Garza and Boston’s second-chance attack carry Celtics past Cavaliers, 124-113

Boston found its rhythm after Cleveland’s early surge

Cleveland had the sharper opening punch. Evan Mobley’s three-point play at 4:24 of the first quarter pushed the Cavaliers ahead 23-16, and the home side had already mixed inside finishes from Jarrett Allen and Jaylon Tyson with quick ball movement that produced clean looks.

Boston’s answer came from depth and range. The Celtics closed the quarter on a 16-6 run, flipping a seven-point deficit into a 32-29 lead by the horn. Devin Carter scored seven points in the last 3:19 of the period, Milos Uzan buried a three at 1:52, and Boston kept spacing the floor around Luka Garza and Baylor Scheierman.

The game tightened again early in the second. Mario Hezonja’s layup at 10:24 tied it 34-34, but Boston’s offence kept finding new contributors rather than leaning on one hot hand. Jordan Walsh hit from deep, Hugo Gonzalez scored from the arc and inside, and Carter added a three-point play at 4:17 that stretched the margin to 58-50. By halftime, the Celtics had built a 71-62 edge, with Garza’s late free throw closing a half in which Boston had already made 10 three-pointers and forced Cleveland to chase the score for long stretches.

Cleveland erased 12, but Boston never lost the thread

Boston appeared ready to run away with it when Scheierman opened the third quarter with a three for a 74-62 lead at 11:41. Instead, Cleveland produced its best burst of the night. Meleek Thomas scored twice in the lane and knocked down a 30-footer, then Hezonja tied the game 74-74 with a three at 9:25. Within another minute, Thomas Bryant connected from deep to give the Cavaliers an 81-78 lead.

That rally mattered because it showed what worked for Cleveland. The Cavaliers attacked the paint, shared the ball and got useful minutes from several parts of the rotation. Craig Porter Jr. was central to that stretch, pushing the offence along on his way to 10 assists, while Thomas, Bryant and Tristan Enaruna each added timely baskets as Boston’s halftime cushion disappeared.

Still, every time Cleveland threatened to seize full control, Boston answered with extra possessions and free points. Garza’s two flagrant free throws at 6:05 nudged the Celtics back in front 86-84, Gonzalez followed with a three at 5:28, and Garza kept adding at the line. Scheierman’s 31-footer with 58.1 seconds left gave Boston a 99-93 advantage, and although Enaruna completed a three-point play to trim it to 99-96 by the end of the quarter, the Celtics had steadied the game again before the final 12 minutes.

Our take: the glass was the game, and Boston finished like it knew it

Cleveland got within two one last time when Bryant made a free throw at 11:46 of the fourth, but Boston delivered the cleanest sequence of the night from there. Hayden Gray answered with a three at 11:17, Dillon Mitchell finished an alley-oop at 10:23, and Tucker DeVries drilled back-to-back threes at 10:01 and 9:24. In barely more than two minutes, a fragile lead had become a 110-99 cushion.

That stretch captured the difference in the result. Boston did not win with superior shooting accuracy; Cleveland actually shot better from the field, 47.8 per cent to 41.4. The Celtics won because they created more chances and more valuable ones. They grabbed 21 offensive rebounds, finished plus-17 on the glass overall and earned 35 free-throw attempts. Those numbers gave Boston room to survive 16 turnovers and an uneven shooting night.

The individual scoring reflected that collective edge. Garza finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Carter supplied 17 points and a game-best plus-22, Scheierman and Walsh scored 16 each, Gonzalez had 15 points and five assists, and Mitchell added 10 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Six Celtics reached double figures, and Boston kept producing a timely basket just as Cleveland’s comeback threats started to gather shape.

