Celtics roll over Cleveland, 141-103

Red flags tend to dot the landscape like a slalom course when the Celtics reach the third quarter.

But Jaylen Brown, with a furious assault on the paint, changed all that by himself against Cleveland on Sunday night.

With Jayson Tatum in street clothes on the bench – he’s expected to return from COVID-19 quarantine Monday night in Chicago – Brown scored 20 of his 33 points in the third quarter to remove all doubt in the Celtics’ 141-103 win over the Cavs.

Brown, who shot 13-for-20 in 19 absurdly efficient minutes, mostly in a slashing attack, led a Celtics effort at the rim that outscored Cleveland in the paint, 54-42. The Celtics, who led by as many as 41 points, thus broke a three-game losing streak.

Kemba Walker, in his most efficient night since returning to the lineup, added another 21 points in just 24 minutes. Daniel Theis, normally the object of whistles down the other end, benefited this time around at the line, where he shot 8-for-8 as part of a 17-point performance.

In probably the earliest unloading of the season, Stevens pulled all of his starters with 2:03 left in the third quarter, and a 109-73 lead in hand.

The ensuing garbage time run, with the Cleveland regulars still on the floor, cut the Celtics lead to 34 points by the end of the quarter.

The fourth was left to the likes of Aaron Nesmith (11 points), Carsen Edwards (18) and Robert Williams to get an extended garbage time run.

The Celtics weren’t only efficient over their first two quarters (27-for-51, 7-for-15 from three), they were also balanced, with Brown and Walker each with 13 points and Marcus Smart another 12.

The result was a 73-51 halftime lead heading into what has been the scene of the Celtics’ worst moments this season – the third quarter.

Brown took over quickly, scoring six straight Celtics points for an 81-56 lead two minutes in, all on drives.

Brown scored a fourth straight for his team, again in transition, and by now the Celtics were running at will off Cleveland turnovers and misses. By the time Brown drove for his 23rd point, and the Celtics’ 38th in the paint, they had hit their peak lead (to this stage) of 30 points. Brown drove again, this time for a 33-point lead, and by the 3:33 mark buried only his second 3-pointer of the game.

Offense was easy early, and nowhere was the energy more apparent than in the play of Walker, who after just five minutes already had six points, three rebound, two assists, two steals and two drawn fouls. The Celtics guard instantly put the Cavs on their heels, and by the end of the first the rest of the lineup had followed suit, taking a 38-21 lead on 15-for-25 shooting.

Smart had 10 points, Brown and Walker had nine each, and with seven minutes left in the half the Celtics had already taken their first 20-point lead (54-34).

Walker, his minutes count slowly being increased, hit a pull-up for a 21-point edge with two minutes left in the half, and now had 13 points in his first 12 minutes of action on 5-for-7 shooting, with only one 3-pointer.

Javonte Green finished off the half with a finish for a 73-51 halftime lead.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3oefIqk