In a clash of NBA powerhouses, the reigning champion Boston Celtics halted the Cleveland Cavaliers’ historic start, handing them their first loss of the season in a thrilling 120-117 showdown at TD Garden on Wednesday night. Led by superstar Jayson Tatum’s game-high 33 points and 12 rebounds, the Celtics withstood a furious late rally from the Cavaliers to snap their franchise-record 15-game winning streak.
Tatum Takes Over
Jayson Tatum, the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, continued his scorching start to the season with another dominant performance. The 24-year-old phenom showcased his full offensive arsenal, draining six of Boston’s 22 three-pointers while dishing out seven assists. Tatum’s scoring outburst helped the Celtics build a lead as large as 21 points in the third quarter.
Jayson was incredible tonight. He took over when we needed him most and made big plays on both ends.
– Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Cavaliers’ Furious Comeback Falls Short
Despite trailing by double-digits for much of the second half, the resilient Cavaliers refused to go down without a fight. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who finished with a team-high 35 points, ignited Cleveland’s comeback bid with a flurry of clutch baskets down the stretch. After a rainbow three-pointer from Mitchell cut the deficit to just four points with 24 seconds remaining, Tatum split a pair of free throws to push the lead back to five.
On the ensuing possession, Tatum committed a hard foul on Mitchell, sending the Cavaliers’ star crashing to the floor. Mitchell, shaken up on the play, managed to knock down both free throws to trim the margin to three. But the Celtics quickly inbounded the ball and found veteran big man Al Horford for an uncontested dunk to seal the victory and halt Cleveland’s historic streak at 15 games.
We fought until the end, but came up just short. Hats off to Boston – they made the plays they needed to win. We’ll learn from this and keep getting better.
– Cavaliers Guard Donovan Mitchell
Historic Streaks Collide
The highly anticipated matchup featured two of the NBA’s hottest teams, with both the Celtics and Cavaliers riding impressive winning streaks coming into the game. Boston had won three straight and eight of their last ten, while Cleveland’s 15-game streak to open the season was the fourth-longest in NBA history.
The Cavaliers’ unbeaten start had catapulted them to the top of the league standings and garnered early MVP buzz for Mitchell. But on this night, it was Tatum and the battle-tested Celtics who made the crucial plays in crunch time to secure the statement victory.
Two great teams went at it tonight and it came down to the wire. We knew it would be a challenge to end their streak, but we stayed poised and got it done.
– Celtics Forward Jaylen Brown
Looking Ahead
The win improved Boston’s record to 9-3 on the young season, just two games behind Milwaukee for the best mark in the NBA. The Celtics will look to build on this momentum as they embark on a six-game road trip starting Friday in New Orleans.
For Cleveland, the loss drops them to 15-1, still tops in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers will aim to start a new streak when they host the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.
With statement wins, MVP-caliber performances, and two legitimate title contenders, this early-season clash provided a tantalizing preview of the excitement that awaits in the months to come. If Wednesday’s thriller was any indication, the road to the NBA Finals will once again go through Boston and Cleveland.
