’s a lot of areas we can improve on,” Bickerstaff said. “I thought the guys came out with the right intent and the right effort. Facing a team like Boston, I think it’s good to be able to play them. You’re not used to the speed, the spacing, the shooting and all those things until you get up against them especially coming from a series we just came from that was more of a half-court slugfest where they play with more tempo, more space. We’ll learn from it, and we’ll be better on Thursday.”
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White’s shooting prowess remains crucial for the Celtics’ offense, creating space for his teammates to operate.
“It’s important because it means, usually the shots he takes are because we’re either out in transition, we’ve set really good screens, and he has that, or there’s 2-on-1s and we’re making extra passes,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said about White. “So I think when those guys get more and more shots, it means we’re getting to the different layers of our offense, which is important against a team like this.”
Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday night in Boston, and the Cavaliers must improve their three-point shooting and find ways to counter the Celtics’ dominant offense.
The Cavaliers also struggled with their 3-point shooting, making only 26.2% of their 42 attempts. This was a significant drop from their regular season average of 37.2%. Additionally, their lack of depth was a concern, with only 15 bench points compared to the Celtics’ 35.
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Payton Pritchard, playing 24 minutes in Boston’s bench group, personally outscored Cleveland’s second unit. This was a testament to the Celtics’ strong bench play and ability to maintain their level of play even when their starters were not on the court.
The Celtics are in control and look poised for a deep playoff run. With their strong offense and stingy defense, they are a team to beat in the East.
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