David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Wins on the Margins Help Propel Celtics Past Cavaliers
Tuesday night at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics matched the Minnesota Timberwolves for the NBA's best record at 17-5. They did so with a 120-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Winning on the margins was one of the crucial components of the victory. The C's produced 20 more points at the free-throw line than the visitors and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds to Cleveland's six.
After a slow start, they defended well for most of the matchup, including holding the Cavaliers to 21 points in the final frame.
Them doing so despite some tough shooting stretches and their guests repeatedly knocking down well-contested shots, converting on 19/45 (42.2 percent) of their attempts from beyond the arc, represents the focus they'll need in the playoffs to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Boston also drilled 18/44 (40.9 percent) of its threes and got 25 points apiece from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, whose aggressive attacks downhill were crucial to their team's significant advantage at the free-throw line.
The same goes for how that approach led to a team-high five assists for the former and four for the latter.
Kristaps Porzingis also poured in over 20 points, registering 21, pairing it with ten rebounds, matching Tatum for the most in the contest.
Derrick White chipped in 17 points, four assists, four rebounds, two blocks and a steal. He played a pivotal role in the hosts finding their rhythm after lacking focus at the beginning of the contest.
Twenty-one points from the bench didn't hurt either.
Now, for a deep dive into what stood out as the Celtics overcame 29 points from Donovan Mitchell and 26 from Darius Garland, improving to 11-0 at TD Garden this season.
1. The Celtics entered Tuesday's tilt after four days off. It looked more like it was four months, based on their play to start the game.
Boston lacked focus. They twice lost track of a member of the Cavaliers for a layup, Kristaps Porzingis threw a careless pass Donovan Mitchell turned into a pick-six, and the hosts dug themselves an 18-4 hole.
2. Needing a spark and some shot-making, Payton Pritchard provided a boost off the bench, drilling two threes and sprinting back in transition to knock the ball out of Isaac Okoro's hands as the latter was about to attempt a transition layup.
That led to a stop, followed by Pritchard dishing to Jayson Tatum on a fast-break flush at the other end.
3. After entering the second quarter trailing 31-21, the Celtics' defense got them and the crowd back in the game. Steals and stops spurred a transition attack that created points at the rim and higher-quality shots that helped them find their rhythm offensively.
A central figure at both ends was Derrick White. The NBA's plus-minus leader (minimum two games played) at plus-10.2 demonstrated how quickly he gets himself into a rhythm when shooting off the catch, burying three straight threes of that variety.
4. Pritchard's spark, Boston's defense, and White's sharpshooting helped the hosts enter halftime down by one, 60-59.
Both teams entered the break with three starters scoring in double figures, including Jayson Tatum, who paced all participants with 17 points.
Jaylen Brown and Donovan Mitchell manufactured 16 each. The latter also received a technical, stemming from frustrations with a blocking call against him on a play where the former plowed him over and appeared to stick out his elbow. The technical came after arguing another call shortly after that.
While Cleveland converted on 10/22 (45.5 percent) of its threes, the C's were a frigid 6/21 (28.6 percent) from beyond the arc. But going 17/17 at the free-throw line, compared to the visitors being 2/2, was crucial in keeping the contest close. So were the nine Cavaliers turnovers they parlayed into 11 points.
5. Brown hurt his leg going up for a dunk and subbed out six seconds later. The Celtics ruled it a rolled ankle, but he took part in warmups before the second half and was in the lineup to start the third frame.
6. The defense wasn't great on either side in the third quarter, and Boston had five turnovers, but the hosts outscored their guests 35-32, taking a 94-92 edge into the last 12 minutes.
The Celtics assisted on 8/13 field goals, made 8/13 (61.5 percent) of their threes, and produced ten points in the paint.
Porzingis, cold for most of the night, led all scorers with 13 points in the period.
Jrue Holiday chipped in eight, including a pair of makes from beyond the arc.
7. Boston salted away Tuesday's win with its defense, holding the Cavaliers to 21 points in the fourth quarter. That, and going 8/8 at the free-throw line, helped them earn a hard-fought 120-113 victory.
The hosts went 26/26 at the stripe, compared to Cleveland's finishing 6/9. That was a crucial difference-maker in the outcome.
8. The Celtics again host the Cavaliers in the second half of this two-game series. That matchup is on Thursday night and will tip off at 7:30 EST.
Further Reading
Mike Gorman Delivers Bold Take About Celtics' Joe Mazzulla
White and Porzingis Shine as Celtics Pass Physical Challenge from Knicks
Kristaps Porzingis Discusses Why He Chose Celtics, First Impressions in Boston: 'Perfect Scenario'
Tyrese Haliburton, Another Sloppy 3rd Qtr., Propel Pacers Past Celtics in In-Season Tournament
Joe Mazzulla Praises Payton Pritchard's Fourth-Quarter Performance in C's Win vs. 76ers
An Empowered Jaylen Brown Strives to Balance Scoring with Playmaking: 'I've Grown A Lot'
Joe Mazzulla Believes Celtics' Second Unit is 'Starting to Develop an Identity'
Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present
