It took a while for the Celtics to end up getting the better of these eye-catching Cavaliers who tried their luck until the end. Throughout the match, however, JB Bickerstaff's troops chased the score, without ever managing to catch up with this Boston team determined to continue their winning streak at home.
The Brown-Tatum-Porzingis trio did their best to try to get the locals off to a good start from the start of the match, with aggression but also spectacle like the alley-oop between JB and KP, as well as outside skill, embodied by Sam Hauser and Jayson Tatum at the end of the first quarter (33-24).
The gap then climbed to +14 two minutes before the break following an 11-4 fueled by Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis (55-41). We could then think that Boston was going to step on the accelerator to outrun Cleveland for good. It has not happened ! As since the start of the match, the Cavs didn't give up, and managed to tickle the C's until the end!
A boiling “money time”
Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert launched the revolt at the end of the first half (65-54), before increasing the pressure a notch. Alongside an inspired Donovan Mitchell, it was the restless Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert who helped to reignite the suspense by occasionally bringing Cleveland back to within 5 lengths (85-80), until the lay-up followed by the 3-pointer from Darius Garland to end the period at -3 (90-87).
Derrick White and Jayson Tatum's 3-pointers allowed Boston to stay at a good distance at the start of the money-time, but the threat still loomed at the time of the “money-time”, between the new 3- points from Darius Garland and lay-up from Caris Levert (107-102). The last three minutes looked uncertain, and yet, this is the moment that Boston chose to finally secure the victory. Not much was enough, a heroic offensive rebound from Jaylen Brown enhanced by Jrue Holiday, a foul from Caris Levert who bit on the sideline, and two dunks from Jayson Tatum to settle the matter (113-102).
To finish in style, Al Horford scored a final 3-point basket, securing his team's victory: 116 to 107!
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Perfect debut at home. Solid leaders in the East since the start of the season, the Celtics are now up to 12 victories in 12 games played at TD Garden this season, including two against Cleveland. This is obviously the best record in the league at home, just ahead of Houston and Minnesota at 11 and 10 wins for one loss respectively. Even if Boston scared itself until the end, Cleveland never led the score in this 12th game of the season at TD Garden.
– One minute to kill the match. The Celtics were not leading 3 minutes from the end when Caris Levert reduced the gap to five points (107-102), then when Jayson Tatum missed a step-back 3-pointer. But everything finally changed in the space of a minute. First there was this heroic offensive rebound from Jaylen Brown who saved the ball to give it to Jrue Holiday who was quick to place a floater with the board and give the locals some breathing room. Then, after Caris Levert left the sidelines, it was Jayson Tatum who made up for it by placing two dunks, after overtaking Caris LeVert. The latter rushed again on the next action, and were done with Cleveland's hopes!
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
