The NBA’s perfect team met the defending champions on Tuesday night.
Something had to give. They weren’t the champions.
In the most anticipated game of the start of the NBA season, the Celtics put an end to Cleveland’s perfect start (15-0). a 120-117 victory against the Cavaliers in Boston. The Celtics dominated the first half, then held off a Cavaliers rally in the second half to secure the victory.
The Celtics opened a stifling 65-48 first-half lead Cleveland’s best offense in the league And 3-point shot while hitting 14 of his 22 shots from beyond the arc. Boston extended its lead to 79-58 early in the third quarter and looked poised to run wild.
But Cleveland responded with a 30-11 run sparked by Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley to cut the Celtics’ lead to 90-88 late in the third. Then, Jayson Tatum finished the quarter with a 3-point basket to extend the Celtics’ lead to five points.
Cleveland kept the pressure on throughout the fourth quarter and repeatedly cut Boston’s lead to two points. But the Celtics responded every time and never allowed the Cavs to take the advantage.
Tatum led the effort with 33 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and two steals. He was one of six Celtics to make multiple 3-pointers on a 6-of-10 effort from beyond the arc. All five Celtics starters scored in double figures as Boston shot 51.2% from the field and 53.7% from 3-point range on a 22-of-41 effort.
Mitchell led Cleveland’s rally and finished with a game-high 35 points along with eight rebounds and three assists. Mobley added 22 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, a block and a steal.
Darius Garland, whose emergence as one of the best goalkeepers in the league helped spark Cleveland’s departure, had a miserable shooting night. He shot 3 of 21 from the field and missed all six of his 3-point attempts in an eight-point, seven-assist effort.
A Cavs team that entered the game making 15.5 3-pointers per game on a league-best 41.9% shot 10 of 29 (34.5%) from long range.
It added to a strong performance and a statement from the Celtics that they remain the preeminent force in the league. The icing on the Celtics cake? The game was part of the NBA Cup and prevented an 0-2 group start after Boston lost its first Cup game to the Hawks last week.
For the Cavaliers, a historic streak is coming to an end. Cleveland’s 15-0 start stands tied with the Houston Rockets from 1993 to 1994 and the Washington Capitols from 1948 to 1949 for the second best in NBA history. Golden State’s 24-0 start in 2015-16 remains comfortably its best ever.
Now at 15-1, the Cavs can move on to the second phase of their season. The unexpected quest for history is no more, and the added pressure that comes with each match is lifted.
And there’s no shame in losing to the Celtics in Boston. They are not the first quality team to fall victim to a 3-point barrage from these Celtics on their home court.
The next test for the Cavs is how they react to the reset. Their perfect start was supported by advanced analytics this suggests that the 15-0 record was no fluke and that this Cleveland team is a legitimate title contender.
But the path to the championship runs through Boston until another team proves otherwise. The Cavaliers will play four games against the Pelicans, Raptors and Hawks before getting their next chance against the Celtics at home on December 1st.
