The Cleveland Cavaliers faced a defining moment on Sunday night against the Boston Celtics. After dropping back-to-back games to the Atlanta Hawks, their first real adversity of the season, the Cavs found themselves staring at a potential three-game skid and a 14-point third quarter deficit to the defending Eastern Conference champions. But Donovan Mitchell refused to let that happen.
Mitchell, the Cavaliers’ headlining star, put the team on his back with a scintillating second-half performance. The All-Star guard poured in 30 points after halftime, including a perfect 6-for-6, 20-point eruption in the fourth quarter, to outduel Celtics star Jayson Tatum and lift Cleveland to a gutsy 115-111 victory.
Mitchell Takes Over When It Matters Most
With the Celtics threatening to run away with the game in the third quarter, even without injured starters Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, Mitchell sensed it was time to take over. After Tatum hit a shot over him, Mitchell told himself:
“He’s starting to get it going, they’re starting to get confidence, they’re starting to build, we’re turning it over. … In the third, I was just waiting, just trying to figure out where to go. And then, when I came back in the fourth, kind of be like, ‘All right, give me the ball. It’s time to go.'”
– Donovan Mitchell
Mitchell’s fourth quarter takeover was reminiscent of the great Cavaliers performances of the past. He drilled three triples in a 93-second span to erase Boston’s lead, then put the Cavs ahead for good with a clutch runner with 1:07 remaining. It was a vintage showing from a superstar determined to will his team to victory.
Cavaliers Show Growth In Face of Adversity
For Cleveland, this win represented an important step in their growth and maturation as a team. After starting the season 15-0, they had dropped three of five entering this game. Coach Kenny Atkinson challenged his squad to show what they were made of, and thanks to Mitchell’s heroics, they passed the test with flying colors.
Mitchell credited the Cavs’ resilience and development as a unit for their ability to fight back in this one:
“I think that just speaks to the growth of our group. I think you go back to when I first got here, obviously we’re younger, we’re not as familiar with each other, [and we’d] kind of fold in those situations. You’re just seeing the growth, and that’s the biggest thing I feel like is for us just continuing to build.”
– Donovan Mitchell
Garland Steps Up on Defense
While Mitchell stole the show offensively, Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland made his presence felt on the defensive end. Giving up eight inches, Garland repeatedly took on the challenge of guarding Jayson Tatum in isolation situations. By turning Boston into a one-on-one team, Garland and the Cavs successfully disrupted the Celtics’ usual ball movement-centric attack.
Garland’s willingness to take on the Tatum assignment exemplified his competitive fire and commitment to the defensive end—traits that should serve Cleveland well come playoff time. As Garland himself put it:
“I’m going to take that challenge whenever it is. I’m no punk. So if y’all want to switch and try to X me out and try to just hunt me out, that’s cool. I ain’t no punk though. I’m going to take a challenge.”
– Darius Garland
Celtics Miss Brown and White, But Tatum Impresses
For the Celtics, this was a tough loss in a game they led most of the way despite missing two starters in Jaylen Brown (illness) and Derrick White (foot). Jayson Tatum did his best to carry the load, finishing with 33 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block in 38 minutes. But with the Cavs effectively turning him into a one-man show down the stretch, even Tatum’s brilliance wasn’t quite enough.
The Big Picture
In the grand scheme, this is still just one early December game. But for a Cavaliers team with title aspirations, it was an important test of character—one they passed thanks to their superstar’s special performance. At 17-3, they still trail the 18-3 Celtics for the best record in the NBA, but they made a statement that they’re a force to be reckoned with in the East.
If Donovan Mitchell can continue to summon these types of takeover efforts in key moments, and his teammates can keep rising to meet challenges the way Darius Garland did defensively, the sky’s the limit for these Cavs. This was the kind of signature win that could propel them forward and give them the belief to overcome whatever adversity the season throws their way.
The Cavaliers and Celtics will face off again on December 23rd and January 19th, twice in Boston. Those games will offer a chance for the Celtics to get revenge at full strength, and for the Cavs to prove this victory was no fluke. For now though, on the heels of a potentially season-defining performance from their brightest star, the Cavs have every reason to feel confident about their prospects moving forward.
