Recap: Lackluster First Half Dooms Celtics as Cavaliers Win 117-110
AP Photo | Tony Dejak
Another night, another game with poor execution down-the-stretch.
Collin Sexton scored 29 points and Darius Garland added 25 as the Cleveland Cavaliers used a 10-2 run late in the fourth quarter to pull out a 117-110 victory over the Boston Celtics. Larry Nance Jr added 18 and 10 rebounds and Isaac Okoro chipped in with 15 to win a game where both teams were playing in the second night of a back-to-back set.
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 29 points and Jaylen Brown scored 25. Robert Williams had another solid game with 13 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots. He also had 3 assists and 2 steals in a season-high 27 minutes.
The first half saw the Cavaliers shoot 54 percent from the field as Sexton and Garland took turns driving the paint. Each time, they scored or set up teammates for easy baskets. Sexton had18 and Garland had 14 in the first half as Cleveland led 55-38 at the break. The Celtics shot 15 for 40 in the first half, including 3 of 15 from the three-point line, and also had 12 turnovers. 38 points was all Boston had to show for an effortless first 24 minutes.
The Celtics came out with renewed defensive energy in the third period and used the offensive aggressiveness of Brown (13 points) and Tatum to outscore the Cavaliers. They won the quarter 36-27 and headed into the fourth trailing 82-74 after a Robert Williams tip-in at the buzzer.
Tatum came out aggressive in the fourth and scored 12 points as the Celtics cut the lead down to 100-96 with 3:15 left. Cleveland then went on a 10-2 run as the Celtics could not execute their offense. This pushed the lead back up to 110-100 with 1:29 remaining, capped off with a Sexton 3 point play. Cleveland made 7 of 8 free throws to close out the game and handed Boston their second straight loss.
Boston is now 1-3 after the All-Star break, with their next game coming on Friday. They’ll take on the Kings in that one, with the game set to tip off at 7:30 PM EST on NBC Sports Boston.
