Celtics Dominate Boards, Hand Cavaliers 125-105 Defeat in Boston
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BOSTON — The Cleveland Cavaliers were overpowered on the glass and fell to the Boston Celtics, 125-105, on Wednesday night at TD Garden.
Boston outrebounded Cleveland 52-42 and collected 18 offensive boards, a disparity that fueled a decisive 20-3 surge late in the second quarter. The Cavaliers (3-2) never recovered after that stretch and trailed by double digits the rest of the way.
Key numbers
- Rebounds: Celtics 52, Cavaliers 42 (18 offensive for Boston)
- Three-pointers: Cleveland opened 10-of-12, then went 7-of-40 the remainder of the game
- Field goals: Boston 46-of-96 (47.9%); Cleveland 38-of-93 (40.9%)
Top performers
- Jaylen Brown paced Boston with 30 points.
- Reserve forward Sam Hauser added 21, hitting five of his first six attempts from deep.
- Evan Mobley led Cleveland with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
- Rookie Jaylon Tyson, starting for injured guard Sam Merrill (hip), also scored 19 before fouling out.
- Donovan Mitchell finished with 15 points — all from three-point range — after beginning 4-for-4 from distance; he did not score in the second half.
- DeAndre Hunter contributed 18 points on 5-of-17 shooting, and Jarrett Allen had 16, most in the opening period.
- Lonzo Ball went 1-for-5 from the floor but logged solid minutes during a brief third-quarter rally.
Game flow
Cleveland’s offense exploded early, drilling 10 of its first 12 triples to build a quick lead. Once the outside shooting cooled, Boston’s work inside took over. The Celtics’ relentless pursuit of second-chance opportunities repeatedly extended possessions, and the Cavaliers’ inability to secure defensive rebounds proved costly.
Boston’s 20-3 run late in the second quarter opened a double-digit cushion, and the hosts carried a comfortable margin into halftime. Cleveland played the Celtics roughly even after the break, but each comeback attempt stalled amid missed threes or surrendered rebounds.
Up next
The Cavaliers return home to begin a three-game stand Friday night against the Toronto Raptors. Boston improved to 2-3 and will continue its homestand later this week.
Source: Hoops Wire
