BSJ Game Report: Cavs 115, Celtics 111 - Mitchell's perfect fourth quarter sinks Celtics

Everything you need to know about the Celtics loss to the Cavs, with BSJ insight and analysis

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics offense wasn’t at its best to start, allowing the Cavs to take a lead behind high-volume 3-point shooting. The four-point lead grew to 11 early in the second but Boston answered to take a brief lead before another Cavs run to go up two at the half. Boston owned the third quarter, getting 17 from Jayson Tatum and incredible defensive contributions from players like Drew Peterson and Sam Hauser. They were up 12 in the fourth but Donovan Mitchell literally couldn't miss, scoring 20 points to flip the game and give Cleveland the win.

Box Score

HEADLINES

- Mitchell is a killer: He was perfect in the fourth quarter, including a stretch of 11 straight Cavs points to pull Cleveland back in front. 

“What I liked, he got kind of everything in transition,” Kenny Atkinson said after the game. “It wasn’t static. He got it in the flow. He was unbelievable.” 

- Drew Peterson steps up: The Celtics were searching for someone or something to work early on and Peterson was it. He nearly doubled his 30 career NBA minutes in this game alone, he hit a couple of 3-pointers, and he played some really good defense, especially in that huge third quarter. I’m mad at Donovan Mitchell for ruining that storyline tonight.

“I like that he wasn’t shy,” Kristaps Porzingis said. “I told him right away to look for his stuff because he’s a good offensive player. He wasn’t shy all night long, he shot his shots, played good defense, and showed his game in a high-level game like this. It was really cool to see.” 

- Failed to capture first: The Celtics had a chance to snatch first place from the Cavs. I’m not going to make much of the standings on December 1, but first place is still first place and you’d like to be there as opposed to not being there. 

TURNING POINT 

Tatum checked into the game with 7:16 to go and Boston up 93-84. Mitchell was just starting to get his roll going but Boston’s offense stagnated a bit as Tatum tried to pick on Darius Garland. Cleveland outscored Boston 31-18 over that final 7:16. 

THINGS I LIKED

- Drew Peterson: His defense was actually what kept him on the floor. He had some very good defensive possessions in the third quarter to help the Celtics build a lead. He was pretty poised for this moment. I think he could have been even more aggressive offensively, but I’m very impressed. 

- Payton Pritchard: Not his best shooting night but he was 5-7 in the fourth quarter (2-3 3pt), to score 17 points and nearly match Mitchell’s output. Once again, he had some really nice drives and finishes and he played some really good defense. He’s having an incredible season. 

- Sam Hauser: He fouled out trying to extend the game, which is a shame because I thought he had a great overall game. He was huge in the third quarter on both ends. He finished with 13 points, seven of those came in the third, as did two of his three steals on the night. 

- Luke Kornet: I thought his defense was huge. I wish this game had gone differently because his block of Donovan Mitchell’s third-quarter dunk attempt and Dikembe Mutombo finger wag was amazing. 

- Kristaps Porzingis: 21 points, eight rebounds, two assists, three steals on the night and some good stretches earlier in the game. He only had four fourth-quarter points. I think he got too much into foul hunting and complaining at the end, After the game he downplayed his performance and said he was a step slow on both ends.

- Jayson Tatum (mostly): His third quarter was incredible. He was torturing Darius Garland and scoring at every level. He was unstoppable. He finished with 33 points on 12-27 shooting (4-9 3pt), eight rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

- How things stagnated with Tatum in the fourth: His fourth quarter was the opposite of Mitchell’s. I think he got a little too into the one-on-one stuff and he missed some tough, contested layups. There were at least a couple of plays that probably called for more ball movement. It just felt that the whole team went flat when Tatum checked back in. 

- Jrue Holiday: They might have won had he given them anything offensively. He’s not his usual self right now on offense. He’s still making some nice defensive plays, but I feel like he’s slower than we’re used to seeing. 

HIGHLIGHTS

TWO TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- Cavs won it more than Boston lost it. 

I'm not going to lose my mind over a four-point loss to a Cavs team that needed to make a point after their two losses to the Atlanta Hawks. Sure, Boston could have done things to build a bigger lead. And Tatum definitely could have orchestrated a more fluid offense. But sometimes a great player just takes the game over and beats you, and that's what Donovan Mitchell did. 

I'll get more into this separately, but the Cavs needed this win. They needed this fourth quarter. The Celtics wanted it, and nearly got it, even without Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. But the Cavs just did a little bit more. Good for them. They get to hold onto first for a little while longer. 

- Drew Peterson earned another look.

You never know when an opportunity is going to arise. That's why the Celtics call their bench the “stay ready group,” because Joe Mazzulla can act on a whim in an instant. Mazzulla didn’t give Peterson any kind of heads up that he was part of the plan. He just had to get in there and play.

And he played pretty well. I think he passed up a couple of shots that he should take if he’s in the game, And obviously, he made a couple of mistakes on defense. But generally speaking, he gave Boston a chance to win. 

“He had some really good defensive positions, defended without fouling,” Mazzulla said. “You're trying to find moments throughout the season where you could validate the work that the guys put in, regardless of who it is … I just felt like he's had really good reps lately and I thought he put us in a position to help us win.”

It’s going to be hard to crack this rotation when it’s fully healthy, but this week’s stretch includes two back-to-backs, so now’s the time to cash in on Peterson getting some confidence. 

Maybe he turns back into a pumpkin at some point soon or maybe he becomes a surprise bench contributor. Now’s the time to find out. Every productive minute he gets now is a minute someone in the regular rotation can rest. 

Next up: The Celtics return home for a back-to-back against Miami tomorrow night.