Boston Celtics - Cleveland Cavaliers summary: stats, scores and highlights | 2024 NBA Playoffs Game 2
Cavs dominate in Game 2
What did we learn in Game 2? Nothing that we didn't already know, which is to say the Cleveland Cavaliers can play ball. As for who shone brightest on the night, we've got to point to Donovan Mitchell who finished the night with a game-high 29 points, along with Evan Mobley who contributed 21, as well as Caris LeVert who did the same.
Regarding how and why the Cavs managed to dominate in a 118-94 win, we've got to point to their performance from beyond the arc. Of the 28 3-point attempts that Cleveland had, they scored 13, while the Celtics nailed only 8 of their 35.
Now, here's the thing: It would be inaccurate to say that the Cavs addressed the major area of concern from Game 1 which was Boston's accuracy from beyond the arc. Indeed, this was much more a case of the Celtics shooting poorly from distance.
On the other hand, what the Cavs did do was improve their own shooting - Donovan Mitchell was sensational - while also working the ball well in the paint - Evan Mobley was something to behold. Mention should also be made of Caris LeVert who was as productive on the offensive end as he was stingy on defense, and off the bench to boot.
At this point it would be premature to say the Cavs can win this, especially when we consider the fact that the Celtics had a blatantly visible off night - no disrespect to Cleveland. Yet, one has to give credit where it's due and what's more is that the Cavs now head home to Cleveland where they are unbeaten in the post season. We're expecting this series to go the distance and that's something we intend to enjoy, so be sure to stick with us as we'll be bringing you our usual live coverage. Until next time!
In the final minute of the game now and it's clear who is going to get the W, though it's got to be said the Celtics are still the team to beat in this one.
We're now inside of 2 minutes and once again Celtics miss. Thompson on the other hand, does not.118-89.
Cavs run the shot clock and Celtics come away with it but it's no go as Cleveland will bring it up once again.
Celtics get a quick two but at this point it will make little difference as the Cavs are now up 116-89.
Mitchell is on 29 points and 7 rebounds as he makes his way to the bench while receiving a round of applause from the entire Cavs bench. He's been dominant tonight.
The Celtics have been terrible from beyond the arc tonight, while the Cavs have most defeinitely not.
LeVert makes one of his two free throws and the Cavs will retain possession. Unfortunately Mobley misses from close range and the Celtics will bring it up.
That's a smooth move from LeVert as he gets the foul as well. Some Celtics fans are beginning to leave the arena with just under 5 left on the clock. The lead is now 111-87 after a flagrant foul is called on Tatum following a video review.
Celtics are running the risk of getting blown out at home at this point after LeVert takes the lead to 20 with a clever step back jumper.
Max Strus drains a three to take the lead to 105-87
It's interesting to note that the Celtics are now double-teaming Mitchell...
And we're back but we've got an immediate offensive foul by Mitchell. Celtics will inbound. Brown misses the three and Cavs break.
Another missed three from Boston and Mitchell brings it up, but he gets trapped by Boston leading to a timeout for the Cavs.
Mobley gets inside after a clever pass from Strus but the ball is knocked out of bounds by Horford.
Celtics bring it up with Tatum who misses his step back jumper. Cavs are looking confident and that's proven by Max Strus who hits a three out of nowhere.
Following a missed 3-point shot from Brown, Mitchell once again cuts to the hoop, only this time it's with a slick stutter step and another 2. Celtics call a timeout.
Donovan Mitchell has now turned from provider to scorer in this corner as his deft spin move takes him to the ring for an easy 2.
Big play there with Horford called for a foul after seemingly coming out with the rebound. Cavs ball.
Pritchard answers with a three of his own for Boston as Mobley prepares to check back into the game.
Wow. Mitchell has found his range as he answers with another 3.
We've got an early foul in the 4th and Brown will go to the line where he makes both.
At the buzzer no less, Donovan Mitchell drills a three to end the 3rd quarter with a 90-78 Cavs lead.
Some classy moves from Pritchard to get the 2 under the hoop.
Mitchell again with the fade away but it misses. Fortunately, Thompson is fouled and he will go to the line. Cavs on a 10-point lead.
After a scramble for the ball under the hoop, the Celtics finally come away with it and break through Brown. the Celtics captain is fouled as he goes to the hoop and will go to the line.
Cavs get the offensive board and it'l Mitchell who comes out with it. We've got a foul and with that Cavs will inbound.
With ice in his veins, Mitchell drains a step back three on Tatum who answers with a difficult jumper of his own.
Cavs ball after a kicked ball is called on Tatum. Cavs are hitting their stride which is impressive given that Mobley is off the court.
