The Boston Celtics nearly escaped a Cleveland Cavaliers comeback in the fourth quarter, winning 117-113. They were led by Jayson Tatum’s 41 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists. Donovan Mitchell’s 44 points weren’t enough to help his team climb the hole they dug themselves into from previous quarters.
There were plenty of takeaways from tonight’s game, one of the most prominent being Tatum’s strong case for MVP.
Here are four quick takeaways from the Celtics win.
Jayson Tatum’s MVP Case
Jayson Tatum had yet another strong showing tonight with his ninth 40-point game of the season thus far. He made 62% of his shots, also making 4/6 of threes shot.
Tatum has arguably been in his worst slump of the season after only dropping 18 points against Philadelphia and 14 points against New York. To combat the slump, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla took Tatum out early in the first quarter and let him command the second unit, which he typically does with Jaylen Brown.
One relief for Celtics fans was Tatum’s three-point shooting, in which he has struggled tremendously the last few games. Over the last five games, Tatum had shot the ball from three-point range at 29%, 6% down from his season average of 35%.
Tatum surely will be happy to move onto the Brooklyn game after such a performance.
Is Robert Williams a Future All-Star?
Ever since Robert Williams III returned from an injury sustained in the off-season, he has been playing arguably the best basketball of his career and tonight was a prime example. At Williams’ best, he is a contender for DPOY, snatching his first All-NBA Defensive Team in the 2021-2022 season.
Tonight was a great example to show Williams’ ability to do-it-all on the court. He shot 100% on four shot attempts, and made all three of his free throws (something he struggled with early in his career).
He filled out the stat sheet in every other department, grabbing 11 boards, connecting on three assists with a steal and two blocks, his special. Williams’ ability to improve on things he struggled with in his past shows a bright future for the spring-loaded center from Texas A&M.
No More Small Ball?
The Boston Celtics, known for their small-ball approach, had three separate players grab 11 rebounds. Mazzulla seemed to be the mastermind behind this, benching Grant Williams for the duration of the game.
With the benching of Grant Williams, this allowed for Al Horford and Robert Williams to play a few more minutes than average. This surely assisted them in getting double-digit rebounds.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are no doubt a big team. With the twin tower starting lineup, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, the three Celtics point guards, Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, and Derrick White all had trouble getting to the rim.
Smart, Brogdon and White shot a combined 6/21 from the field, 2/7 from three (both made by Smart). If this game showed anything, it most likely showed the importance of a healthy front court of Horford and Williams.
The Cavaliers Are Not An Optimal Playoff Matchup
The Cleveland Cavaliers, despite their loss to the Celtics tonight, won the last two matchups between the Eastern juggernauts. Their last two matchups both ended in OT battles.
The likelihood of a first-round matchup between the two teams seems highly unlikely due to their respective seeding. The Celtics hold the current 2nd seed, while the Cavaliers hold the 4th.
If a playoff matchup is to come between the Celtics and Cavaliers, they will meet in later rounds. The Cavaliers match up extremely well to their Atlantic Division rivals with a notable size advantage, to say the least.
Donovan Mitchell has been extremely good for the Cavaliers since his blockbuster trade from the Utah Jazz. Mobley continues to show out after a tremendous rookie season, and Allen continues to excel in the paint.
The Cavs also have a great bench rotation, comparing fairly evenly to the Celtics bench, which has been often praised.
Wednesday night’s win against the Cavaliers was a great vision for the Celtics after dropping the first two meetings in OT losses. They hope to continue their momentum from this win into Friday’s match against the newly renovated Brooklyn Nets.
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Featured photo courtesy of Jason Miller/Getty Images
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