Final: Celtics 110, Cavaliers 117- Horrible first half dooms Celtics

WHO: Celtics (20-19) vs. Cavaliers (14-25)
WHEN: 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub
TV: NBC Sports Boston

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS

Celtics
G: Marcus Smart
G: Jaylen Brown
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Semi Ojeleye
C: Daniel Theis


Cavaliers
G: Collin Sexton
G: Darius Garland
SF: Isaac Okoro
PF: Larry Nance
C: Jarrett Allen

LIVE COVERAGE

Fourth quarter

• A late tip-in from Robert Williams that initially didn't count was actually good. C's start the quarter down 8


• Williams landed awkwardly on an alley oop attempt but stayed in the game. He wasn't moving well afterwards and checked out and went back into the locker room with 10 minutes to go

• Jayson Tatum is attacking and the Celtics have cut it to 4, 89-85


• The Celtics zone has kept Cleveland mostly out of the paint and the Celtics are getting out and running. Cleveland is still hanging around


• The Celtics missed 8 free throws in the game

• Boston comes out of the half playing a little better. They were still settling for 3's, but at least a couple of Marcus Smart's fell


• The Celtics are slowly chipping away at the lead. They're a bit more aggressive on offense and more 3-pointers are falling. But defensively, they continue to allow shots at or near the rim


• The Celtics switched to a zone and finally got some stops. They have a chance to cut the lead to single-digits heading into the 4th quarter


• The Celtics have begun blitzing the ballhandler on pick-and-rolls and it forced a turnover. The defense has picked up, with Robert Williams playing a big roll in the turnover and a subsequent blocked shot.


• Jaylen Brown scored 7 points over a 2:12 stretch at the end of the quarter

• The Celtics are struggling to score. Jayson Tatum is 2-8 (0-5 3pt), and Jaylen Brown is 0-2 as the Celtics trail 35-22 in the second.


• The Celtics finally manage a 7-0 run, but then gave up back-to-back 3-pointers to make it a 14 point game again


• This game is full of Boston missed jumpers (and turnovers) and Cleveland attacking


• The Celtics finally showed some intensity at the end of the half, disrupting the Cavs offense and getting some baskets, but the damage was done. Boston down 55-38 at the half.

• The start of this game was... not good. Both teams missed a lot and turned it over. They very much looked like two teams on back-to-backs. Boston opened the game 1-6.


• Cleveland got inside a lot on the C's defense, with 10 of their first 13 points coming in the paint


• Celtics are up to six turnovers in the first quarter with 2:30 left, leading to 8 Cavs points.


• In a particularly bad play, Daniel Theis tried to save a long outlet pass on the fast break an no other Celtics had crossed half court


• Payton Pritchard and Robert Williams have injected a little energy to help keep this close. Pritchard has 6 points, including a putback while Williams already has 2 blocks and 4 rebounds

• Celtics vs. Cavaliers spread: Celtics -8


• Celtics vs. Cavaliers over-under: 212.5 points


• Celtics vs. Cavaliers money line: Celtics -360, Cavaliers +290