BSJ Game Report: Cavs 123, Celtics 116 - Tatum & Brown combine for 83, but Mitchell buries Boston again

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

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics started out on a blistering 25-3 run, but cooled off to allow a 23-13 Cavs answer and lead by 12 after one. The lead settled at 10 at halftime, but the real story was Jayson Tatum’s 30 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists heading into the break. The Celtics looked like they were making another run to start the third, but Jaylen Brown sat with foul trouble, and the Cavs pounced to close it to three. They took their first lead of the game a few minutes into the fourth and were able to hold onto it for, essentially, the rest of the game.

Box Score

HEADLINES

- Tough loss: The Celtics had this one within their grasp. Even without Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, the Celtics opened up a 22-point lead right out of the gate, held a 17-point lead in the third quarter, and had it tied with 3:15 to go. They just gave up too many second chances, missed too many shots, and eventually, they ran out of gas.

- Big bench disparity: Boston’s bench was outscored 33-6, and Payton Pritchard scored all of those points. No one else on the bench even took a shot. Luke Kornet played 19:18 and didn’t get anything thrown his way. Torrey Craig only played three minutes and Drew Peterson played 1:27. The Cavs bench started 8-9 from 3. 

- Tatum & Brown erupt: They combined for 83 points, their most-ever combined points and 71.5% of Boston's scoring output. Tatum’s first half was one of the best halves ever played in modern NBA history. Brown was more consistent, scoring 19 in the first half and 18 in the second. 

“I think just both came out very intentional, under control for the most part,” Tatum said. “Yeah, we played well. But if you ask both of us, we’d much rather have won the game. Can’t win them all. Regardless of a stat line, win or a loss, you can always watch film to see areas you can improve on, things that you could’ve done better. Especially when you lose, there’s things that we both probably could have done to put the team in a better position.”

TURNING POINT 

This game really changed when Brown sat in the third quarter with his fourth foul. It was 87-73 Boston, and he already had 8 points in the quarter. Cavs immediately went on an 8-2 run and closed the quarter 22-11. That's what changed all of the momentum. 

“I think that changed the game,” Brown said. “I got an offensive foul called on the rebound and I felt like it was just in the paint, going for the basketball, and that kind of shifted the game for sure. It is what it is. Wish we could get it back. I don’t think it was a foul. I don’t think it was an offensive foul but when these little guys flop they’re just inclined to call it.”

THINGS I LIKED

- Jayson Tatum, especially his first half: What a masterpiece that was. His 30/9/7 was a stat line never seen before since the box scores were tracked. I’m sure Wilt Chamberlain did it a few times before those records were kept, but regardless, Tatum was the engine driving the Celtics in this game. He cooled off in the second half as the Cavs started to take his passing options away and Brown was able to do more, but 46 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists is a hell of a game. He also blocked three shots.

- Jaylen Brown, minus the foul trouble: He was more efficient than Tatum on his way to 37 points, and he might have actually passed Tatum in scoring if he wasn’t in foul trouble. Brown was having himself a monster third quarter, going for eight points and two rebounds in just four minutes. On top of all that, he was taking the challenge of guarding Donovan Mitchell, who went 3-4 for 10 points with Brown on the bench in the third. 

- Derrick White: I think the Celtics could have run some more through him in the fourth quarter. He finished with 16 points, five assists, and three steals. 

- The opening run: That 25-3 start to the game was awesome. They had everything working on both ends. What a run. This building was nuts. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- The bench: It’s tough with Sam Hauser and Al Horford starting with Porzingis and Holiday out, but they need more than six points out of Payton Pritchard and zero from Luke Kornet. And maybe the net effect of them scoring more is Brown and Tatum scored less in this game, but the Celtics need production off the bench.

Their aggregate +/- was -70. Cleveland’s bench was +92 

- Rotations: Along those same lines, I have a hard time believing that Pritchard and Kornet were the only guys who should have gotten minutes. Couldn't Torrey Craig have given them anything? His first stint didn’t go well, but was there nothing for him in the second half, especially with Brown in foul trouble? 

- Donovan Mitchell: He’s is the captain of the Celtics-killer team. He is incapable of just having a normal game against the Celtics. In fact, his 30.8 points per game against Boston is higher than any other player ever, passing Michael Jordan. The Celtics were so desperate to stop him, they were doubling off shooters like Darius Garland. 

- Offensive rebounds: The Celtics allowed seven offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter, which gave the Cavs six more shots than Boston. If the Celtics had just finished off their stops in the fourth, they might have been able to come down and score against a retreating Cavs defense. 

- 3-point shooting: The Cavs took away Boston’s second-half 3-pointers, only allowing 13 attempts (Boston made only three). That means the drive-and-kick shots weren’t available, which is Boston’s bread and butter. Not having Porzingis really hurt because he’s the floor-spacing threat above the break, and that would have changed a lot.  

HIGHLIGHTS

ONE TAKE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- This shed no real light on the playoffs. 

We haven't seen a fully healthy matchup between these teams. On top of that, the Cavs gave up all the soft switches on Tatum facing De’Andre Hunter. And maybe that was part of their strategy of letting Tatum cook and taking away the rest of the Celtics, but that would probably be different come playoff time.

“I think every game we’ve played, someone has been out on either team,” Mazzulla said. “KP was out in Game 1. In Game 2, JB and Derrick were out. In Game 3, we may have had everybody but they were missing Wade and someone … So every game gives you a little bit of what they’re able to do, and you can take stuff from each game.”

Yeah. A little bit. But not much. 

Give the Cavs credit, they fought the whole game and they earned this win, but how they did it might not mean a whole lot if this is the matchup at the end of May. 

Next up: The Celtics host the Nuggets on Sunday afternoon.