Mitchell sinks 2 of 3 and the Celtics come back at it but Tatum loses the ball. Cavs bring it back up.
After making them both, White turns to the culprit as he fouls Mitchell in the process of shooting a three. The Cavs star will go to the line for three free throws.
We've got a foul on White and he will go to the line.
This one is getting intense, but LeVert quiets the crowd with a fall away jumper from outside the paint. That's an 11-point Cavs lead.
Pritchard takes it coast to coast for 2 but the Cavs are coming right back.
The Cavs are now without their big man, but Mitchell doesn't seem to need him as he gets two and the foul. He'll go to the line. Cavs up 79-68.
Huge three from Garland but Mobley commits his fourth foul on the resulting Celtics possession. He'll have to sit down and that's not good news for the Cavs.
We're back at it and Boston picks up a quick foul after Mobley commits his 3rd of the night following a tussle under the net with Kornet.
Garland once again has his way in the paint as he finds Okoro for an easy 2 from the baseline. Celtics have seen enough and call a timeout with the score now standing at 72-65.
Things are going end to end at this point but it's Mobley who gets the look at the 2. Cavs are starting to pull away as the Celtics are starting to miss open looks.
Ooooo....Mitchell will a step back three on Tatum. Cavs up by 7.
Mitchell brings it up and finds Garland who rattles in a three. Cavs back up by 4.
Brown makes both and the lead is now 1-point. Cavs bring it up through Mitchell who misses. Tatum rebounds and here we go.
Brown with a huge play in the paint and gets the foul after taking it to the hole. He will go to the line.
Tatum answers with a slick move in the paint and gets the foul as well. He makes the free throw and the Cavs' lead is now 4.
The Celtics start us off as Brown drives to the hoop but his shot is blocked by Mobley who then finishes the alleoop from Mitchell. Cavs up by 7.
Great play from the Cavs who manage to get a rebound off of a Tatum miss. Garland breaks and finds Okoro on the break for the open dunk. Cavs up by 4 in the 3rd and the Celtics call a timeout.
The Cavs are forced to foul and it's Derrick White who will go to the line. He makes them both and the Cavs lead is now 60-57.
Garland follows it up with another two after Holiday answers and we've got a four point Cavs lead.
Mitchell on the other hand does not miss and that's a three!
And away we go...Celtics get us going once more but it's Tatum with an early miss.
So has Donovan Mitchell...
The Cavs star has played more of provider role tonight, which it has to be said is encouraging given what we know he can do when it comes to scoring.
Derrick White has been immense
While much of the focus has been on Tatum and Brown, Derrick White has been taking the team on his back on both ends of the floor.
What can we say about the first half? The Cavs have definitely responded in the best possible way after being outplayed in Game 1. As for their hosts, the Celtics are once again showing that they are a team that can adapt in real time.
With the increased pressure that the Cavs have placed on them at the perimeter, the Celtics have focused more on ball movement and it's paying off. The second half will likely be about who can focus on the basics i.e., keep doing what they've been doing.
Okoro misses the second and we've got ourselves a tied game at halftime.
A strange sequence there after Jaylen Brown essentially passed the ball to Okoro which results in the Celtics captain committing an immediate foul. Okoro goes to the line and ties the game with his first.
Mitchell takes it to the hoop but is fouled by Holiday. The Cavs star will go to the line with the Celtics up by 3.
Donovan Mitchell clearly takes issue with that and answers immediately. We've got a 1-point Celtics lead.
Tatum makes them both and we've got a three-point game. Celtics lead 52-49.
We're inside the last minute of the half and it's Tatum who takes it to the hoop after a lovely drop step, but he's unable to score after being fouled. He goes to the line
Brown almost scores a sensational layup after a lovely turn but it falls short. Cavs come away with it and Mobley is fouled by Derrick White. The big man will go to the line.
Tatum with another 3-point attempt but this one is well short and the Cavs come away with the ball. Apparently frustrated by his miss, Tatum commits his first foul of the night. Cavs ball.
We're coming to the end of the first half and it's been pretty even but the Celtics are still leading by 4.
Mobley found Garland for an open look for 3 but he misses and Mobley inadverttently knocks the ball out of bounds. Celtics ball.
A cheeky long two for Mitchell as he has a step-back on Tatum who couldn't quite keep with him. 4-point game as Celtics still lead.
Cetlics are enjoying a 6-point lead as Tatum is fouled. He will go to the line after Mobley committs his second foul of the game.
That's Max Strus once again. This time with a reverse layup for two, but it's cancelled by yet another Horford 3. He's now on 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.
