Celts
BOSTON (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points, Evan Mobley had 21 points and 10 rebounds and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the top-seeded Boston Celtics 118-94 on Thursday night to even their second-round playoff series at one game apiece.
Two nights after losing by 25 points and Mitchell scoring 33 points but receiving little support, the Cavaliers took the lead within the third quarter and responded with a blowout of their very own. Mitchell scored 16 points within the third period and hit three straight baskets early within the fourth, including a 28-foot 3-pointer that caused him to shrug as he backed up on defense.
Jayson Tatum scored 25 points for Boston and Jaylen Brown added 19 points. But Derrick White, whose 25 points in Game 1 helped the Celtics to a 120-95 win, managed just 10 points and missed seven of his eight 3-point attempts.
The series moves to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday, with a return trip to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday.
Caris LeVert scored 21 points for Cleveland off the bench, hitting a pull-up jumper midway through the fourth quarter that gave the Cavaliers a 20-point lead and sparked a fan parade for the exits. Many of those that remained began to boo.
A minute later, after the Celtics missed one other 3-pointer – they were 8 for 35 from distance overall – LeVert made a layup, drawing a flagrant foul from Tatum. It was a 25-point game and Boston coach Joe Mazzulla cleared his bench.
Cleveland's JB Bickerstaff followed shortly after, giving some rest to Mitchell, who played a game-high 37 minutes on Tuesday night but was benched through the Celtics' 10-2 run early within the fourth period that opened the sport.
Mitchell made 4 of his five 3-point attempts within the third quarter, helping Cleveland extend its result in as many as 14 points.
Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis missed his third straight game with a calf strain. Mobley began at center instead of Jarrett Allen, who missed five straight games with bruised ribs and was a high-scoring player within the playoffs.
Mobley scored 11 points in the primary quarter because the Cavaliers quickly fell behind by nine points – creating the looks of a second straight blowout. But Cleveland dropped 11 straight points — eight from LeVert. Boston took a lead by eight within the second period before the Cavs entered halftime tied.
Tatum had 16 points, six rebounds and 4 assists at halftime and Mobley had 15, seven and five.
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