Despite a dramatic fourth-quarter collapse and a determined rally by Cleveland, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Cleveland Cavaliers, 117-115. It was an exciting finish to a game that had been pretty much under control by Boston throughout.
Payton Pritchard exploded for a season-high 42 points while Jaylen Brown recorded a triple-double. Boston maintained a 21-point lead into the third quarter when Cleveland made a furious rally in the late stages of the fourth quarter, almost erasing the Celtics’ lead before time ran out.
Cleveland had been shooting well at the end of the game, led by Donovan Mitchell and finished by Darius Garland with a long-range shot, which pushed Boston to the edge. However, Boston would not have been able to hold out without Brown converting one late free throw and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley missing a long-range jumper at the buzzer.
The Celtics had to rely heavily on their bench players, so this was a good test of their depth. Mobley finished with 27 points and 14 rebounds while Cleveland made 20 3-pointers for the second straight game. Let’s dive into the major takeaways of this game, as the Celtics finish off the weekend with a big win.
1. Payton Pritchard Had the Best Game of His Career
Pritchard has had some great games in the past, but this was clearly the best. He scored 42 points on 15 of 22 shooting and was 6 of 11 on threes. At times, it felt like the only way to score was to get the ball to Pritchard.
Whenever Cleveland would score, Pritchard would score closer to the end of the third quarter. He scored 19 third-quarter points as the Celtics finalized a 21-point lead, and he even sank a 116-112 free throw with 5.9 seconds left. No Celtic had control of the tempo like Payton.
Pritchard had incredible efficiency while shooting a lot. He only turned the ball over 2 times, had a plus-minus of 10, logged 3 assists, and was the offensive engine of the team.
No Celtic scored when Cleveland was playing tight defense. Payton shot the ball and was the shot creator for Boston. This was Payton Pritchard’s best game of his career to this point.
2. Jaylen Brown’s Triple-Double Was What Boston Needed
Following his 41-point performance the night before, Brown once again put on a spectacle as he recorded a triple-double consisting of nineteen points, twelve rebounds, and eleven assists in thirty-eight minutes.
Brown dominated the boards and was a great setup player on the offensive side whenever Cleveland decided to collapse on him during the half-court. The Celtics needed the offensive composure during the fourth quarter due to their ongoing offensive struggles, and Brown’s calmness as a facilitator was exactly what they needed to win, even after they turned the ball over nineteen times.
Brown’s contributions to the game went beyond the stat line, even as he only made three of his thirteen shots and one of his four three-point attempts. He was great at getting to the line, going twelve of sixteen, and he was able to defend a multitude of positions.
He hadn’t recorded that high of an assist total in almost two years, so that goes to show that he is maturing in the facilitator aspect of his game. He may have ended the game missing his final free throw, and he may have ended the game with a plus-minus of negative ten, but he did great in a game where Boston needed him to step up.
3. Evan Mobley Was The Best Player On The Floor for Cleveland
Cleveland saw an incredible performance by Mobley on both sides of the court, capping it off with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 of 17 shooting. Mobley scored the most points on the floor and collected 5 offensive rebounds, helping Cleveland match the Celtics with 16 second-chance points.
Despite Boston shooting 49% from the floor, Coach JB Bickerstaff’s squad gave Boston a run for their money. Mobley’s ability to switch and defend Boston’s key players certainly helped keep the lead within range.
Mobley’s contributions to the team went beyond the offensive glass and switchable defense, as he even hit 3 three-pointers, second on the team, shooting 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. Mitchell did not have his best night; however, Mobley’s brilliant performance on both sides of the court allowed Cleveland to get the most out of his offensive and defensive abilities.
Mobley’s performance clearly proved he has the ability to lead an offense and defense while playing 39 minutes and a positive plus/minus.
4. Boston’s Depth Stepped Up
Without Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Neemias Queta, the Celtics relied on their bench players, and they came through. Walsh was unofficially a team MVP this game, scoring 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting and grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds.
Walsh showed good engagement on the glass with 6 offensive rebounds and on the defensive end with 5 steals and blocks combined, allowing Boston to stay in this game.
The Boston bench stepped up even more, scoring 20 total bench points. Anfernee Simons had 18 points on 14 shots, including 3 threes, and Brandon Scheierman had 5 points. The Celtics’ bench was inefficient, 6-19, but their effort with 13 rebounds and a good defensive presence allowed Boston to survive long stretches with Brown and Pritchard on the bench.
It’s impressive how they managed to survive with their patched-up rotation, especially considering the Cavs hit 22 bench points on 51% from 3.