For Cleveland, there was plenty to like in the structure of the offence. The Cavaliers recorded 32 assists, scored 62 points in the paint and got 14 points from Tyson, 13 from Enaruna and 11 from Donovan Mitchell and Thomas. Porter’s 10 assists gave the attack flow. But when a team shoots well, moves the ball well and still spends most of the night trailing, the missing piece is usually possession count. Thursday fit that pattern exactly. Boston simply gave itself too many extra trips and then closed the door with a 25-17 fourth quarter.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 10:52

   Jaylon Tyson makes 25-foot three point jumper (Peyton Watson assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 10:33

   Baylor Scheierman makes 7-foot pullup jump shot (Hugo Gonzalez assists)

3. 1st Quarter · 10:14

   Jarrett Allen makes layup (Donovan Mitchell assists)

4. 1st Quarter · 9:57

   Luka Garza makes 26-foot three point jumper (Hugo Gonzalez assists)

5. 1st Quarter · 9:20

   Peyton Watson makes free throw 1 of 2

6. 1st Quarter · 9:20

   Peyton Watson makes free throw 2 of 2

7. 1st Quarter · 8:59

   Luka Garza makes 6-foot two point shot

8. 1st Quarter · 8:51

   Jarrett Allen makes alley oop dunk (Jaylon Tyson assists)

9. 1st Quarter · 8:35

   Donovan Mitchell makes free throw 1 of 2

10. 1st Quarter · 8:35

    Donovan Mitchell makes free throw 2 of 2

11. 1st Quarter · 8:06

    Jaylon Tyson makes dunk (Peyton Watson assists)

12. 1st Quarter · 7:49

    Baylor Scheierman makes 25-foot three pointer (Luka Garza assists)

13. 1st Quarter · 7:37

    Donovan Mitchell makes 10-foot fade away jump shot

14. 1st Quarter · 6:26

    Evan Mobley makes driving layup (Peyton Watson assists)

15. 1st Quarter · 5:44

    Hugo Gonzalez makes 22-foot three point jumper (Mike Conley assists)

16. 1st Quarter · 5:24

    Jaylon Tyson makes 1-foot layup (Evan Mobley assists)

17. 1st Quarter · 5:24

    Jaylon Tyson makes free throw 1 of 1

18. 1st Quarter · 4:41

    Baylor Scheierman makes 28-foot three point jumper (Hugo Gonzalez assists)

19. 1st Quarter · 4:24

    Evan Mobley makes layup (Jaylon Tyson assists)

20. 1st Quarter · 4:24

    Evan Mobley makes free throw 1 of 1

21. 1st Quarter · 4:08

    Chris Cenac Jr. makes 2-foot dunk (Baylor Scheierman assists)

22. 1st Quarter · 3:35

    Luka Garza makes layup (Baylor Scheierman assists)

23. 1st Quarter · 3:19

    Devin Carter makes running dunk

24. 1st Quarter · 2:41

    Devin Carter makes floating jump shot

25. 1st Quarter · 2:33

    Donovan Mitchell makes driving layup

26. 1st Quarter · 2:33

    Donovan Mitchell makes free throw 1 of 1

27. 1st Quarter · 1:52

    Milos Uzan makes 25-foot three point jumper (Hugo Gonzalez assists)

28. 1st Quarter · 1:26

    Devin Carter makes 26-foot three point jumper (Chris Cenac Jr. assists)

29. 1st Quarter · 55.3

    Sam Merrill makes 28-foot three pointer (Mario Hezonja assists)

30. 1st Quarter · 43.1

    Dillon Mitchell makes free throw 1 of 2

31. 1st Quarter · 14.6

    Dillon Mitchell makes free throw 1 of 2

32. 2nd Quarter · 11:07

    Jordan Walsh makes driving layup

33. 2nd Quarter · 10:54

    Sam Merrill makes 24-foot three point jumper (Meleek Thomas assists)

34. 2nd Quarter · 10:24

    Mario Hezonja makes layup (Sam Merrill assists)

35. 2nd Quarter · 10:03

    Chris Cenac Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2

36. 2nd Quarter · 9:45

    Chris Cenac Jr. makes running dunk (Mike Conley assists)

37. 2nd Quarter · 9:19

    Jarrett Allen makes 2-foot dunk (Donovan Mitchell assists)

38. 2nd Quarter · 8:28

    Sam Merrill makes 14-foot pullup jump shot

39. 2nd Quarter · 8:03

    Mike Conley makes driving floating jump shot (Jordan Walsh assists)

40. 2nd Quarter · 8:03

    Mike Conley makes free throw 1 of 1

41. 2nd Quarter · 7:38

    Evan Mobley makes 9-foot two point shot

42. 2nd Quarter · 7:23

    Peyton Watson makes running layup (Craig Porter Jr. assists)