Celtics answer immediately through Jaylen Brown who makes a rather crafty stutter step layup.
3-point attempt from Horford but it misses. Cavs break through Mitchell who finds Mobley for an easy 2.
Mobley and Mitchell have checked back into the game and it's latter with a miss to get us off and running. Celtics ball.
What we can say is that unlike Game 1 which was clearly one-sided, we've got ourselves an even contest so far. That said, the Celtics have at no point looked like they're giving their best. On the other hand, the Cavs look like they're almost at their limit.
Tatum attempts to stand up Strus who is intent on defending his man. The Celtics star misses his three point attempt but Pritchard is there for the rebound and the putback. That's a Cavs timeout!
LeVert gets inside but misses an open layup. Celtics break and it's Holiday with an easy 2. Celtics lead by 2. Actually make that 3 as Tatum erupts with a 3 from beyond the arc.
Niang gets invovled in a tussle with Horford and we've got ourselves a jump ball. The former basically wacks the ball out of bounds. Celtics ball and that leads to Horford with a big 3. Celtics lead
Tatum answers immediately with a contested layup for two. There was suspicion of a foul but no call.
Here we go again and Garland gets the Cavs back in the lead with a three off the bat.
The Cavs lose possession and it's Pritchard who takes it straight to the hoop on the break. The game is tied at 30-30.
LeVert tries to get in the paint but his attempt is blocked. Strus recovers and has an attempt of his own but is fouled in the process. Mitchell will in bound.
We're back at it and the Celtics get an early two through Holiday, who does so once again actually. We've got a two point game.
It's been an interesting game so far, with the Cavs demonstrating their commitment to the areas that they obviously didn't in Game 1. That's to say they're closing out the Celtics quicker when it comes to shooting from beyond the arc and they're making their open looks.
With that the quarter comes to an end, and we've got to say the Cavs are looking much more focussed tonight. Can they maintain? Stay with us to find out!
Now on an 11-0 run, the Cavs have found their stride, but Jayson Tatum reminds them of who he is with a 3!
A huge three from Mobley, who gets the rebound off the resulting play from the Celtics. Cavs now lead by 9!
Mobley misses this time though, but Levert is able to get the rebound and make the put back. The Cavs are building and are now up 25-21.
We've got ourlseves a game folks. It's Garland with an emphatic dunk after Mitchell gets another steal and that means Cleveland have now scored their last 5 shots. The Cavs lead 22-21 as LeVert goes to the line following a foul by Tatum.
Cleveland are on the up. Mitchell finds Mobley after a steal and the big man oblidges with a dunk. We've got a tied game.
Tatum goes to the line after a foul by Mobley and he makes both. That said, it's Mobley who answers on the other end with an open dunk after an assist from Strus.
The Cavs answer immediately through Max Strus who gets into the paint once again for a quick 2.
We're back at it and it's the Celtics who get us off and running again. Tatum with the ball. The Cetlics star dishes it to Austin who drops an easy jumper from the corner.
Mobley in the paint with a tidy 2 over Horford and Boston is forced to call a timeout. The score is 16-13 Boston with 5:14 left on the clock.
A nice move from Strus, who in turn gets it to Mobley who is in for an easy dunk. Boston with the 5-point lead.
After some back and forth it's Mitchell who comes away with it. The Cavs' star feeds Gardland for a quick 2. It's 9-14 Boston.
Another failed attempt from distance and the Cavs turn it over, only to regain the ball through a Mobley steal. The Cavs big man feed Mitchell for the easy 2.
We're back in business and we've got an off the ball foul called on Jaylen Brown. Cavs will inbound once again.
From what we've seen so far, the Cavs are once again failing to make open looks, while also conceding too much space on the perimeter. That's precisely why the Celtics have already found their rhythm from beyond the arc...
After some crisp ball movement by the Celtics, the ball finds its way to Derrick White who drains another 3. The Cavs have seen enough and a timeout is called.
The Celtics are starting to find their rhythm and that's not good for the Cavs...
Horford again! The big man takes it to the hoop and gets a quick 2!
That's Al Holford who manages to find some space on the perimeter and drains the first 3 of the night!
Mitchell takes on Tatum for the first time in the game and manages to get to the hoop but his layup attempt doesn't drop. The Celtics are on the offense once again.
That's a foul on Tatum again. This time it's Evan Mobley who is called for a personal foul.
Tatum makes them both and it's Mitchell who answers immediately with a crafty layup in the paint. The Cavs are on the board!
After a missed 3-point attempt from the Cavs, we've got an early foul on Jayson Tatum who goes to the line.
