CLEVELAND -- Everything you need to know about the Cavs' 102-99 win over the Celtics in quickie form
HEADLINES
Gordon Hayward suffers serious leg injury: Opening night immediately became a secondary topic during the first quarter when Gordon Hayward went down with a horrific left leg injury. The small forward was carried off the floor on a stretcher and the team announced his injury as a fractured left ankle. Brad Stevens gave a more informed diagnosis after the game of a dislocated left ankle and fractured left tibia. He was taken to New England Baptist Hospital on Tuesday night.
Jaylen Brown has a career night but comes up short late: The small forward raised his game in Hayward's absence, scoring a career-high 25 points on 11-of-23 shooting in a team-high 40 minutes. He was a constant force in transition and one of the main catalysts of an 18-point second-half rally by the Celtics. His offensive breakout ran out of steam late though, as Brown missed a pair of crucial 3-point attempts in the final couple minutes, including a potential game-tying look with six seconds remaining.
TURNING POINT
The Celtics led by three points with just under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Cavs responded with a 7-0 in the next 60 seconds, largely thanks to the stellar play of LeBron James. He drove his way to a go-ahead layup with 1:19 remaining and then set up Kevin Love for a wide-open corner 3 with 50 seconds left on the clock to push the Cavs lead to four with 50 seconds remaining. The Celtics couldn't close the gap after that.
SECOND GUESS
The Celtics trailed 102-99 when Jaylen Brown pulled up for a slightly contested 3-point shot on the left wing in midst of a 3-2 fast break in the closing seconds of the game. With an open Marcus Smart streaking on the opposite wing, Brown decided to roll the dice with his hot hand and attempt the dribble pull up. In hindsight, he may have been better served finding an open Smart on the wing. Both players struggled from 3-point range all night though (a combined 2-of-13 from deep)
Marcus Smart was open and reallllly wanted Jaylen Brown to pass him the ball for potential game-tying 3 at end. https://t.co/8xdtdVZ4PH
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) October 18, 2017
Jaylen Brown dunk as LeBron clears out of his way. pic.twitter.com/5xvqO8Buul
— RealGM (@RealGM) October 18, 2017