Celtics 120-95 Cavaliers (May 8, 2024) Game Summary

BOSTON — Jaylen Brown scored 32 points, Derrick White made seven 3-pointers and added 25, and the Boston Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-95 on Tuesday night in the first game of their second-round playoff series.

Jayson Tatum finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds to help the Celtics pull away in the second half.

The Cavaliers made 11 of 42 3-point shots and kept pace from the start. But the Celtics were even more efficient from outside, connecting on 18 of 46 shots from beyond the arc during the game.

He helped Boston carry a 15-point lead into the fourth quarter. The Celtics then started the fourth quarter on a 10-2 run to increase their lead to 102-79.

Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points and six assists for the Cavaliers. He is the fourth player in league history to score 30 or more points in six consecutive playoff series openers, joining Michael Jordan (three times), Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain.

Darius Garland added 14 points.

Game 2 is Thursday night in Boston.

White picked up where he left off after scoring 38 and 25 points in the final two games against the Miami Heat in the first round.

With the Cavaliers hot from the 3-point line early, White led the Celtics’ attack. It was his third time this postseason with at least six triples.

Both teams played without their starting centers. Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen missed his fourth straight game with a rib bruise he suffered in the first round against Orlando. Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis was sidelined for the second straight game with a right calf strain.

The top-seeded Celtics had an extended bye after quickly beating the Heat in the first round. They looked like a rested team, jumping out to a 12-2 lead, with nine of those points coming from Brown.

Mitchell was just as aggressive for Cleveland, scoring eight points during a 21-9 Cavaliers run to take the lead again.

But Boston calmed down, closing the first period on a 19-11 run to take a 40-34 lead into the second.

The 74 combined points in the first quarter were the most in a Celtics playoff game since 1990 and the third-most in franchise history.

The Celtics took a 59-49 lead into halftime.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba