BSJ Game Report: Celtics 120, Cavs 95 - C's catch fire in 2nd half, run away with Game 1

Everything you need to know about the Celtics win over the Cavs in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series, with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL

Jaylen Brown got going early to pace a hot C’s start, but Isaac Okoro hit a couple of 3-pointers and Donovan Mitchell nearly matched Brown to keep Cleveland within six after one. That lead grew to 10 at the half despite Jayson Tatum having a tough offensive half and Boston shooting 6-22 from 3. The third was a duel between Mitchell and Derrick White, but a late Payton Pritchard buzzer-beater made it a 15-point game heading into the fourth. The Cavs rested Mitchell to start the quarter and Boston went on a 10-2 run to grab their first 20-point lead and run away with the game.

Box Score

HEADLINES 

- Derrick White & Jaylen Brown came to play: They combined for 57 and were the only Celtics consistently hitting from 3, hitting 11 of 18 from deep. The rest of the Celtics were 7-28 (the Cavs were 11-42). 

“We've got a really talented team,” Tatum said. “It shows the depth of our team and how we can win games in a lot of different ways.”

- Defensive effort: Tatum had three blocks, the Celtics had seven overall, and the Cavs were held to 41% shooting (26% from 3). Neither the defense nor the offense was perfect, but they did exactly what they were supposed to do. The offense put up 120 points, the defense held the Cavs to 95. Winning formula. 

- Not much juice: Hate to say it, but without the fear of “Spo” on the sidelines, the cachet of a premier opponent, or frankly the expectation of a challenge in this series, the building felt much more like a regular season game. You could have told me this was the December 12 game and I might have flinched thinking I forgot to do my Christmas shopping before I remembered it’s May 7. It did get loud in the second half when shots started to fall and the lead grew, but it wasn’t there the whole time.

TURNING POINT

Pritchard’s buzzer-beater at the end of the third, combined with the 10-2 start to the fourth turned a 12-point game into a 23-point game. I had a little bit of a fear that things were a little too comfortable after Mitchell hit his 3-pointer to cut it to 12, but Pritchard’s shot woke up the sleepy crowd and they were roaring when the Cavs called their timeout. 

THINGS I LIKED

- Derrick White: He always gives the game what it needs. His 7-12 from 3 was incredible.

“Derrick White has grown,” Brown said. “Like, this is a new version that we haven't seen before. He's put the work in, his body has developed a little bit, he's got some more playoff experience and he's being aggressive. We urge him to do that. We'll need that more and more down the line.” 

- Jaylen Brown: Without Jarrett Allen on the floor, Brown was free to attack the rim while Evan Mobley was worried about either Al Horford or Tatum out on the perimeter. He made his first five shots in a row, mixing in a few free throws, to put up a 15-point first quarter to set a strong tone for the game.

- Luke Kornet: Hey remember when Kornet got hurt, Neemias Queta got some decent minutes and played well, and a lot of people were ready to dump Kornet entirely? What a mistake that would have been. This version of Kornet is a far cry from what we are seeing now, which shows how much he’s developed over the course of the season. Kornet came into Game 1, protected the rim well, ran the offense precisely, rebounded, and even dropped a couple of nice dimes. 

“Luke reads the game. He’s an intelligent basketball player,” Brown said. “When he’s playing well he’s not thinking. He’s just out there playing. He’s a 7-footer so he contests shots at the rim and does a good job of just doing his job day in and day out, and that’s what we need. Luke has been a great benefit this whole year, but I’m looking forward to him stepping up and making big plays in the playoffs with Porzingis being out.”

- Jayson Tatum’s defense: Cleveland’s lack of shooting means Tatum can help without fear of getting burned too badly. Maybe someone will hit a shot here or there, but generally speaking, there are few repercussions. That freedom leads to blocked shots, forced turnovers, and stops in general. Tatum was very good defensively in this game.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- Jayson Tatum’s offense: He wasn’t as crisp on the other end. He went into his bad isolations a little too often, dribbling the air out of the ball and stalling the flow of the offense. He might have been searching for his offense a little too hard, which is something star players tend to do on nights where their shots aren’t always there.  

HIGHLIGHTS

TWO TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- This is actually how the Celtics offense is supposed to work in the playoffs

We all want the high-flying, fast-paced, 35-assist Celtics, but actually, this is how the offense is supposed to work in the playoffs. With Holiday not shooting well, Tatum really not executing well offensively, and Horford in his normal supporting role, the water just flowed to the next guys. 

The full power of Boston’s offense is that when a couple of guys don’t have it, a couple of other guys are there to pick it up. When Joe Mazzulla talks about success looking different every game, this is what he means. Game 2 could easily be a Tatum 40-piece and Holiday dropping 20. 

- The Cavs are in serious trouble 

They put up 42 3-pointers, which they needed to do. They hit 11 which isn’t enough. Isaac Okoro hit 3 in the first half, missed two badly in the second, and stopped shooting. 

Boston took 46 3-pointers and made 18, but they were 12-24 in the second half. A great many of those were wide open. If they run this game through a simulation and get all the same shots in all the same way, this could easily be a 40-point game. 

The Celtics defense was stifling at times but it could be better. The Boston offense put up 120 points but it could be better. I don’t know how much better the Cavs can be. 

Next up: The Celtics and Cavs play Game 2 Thursday night at 7 here at TD Garden