And away we go. It's the Cavs that get us off and running!
We're almost ready
The TD Garden is full and the players are on the court warming up at this very moment. We're excited this one and we imagine you are too. Be sure to stay with us as we take you through the action play by play.
Not long to go
We're now just minutes from tip off and the TD Garden is almost full. Whatever happens tonight, we know we're in for an intense affair. The Cavs know they have to come good if they want to avoid going 2-0 down, while the Celtics know they just need to keep doing what they've been doing. Stay with us!
The Cavs have got a plan...
Having a plan is always a good thing, but as we can all appreciate, that has nothing to do with the execution. The Cavs will need to be fully locked in tonight if they hope to avoid going 2-0 down against one of the most feared teams in the NBA.
The Celtics are preparing
Boston wasn't playing around in Game 1, but Tatum and Co. will know that they need to remain focussed in Game 2 as it's all but certain that the Cavs are going to bring it. After all, they have no choice.
We're getting closer to tip off
If we're honest, we can't wait for this one. Following what was a solid performance from the Celtics in Game 1, the Cavs know they need to bring it. So, how's it going to go down?
So, what can we expect from Game 2?
If we're honest, probably more of the same.
One has to acknowledge the fact that the Celtics' best player scored just 18 points, while another one of their top three scorers was absent through injury. Yet, they still won.
This is of course nothing new for the Celtics which by nature is and has always been a team that can ride out bad shooting nights and injuries. Quite frankly, it's puzzling how consistently they have managed to do that over the years. This is to say, we will almost certainly see the men in green employing the same game plan that they did in Game 1, though it would be wise to keep an eye on Tatum who will assuredly be looking to produce more points.
This brings us to the Cavs. As mentioned in our previous post, Allen is out and that has truly cost the team. How bad has the damage been? Without him on the floor the Celtics enjoyed a +17 rebound advantage, and that's without their own big man - Porzingis - on the floor. To say the Cavs can't let that happen in Game 2 would be stating the obvious, but for the purpose of clarity, the Cavs can't let that happen in Game 2. If the likes of Evan Mobley - he grabbed 13 rebounds in Game 1 - can continue in a similar vein, it may just be that Cleveland can cause some problems. If he can't then don't be surprised if the Cavs get swept.
OK, but let's review...
There is no other way to say it. In Game 1, the Boston Celtics made things look easy. With that in mind, one has to believe that they will be looking to do the exact same in Game 2 when they once again host the Pacers in the TD Garden on Thursday night.
Now, do remember that the Celtics got that opening win without Kristaps Porzingis, who remains sidelined with a calf injury. To that end, the team relied on Jaylen Brown who scored a team-high 32 points, while Derrick White had 25 of his own, and Payton Pritchard chipped in with a further 16 points off the bench. Consider for a moment that the other Celtics star, Jayson Tatum scored just 18 points on 7 of 19 from the floor i.e., the Celtics have got depth and then some.
As for the Cavs, it was clearly a struggle as the team failed to cause any significant problems from deep, while the absence of Jarrett Allen essentially conceded the paint to Boston. The Cavs did manage to see four of their starters score in double digits, but they still lost by 25 points which should tell you, it was a rough night. What that means is that if the Cavs are to have any hope of heading back home with the series tied, they will have to do some serious self review, because as things stand, nothing has worked, and the way the Celtics are playing, that's definitely not a good thing.
JB has stepped up and then some
It would be fair to say that the Celtics have a roster that is loaded with firepower, but key among their weapons has got to be the captain, Jaylen Brown. Not only has the 27-year-old increased his offensive production but we've also seen him become a dominant force on defense. Look for more of that tonight.
Will Mitchell's plan payoff?
It certainly sounds like the Cavs star has a clear idea of what he and his team need to do, but as is always the case, putting a plan into practice is a completely different ball game from conceptualizing one.
That's easier said than done...
There is no doubt that the Cavs can do better than they did in Game 1. The real question is whether they can do better than they did in Game 1.
Talk about following through...
By now it should be clear that the Celtics star is one of the best in the business. Here's a closer look at why.
Welcome, Welcome, and Welcome once again
Tonight we've got what promises to be an intense affair with the Celtics hosting the Cavs once again in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The men in green of course drew first blood in game one with a solid performance that ended with a 120-95 win.
Of course it would be a mistake to expect that Game 2 will go a similar route. Indeed, the Cavs with their young core have been one of the teams to watch this year, which is to say do not allow yourself to think they will go quietly into the night.
With that, we invite you to stay with us as we take you through the buildup to tip off and then we'll be dealing with the action itself play by play!