In the course of the 2015-16 season, the Boston Celtics took the 23-0 Golden State Warriors to double extra time earlier than dropping, 124-119. Tuesday evening, they didn’t miss their probability handy the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers their first loss.
The Cavs made a livid second-half comeback of their 120-117 loss, slicing a 21-point Boston result in two factors a number of occasions, however by no means led after taking an early 4-3 lead. They stayed within the recreation by forcing 13 Celtics turnovers and grabbing 12 offensive rebounds, however in the end, that they had no reply for Boston’s three-point taking pictures.
Particularly, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland had no reply. Mitchell scored 35 factors on 29 photographs, however he solely shot 3-of-11 from three-point vary. Garland was worse. After scoring 25 factors in Cleveland’s earlier three video games, Garland shot 3-of-21 for under eight factors, and he missed all six of his three-point makes an attempt.
The Cavaliers confirmed their tenacity and depth, coming again repeatedly and getting 36 factors from their bench, however Boston’s 22-of-41 three-point efficiency was an excessive amount of. Jayson Tatum’s 6-of-10 three-point taking pictures was no shock, however Al Horford taking pictures 4-of-5 and Derrick White going 4-of-7 from deep had been back-breakers. Particularly with the 38-year-old Horford blocking three photographs.
The second-half effort may need knocked out lesser groups, however the Celtics made performs each time Cleveland bought shut. They bought buzzer-beating baskets on the finish of the primary and third quarter, from Sam Hauser after which Tatum.
In the end, the defending champions weren’t going to let a distinct Japanese Convention staff stay undefeated, particularly in a recreation with NBA Cup implications.
However there was one silver lining for the Cavs. With the sport out of attain, Ty Jerome hit his personal buzzer-beater to chop the margin of victory to 3 factors. In an in-season match the place level differential issues, the Cavs grabbed garbage-time factors at a championship stage.
