The Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-117 in a thrilling game, inflicting Cleveland’s first loss of the season. Jayson Tatum led Boston to victory in a thrilling superstar duel against Donovan Mitchell.
The Celtics dominated the first half, making 14 of their 22 threes and building a 21-point lead at one stage. With the half tied at 65–48, Boston looked on course for a comfortable victory as Cleveland struggled to create open shots.
But the Cavaliers came out strong after the break and scored an impressive 40 points in the third quarter, including 30 in the last seven minutes of the period. Offensive power from Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley cut the deficit to two points with just under three minutes left in the third period, before Jayson Tatum’s step-back three at the end of the quarter stretched the Celtics’ lead to 93-88. From then on, the game remained close, with both teams putting in a strong offensive performance, but the Celtics were unable to pull away again.
In the final minutes, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were involved in a thrilling duel with Donovan Mitchell. With 1:40 left on the clock, Brown increased the Celtics’ lead to 114:105 with a layup. Mitchell, who was the top scorer of the game with 35 points, brought the Cavaliers back to 113:117 with a deep three 25 seconds before the end. But Al Horford, who also played a strong game, made the final decision with a crucial dunk with just eight seconds left on the clock.
NBA: Celtics shoot out the lights
The Celtics impressed with their shooting power, hitting 54 percent of their threes (22/41), while Cleveland only managed 34.5 percent from beyond the arc. However, the Cavaliers dominated the game in the zone and scored 60 points near the basket, compared to 36 for the Celtics. In addition to Mitchell’s 35 points, Evan Mobley impressed with 22 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. On the Celtics’ side, Jayson Tatum shone with 33 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, while veteran Al Horford also played a key role with 20 points.
Boston remains on course for success, while Cleveland suffers its first defeat. The Celtics face the Washington Wizards on Friday evening (Saturday, 1:00 a.m. German time). The Cavaliers face the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday evening (Thursday, 1:30 a.m. German time).
