Down two of their top four scorers in Jaylen Brown (illness) and Derrick White (right foot), the Celtics entered Sunday night’s tilt against the Cleveland Cavaliers as underdogs for the first time this season.
A win would have moved Boston into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference for the first time since opening night. However, 33 points from Jayson Tatum and 24 and 21 from Payton Pritchard and Kristaps Porzingis, respectively, weren’t enough as the Celtics fell to the Cavaliers 115-111, dropping a game and a half behind Cleveland for first place in the East.
“I thought they just made more plays than us down the stretch,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game. “I think it started with the end of the third, beginning of the fourth, when we kind of had some of those empty possessions, allowed them to hang around. And when you get into a close game, it’s about who makes more plays.”
Here are three takeaways as the Celtics have their seven-game win streak snapped.
Squandered it late
After shooting just 36% from the field (their second-worst mark this season) and 29.6% from deep in the first half, the Celtics turned things around in the third quarter.
Fueled by 17 points from Jayson Tatum and eight from Sam Hauser, Boston outscored Cleveland 35-21 in the third, shooting 52.5% (12-of-23) from the field and 53.8% (7-of-13) from deep, taking a 12-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Then, Donovan Mitchell happened.
The five-time All-Star erupted for 20 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting from the field and 3-of-3 from deep, including a stretch of 11 straight points and 15 in the final 3:13. Meanwhile, the Celtics managed just 27 points in the final frame.
Mitchell came into Sunday night’s game reeling from a tough performance against the Hawks, where he scored just 12 points on 5-of-23 shooting (21.7%). But facing a shorthanded Celtics squad was the perfect opportunity for him to bounce back—especially considering only Michael Jordan (30.7) has averaged more points against Boston than Mitchell (30.2).
“He’s very strong. He has a good pace,” Kristaps Porzingis said on Mitchell. “He can create a lot of space with his stepbacks and his movements. And then when he rises up, once he gets going – it’s tough.
Cleveland’s 43 points in the fourth were the most scored against the Celtics in any quarter this season. The Cavaliers boosted that total by hitting all 10 of their free throws in the final four minutes of regulation, sealing the game.
It was clear the Celtics missed Brown and White defensively. Boston had few answers for Cleveland’s pick-and-roll and repeatedly lost shooters on the perimeter, especially in the fourth quarter.
Drew Peterson gets the call
With two starters sidelined – both of whom average at least 34 minutes per game – there was an opportunity for one of the “Stay-Ready Group” guys to step up and contribute.
Many expected it would be Jordan Walsh or even Jaden Springer, but instead, Mazzulla turned to two-way wing Drew Peterson.
“He works really hard,” Mazzulla said after the game. “You try to find moments throughout the season to where you can validate the work that the guys put in, regardless of who it is, Jordan, Drew, Jaden, JD, and those guys. So, I just felt like he’s had really good reps lately, and I thought he put us in a position to help us win.”
Entering the night, the 25-year-old had played just four first-half minutes in his career. However, with the Celtics searching for a spark, Peterson checked in at the start of the second quarter and played the entire frame, finishing tied for the team-high in points (5) and grabbing three rebounds.
Mazzulla called on Peterson again for six and a half minutes in both the third and fourth quarters. As a result, the second-year pro nearly matched his career total minutes (30), logging just under 25 minutes total for the game, finishing with eight points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field and 2-of-5 from deep, four rebounds, and a steal.
“I thought he had some really good defensive possessions, defending without fouling,” added Mazzulla. “He was physical, he’s smart. He has a knack for the ball, whether it’s offensive rebounding or moving without the basketball to get open.”
If not for Mitchell’s fourth-quarter barrage, Peterson would have been the story. He didn’t stuff the stat sheet, and there were some expected mistakes, but overall, he was ready for the moment and made some key plays—especially on the defensive end.
“It was great to see him out there. I like that he wasn’t shy,” Porzingis said postgame. “I told him right away to look for his stuff because he’s a good offensive player. He wasn’t shy all night long. He shot his shots, played good defense, and showed his game in a high-level game like this. It was really cool to see.”
It doesn’t necessarily mean Peterson will have a regular spot in the rotation moving forward, but Mazzulla has consistently said that if a player is on the floor, it’s because he trusts him. Peterson rewarded that trust with solid play, giving the Celtics a potential new option if the situation calls for it.
Payton Pritchard ready for the moment
Much like he did with the last Celtic to win Sixth Man of The Year, Malcolm Brogdon, throughout the 2023-23 season, Mazzulla opted to keep Payton Pritchard in his Sixth Man role – starting Sam Hauser alongside Jrue Holiday, Tatum, Al Horford, and Porzingis.
Like the rest of the Celtics, Pritchard didn’t have much going in the first half, as he tallied just five points on 2-of-7 (28.6%) shooting from the field and 1-of-5 (20%) from deep. Although, he did grab four rebounds and dish out two assists over that span.
However, he shook off that slow shooting start in the fourth quarter, helping the Celtics keep things close amidst the Mitchell avalanche with 17 points on 5-of-7 (71.4%) shooting from the field and 2-of-3 (66.7%) from deep --scoring on all three levels with some nice drives and finishes, as well as providing rock-solid defense. This comes on the heels of a 19-point fourth quarter on Friday against the Bulls.
And it was Pritchard who inspired Cavaliers’ head coach Kenny Atkinson to start fouling with the Cavaliers up by three points.
“I was like, ‘screw that, we’re fouling,’” Atkinson said postgame. “I don’t want to see Payton Pritchard come down and shoot a stepback three.”
Pritchard has brought it every night, and it’s not just about his shooting. He’s a well-rounded player who’s become a focus of opposing teams – no small feat on a roster as talented as the Celtics. He is unquestionably playing the best basketball of his career and is running away with the Sixth Man of the Year race as a result.
Up next: A fast turnaround
It’s a busy week for the Celtics. Sunday marked the first of five games in a seven-night stretch, with the team returning home to play the remaining four games at the TD Garden, starting Monday night against the Miami Heat.
Looking ahead to Monday night, the Celtics are 3-0 on the second night of a back-to-back this season, and dating back to last year, they haven’t lost more than two games in a row, dropping back-to-back games only four times. Including the playoffs, they’re an impressive 20-4 following a loss.
Related
