When the Cavaliers and Celtics tipped off Wednesday night one team was in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race and the other was trying to avoid dropping their 5th straight game. In the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, the Wine and Gold played like the former deflecting passes, getting hands on loose balls, and playing tough defense while Boston looked a little sluggish on St. Patrick’s Day as the Cavs led 26-18.
Darius Garland led the way for Cleveland with 8 points while the defense was able to hold Celtic All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to 2 combined points.
Collin Sexton however started to cook for Cleveland in the 2nd as the Young Bull finished the first half with 14 while connecting twice from downtown and snagging 5 boards. His backcourt mate Garland matched him behind the arc on his way to 18 first half points as the Cavaliers took a 55-38 lead into the break. The Celtic coughed up the ball a dozen times in the first half.
Tatum and Brown woke up at intermission with 22 points combined in the 3rd but Sexland was joined by Larry Nance Jr and Cedi Osman in dialing up long distance as the Cavaliers maintained an 82-74 lead.
Nance tallied a double-double after 3 with 12 points and 10 rebounds while Sexton and Garland walked into the 4th with 40 combined points.
Boston’s All-Stars continued to come at the Cavaliers in the 4th as Brown and Tatum combined for 57 points, 45 coming in the 2nd half but the Cavs didn’t flinch as they hung on for a 117-110 victory at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Collin Sexton led the Wine and Gold with 29 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists while Darius Garland backed him up with 25 and 6 helpers of his own. Larry Nance Jr. finished off his double-double with 18 points and 10 followed by Isaac Okoro’s 15.
The rookie Okoro had the play of the night as he finished a breakaway dunk over Tatum in 4th to extend the Cavs lead to 7 with an And 1.
The Wine and Gold look on build on Wednesday night’s momentum when they return to the court Friday in San Antonio.
