BOSTON — When this season began, most believed it would take a miracle for the Celtics to make the playoffs. Now, it’ll take one to keep them out.
The Celtics thoroughly dismantled a seriously short-staffed Cleveland Cavaliers team Sunday, waltzing to a 117-78 win at TD Garden. The win reduced Boston’s magic number to one, meaning that any Celtics win or Indiana Pacers or Brooklyn Nets loss the rest of the way would lock up a playoff spot for the C’s.
But before we worry about that, here’s how Sunday’s win came to be:
POTENTIAL PREVIEW — BUT NOT REALLY
There’s a strong chance these teams could meet again in a playoff series next week. If that happens, though, Cleveland’s lineup will be unrecognizable from the one the Cavs trotted out Sunday.
LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith all were given a day off, as their team already locked down its place as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Center Timofey Mozgov was the only usual Cavs starter to start against the Celtics.
CLOSE FOR A QUARTER
The Celtics took off out of the gate, building a quick 9-0 lead as the Cavs missed each of their first eight shots. Then, the script flipped. Cleveland’s second unit (which, in reality, was more like its third unit) reeled off an 18-4 run of its own to take a four-point lead in the final minute of the first. The Celtics had trouble checking the Cavs on the perimeter during this span, as Cleveland went 5-for-7 on shots from beyond 15 feet.
NO MORE OF THAT
The Celtics trailed by a point at the end of the first quarter but proceeded to drop the hammer on the Cavs in the second. Boston outscored Cleveland a whopping 34-9 over those 12 minutes, limiting the visitors to just two made field goals.
Highlights abounded during this tear. There was Isaiah Thomas showing off some wizardly ball-handing a la Rajon Rondo to set up a Jonas Jerebko corner three:
And Jerebko then finding a streaking Kelly Olynyk for an alley-oop — a rarity for the big man, who’s not known as a high-flyer:
Oh, and let’s not leave out Tyler Zeller, who threw down this massive dunk over Matthew Dellavedova in the first:
By the time the buzzer sounded to end the second quarter, the Celtics had built a 55-31 lead.
The Cavs were an absolute mess after their respectable start. They turned the ball over 25 times to the Celtics’ nine, resulting in 36 Boston points, and went just 3-for-22 from 3-point range.
TOP PERFORMERS
Isaiah Thomas again powered the Celtics’ offense, finishing with 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting in just 22 minutes. Thomas was one of seven Boston players to reach double figures, with Evan Turner (15 points, seven rebounds, five assists), Avery Bradley (12 points, four assists), Jerebko (10 points), Olynyk (10 points, seven rebounds), Jared Sullinger (11 points, four assists) and Zeller (10 points, five boards) joining him.
Sullinger’s production was especially encouraging given his recent offensive struggles since returning from a fractured foot.
The Celtics also racked up steals by the bushel. Nine different players came up with at least one — Turner and Marcus Smart had four apiece — and the final total of 20 fell one short of the franchise record.
Up next: The Celtics host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday in their final home game of the season — check that, the regular season. Sorry, the prospect of playoff basketball potentially coming to Boston is something we’re all still getting used to.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
