The Boston Celtics defeated the Clevland Cavaliers 120-95 on Tuesday, May 7 to take a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semi Finals.
After the Celtics defeated the Miami Heat and the Cavaliers knocked off the Orlando Magic in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, these two Eastern Conference powerhouses began their best-of-seven series in Boston.
Celtics guard Jaylen Brown led Boston in scoring, recording 32 points, six rebounds, and two assists, followed by guard Derrick White, who scored 25 points, including shooting 7-12 from beyond the arc. Brown has led the Celtics in scoring this throughout the 2024 Playoffs, and Derrick White became the fourth player in NBA history to record 20+ three-pointers in a three-game span in the playoffs.
Jayson Tatum captured the team's only double-double, scoring 18 points and grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds. Guard Payton Prichard gave the Celtics a spark off the bench, scoring 16 points, the team's fourth-highest scorer, grabbing five boards, and dished out two assists. While Brown has led the Celtics in scoring this postseason, Tatum has led Boston in rebounds and assists throughout the playoffs.
The Cavaliers were led by star guard Donavan Mitchell, who scored a game-high 33 points to add to his six rebounds and five assists. Cavs’ forward Evan Mobley recorded Clevlands only double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Guard Darius Gardland rounded out the stat sheet for Clevland, scoring 14 points, grabbing three rebounds, and recording five assists, joining Mitchell and Mobley as the only Cavaliers to score double digits.
Boston is set to host Game 2 of the best-of-seven series on Thursday, May 9, in TD Garden. The Celtics hope to go undefeated at home and take a 2-0 lead, while the Calaviers hope to steal a game on the road to even the series at 1-1.
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