43. 2nd Quarter · 7:12

    Devin Carter makes driving layup (Hugo Gonzalez assists)

44. 2nd Quarter · 7:12

    Devin Carter makes free throw 1 of 1

45. 2nd Quarter · 6:54

    Jaylon Tyson makes layup (Craig Porter Jr. assists)

46. 2nd Quarter · 6:34

    Jordan Walsh makes 26-foot three pointer (Mike Conley assists)

47. 2nd Quarter · 6:24

    Peyton Watson makes 24-foot three point jumper (Craig Porter Jr. assists)

48. 2nd Quarter · 5:54

    Luka Garza makes two point shot

49. 2nd Quarter · 5:34

    Hugo Gonzalez makes two point shot (Dillon Mitchell assists)

50. 2nd Quarter · 5:08

    Devin Carter makes free throw 1 of 2

51. 2nd Quarter · 5:08

    Devin Carter makes free throw 2 of 2

52. 2nd Quarter · 4:50

    Tyrese Proctor makes 25-foot three point jumper (Craig Porter Jr. assists)

53. 2nd Quarter · 4:36

    Hugo Gonzalez makes 25-foot three point jumper (Devin Carter assists)

54. 2nd Quarter · 4:17

    Devin Carter makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot

55. 2nd Quarter · 4:17

    Devin Carter makes free throw 1 of 1

56. 2nd Quarter · 4:09

    Craig Porter Jr. makes 24-foot three point jumper (Peyton Watson assists)

57. 2nd Quarter · 3:49

    Luka Garza makes 24-foot three point jumper (Baylor Scheierman assists)

58. 2nd Quarter · 3:43

    Jaylon Tyson makes layup (Craig Porter Jr. assists)

59. 2nd Quarter · 3:24

    Hugo Gonzalez makes free throw 1 of 2

60. 2nd Quarter · 3:24

    Hugo Gonzalez makes free throw 2 of 2

61. 2nd Quarter · 3:12

    Evan Mobley makes free throw 1 of 2

62. 2nd Quarter · 2:29

    Donovan Mitchell makes two point shot

63. 2nd Quarter · 2:02

    Jordan Walsh makes 20-foot floating jump shot

64. 2nd Quarter · 1:29

    Baylor Scheierman makes free throw 1 of 2

65. 2nd Quarter · 1:29

    Baylor Scheierman makes free throw 2 of 2

66. 2nd Quarter · 1:15

    Jaylon Tyson makes 1-foot two point shot (Donovan Mitchell assists)

67. 2nd Quarter · 57.9

    Luka Garza makes 24-foot running jump shot (Devin Carter assists)

68. 2nd Quarter · 49.9

    Donovan Mitchell makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot

69. 2nd Quarter · 0.3

    Luka Garza makes free throw 1 of 2

70. 3rd Quarter · 11:41

    Baylor Scheierman makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot

71. 3rd Quarter · 11:33

    Thomas Bryant makes layup (Craig Porter Jr. assists)

72. 3rd Quarter · 10:43

    Meleek Thomas makes running layup

73. 3rd Quarter · 10:24

    Meleek Thomas makes 30-foot running pullup jump shot (Mario Hezonja assists)

74. 3rd Quarter · 10:00

    Meleek Thomas makes running layup (Craig Porter Jr. assists)

75. 3rd Quarter · 9:25

    Mario Hezonja makes 25-foot three pointer (Craig Porter Jr. assists)

76. 3rd Quarter · 9:10

    Jordan Walsh makes driving layup (Luka Garza assists)

77. 3rd Quarter · 9:01

    Thomas Bryant makes finger roll layup (Mario Hezonja assists)

78. 3rd Quarter · 8:32

    Craig Porter Jr. makes 1-foot running dunk (Meleek Thomas assists)

79. 3rd Quarter · 8:22

    Jordan Walsh makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot (Mike Conley assists)

80. 3rd Quarter · 8:09

    Thomas Bryant makes 26-foot three point jumper (Tyrese Proctor assists)

