The Boston Celtics matched up once more with the Cleveland Cavaliers after an entertaining battle earlier this season through the NBA Cup.
Boston handed Cleveland its first loss again on Nov. 19 with an announcement win at TD Backyard. This time, the Celtics made the journey to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to problem one other reminder of which group is the reigning NBA champion. The groups battled by means of one other robust battle of high Jap Convention squads earlier than the Cavaliers acquired the job executed Sunday night time.
Listed here are 4 studs and a dud from the Celtics’ 115-111 loss in opposition to the Cavaliers.
STUDS
Kristaps Porzingis
Boston continues to reap the advantages of their huge man’s return this month from his offseason surgical procedure. Porzingis attacked offensively in opposition to Cleveland’s Georges Niang to spark a first-half turnaround for the Celtics. The star heart additionally drilled a go-ahead triple to place the Celtics in entrance within the third quarter and pulled in a vital offensive rebound that arrange a Jrue Vacation layup within the remaining minutes.
Porzingis ended the night time with 21 factors and eight rebounds.
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Jayson Tatum
Boston’s star didn’t have his regular supporting forged Sunday night time with the absence of Derrick White and Jaylen Brown. Tatum nonetheless rose to the event with 33 factors — 17 of these factors got here within the third quarter alone.
Tatum attacked isolations all through the night time and picked aside the opposition. The Celtics star performed like a scorer on a fairly environment friendly night time from the sphere in opposition to a high Jap Convention contender.
Paint Protection
Cleveland skyrocketed with the undefeated begin by means of official success of going to work within the paint. The Celtics felt the return of Porzingis in that diploma, holding the Cavaliers to a season-low 18 factors within the paint within the first half.
Donovan Mitchell
The Cleveland guard cooked in opposition to Boston as soon as once more. Solely Michael Jordan has a better profession common in opposition to the Celtics than Mitchell, per NBC Sports activities Boston.
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Mitchell dropped 35 factors, together with a clutch 3-pointer late within the sport, and shot over 50% from the sphere to provide the Celtics matches defensively.
DUDS
Boston’s opening power
Cleveland confirmed up early and sometimes to place the Celtics on their heels within the first quarter. The Cavaliers struck fast to begin the sport on an 8-0 run and gained the opening 12 minutes, 28-24, earlier than the Celtics discovered their rhythm within the second half in Cleveland.
Fortunately for Boston, the Celtics turned a nook to take management, which included a plus-14 third quarter.
