Three Studs, Three Duds As Celtics Secure Bold Win Over Cavs

BOSTON — The Celtics returned to NBA Cup action Tuesday night, this time hosting the Cavaliers at TD Garden for a much-anticipated test.

Cleveland entered its first meeting with Boston this season undefeated through 15 games and performing better than any other team in the first quarter — the Cavaliers averaged an NBA-best 33.4 points in the opening frame. While impressive, those credits didn’t transfer once the reigning champions met the Cavaliers at center court.

Boston delivered Cleveland a reminder of why a championship banner hangs in TD Garden’s rafters. Cavaliers center Evan Mobley mentioned how the battle would be an opportunity for Cleveland to make a statement, however, it was the Celtics who capitalized on that. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 50 points, Jrue Holiday returned and got right back to work and the Celtics took their third consecutive trip to the win column.

Here are three studs and three duds from Boston’s 120-117 victory:

STUDS
Jayson Tatum
No other player on the floor was as red-hot as Tatum through the first two quarters of play. Tatum dropped 17 points, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from 3-point territory by halftime, leaving Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson with plenty of adjustments to make early. Tatum’s MVP-caliber first half carried over. He drained the buzzer-beating three to end the third quarter, assisted Payton Pritchard on a crucial three in the fourth to put Boston ahead, 107-100, and notched a sixth double-double this season.

Tatum scored 33 points with 12 rebounds and seven assists.

Boston’s first-quarter defense
The Celtics understood the assignment early and got ahead of Cleveland’s league-leading first-quarter offense. Boston pressured the perimeter, holding the Cavaliers — the NBA’s leader in 3-point percentage (41.9%) — to 0-of-6 from three with 20 points heading into the second quarter. That marked the fewest points scored in the first quarter thus far for the Cavaliers and the fourth-lowest points total in a single quarter yet.

Al Horford
Boston might not be able to rely on Horford’s 38-year-old self to perform on back-to-backs, but the seasoned veteran had plenty left in the tank for Cleveland. Horford pitched in with 20 points, seven rebounds, a game-high three blocks and knocked down four threes.

DUDS
Darius Garland
It wasn’t a pretty start, nor was there a pretty finish to Garland’s night.

The 24-year-old shot an atrocious 1-for-11 from the field by halftime, including 0-of-3 from beyond the arc, giving the Cavaliers a deadweight performance. That didn’t change. Garland ended the night shooting just 3-for-21, including 0-for-6 from three with two turnovers, registering a minus-9 rating in 31 minutes.

Boston’s third-quarter offense
The Celtics were their biggest enemy in the third quarter. Boston got torched by Cleveland’s ball movement, exposed by defensive physicality and watched a 21-point lead shrink to a measly five-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter. Instead of burying the Cavaliers early, the Celtics gave the league’s hottest team life by getting outscored, 40-28, to end a nightmarish third frame.

Ironically, Cleveland ranked outside of the NBA’s top five in third-quarter points entering the night.

Donovan Mitchell
Mitchell was arguably the most dangerous player on the floor in the Eastern Conference semifinal series between Boston and Cleveland over five months ago. This go-around, Mitchell wasn’t nearly as efficient although the five-time All-Star kept the Celtics on their toes. He finished with 35 points on 13-of-29 shooting from the floor.

Boston and Cleveland will meet again on Dec. 6.