81. 3rd Quarter · 7:48

    Jordan Walsh makes free throw 1 of 2

82. 3rd Quarter · 7:48

    Jordan Walsh makes free throw 2 of 2

83. 3rd Quarter · 7:27

    Hugo Gonzalez makes driving layup

84. 3rd Quarter · 6:37

    Luka Garza makes free throw 1 of 2

85. 3rd Quarter · 6:37

    Luka Garza makes free throw 2 of 2

86. 3rd Quarter · 6:24

    Tristan Enaruna makes 25-foot three point jumper (Thomas Bryant assists)

87. 3rd Quarter · 6:05

    Luka Garza makes free throw flagrant 1 of 2

88. 3rd Quarter · 6:05

    Luka Garza makes free throw flagrant 2 of 2

89. 3rd Quarter · 5:28

    Hugo Gonzalez makes 25-foot three pointer

90. 3rd Quarter · 4:02

    Luka Garza makes free throw 1 of 2

91. 3rd Quarter · 4:02

    Luka Garza makes free throw 2 of 2

92. 3rd Quarter · 3:46

    Rashaun Agee makes free throw 1 of 2

93. 3rd Quarter · 3:46

    Rashaun Agee makes free throw 2 of 2

94. 3rd Quarter · 3:20

    Riley Minix makes running dunk (Craig Porter Jr. assists)

95. 3rd Quarter · 2:40

    Jordan Walsh makes 25-foot three point jumper (Milos Uzan assists)

96. 3rd Quarter · 1:55

    Dillon Mitchell makes two point shot

97. 3rd Quarter · 1:44

    Ernest Udeh Jr. makes 2-foot alley oop dunk (Riley Minix assists)

98. 3rd Quarter · 1:07

    Rashaun Agee makes 25-foot three point jumper (Craig Porter Jr. assists)

99. 3rd Quarter · 58.1

    Baylor Scheierman makes 31-foot three point jumper (Dillon Mitchell assists)

100. 3rd Quarter · 21.8

     Tristan Enaruna makes running layup (Riley Minix assists)

101. 3rd Quarter · 21.8

     Tristan Enaruna makes free throw 1 of 1

102. 4th Quarter · 11:46

     Thomas Bryant makes free throw 2 of 2

103. 4th Quarter · 11:17

     Hayden Gray makes 26-foot three point jumper (Milos Uzan assists)

104. 4th Quarter · 11:06

     Tristan Enaruna makes driving layup

105. 4th Quarter · 10:23

     Dillon Mitchell makes alley oop dunk (Milos Uzan assists)

106. 4th Quarter · 10:01

     Tucker DeVries makes 24-foot three point jumper (Dillon Mitchell assists)

107. 4th Quarter · 9:24

     Tucker DeVries makes 24-foot three point jumper (Amari Williams assists)

108. 4th Quarter · 9:08

     Rashaun Agee makes free throw 1 of 2

109. 4th Quarter · 8:32

     Hayden Gray makes running layup (Tucker DeVries assists)

110. 4th Quarter · 7:27

     Meleek Thomas makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot

111. 4th Quarter · 7:14

     Hayden Gray makes free throw 2 of 2

112. 4th Quarter · 6:46

     Dillon Mitchell makes driving dunk (Hayden Gray assists)

113. 4th Quarter · 5:00

     Chris Cenac Jr. makes layup (Dillon Mitchell assists)

114. 4th Quarter · 4:48

     Tyrese Proctor makes driving layup

115. 4th Quarter · 4:18

     Tristan Enaruna makes 23-foot three point jumper (Riley Minix assists)

116. 4th Quarter · 3:53

     Devin Carter makes free throw 1 of 2

117. 4th Quarter · 3:53

     Devin Carter makes free throw 2 of 2

118. 4th Quarter · 3:03

     Dillon Mitchell makes dunk (Devin Carter assists)

119. 4th Quarter · 2:49

     Meleek Thomas makes 6-foot driving floating jump shot

120. 4th Quarter · 1:59

     Riley Minix makes 1-foot reverse layup (Tristan Enaruna assists)

121. 4th Quarter · 1:04

     Milos Uzan makes free throw 1 of 2

122. 4th Quarter · 41.7

     Tristan Enaruna makes tip in dunk

123. 4th Quarter · 22.8

     Milos Uzan makes 11-foot turnaround jump shot