The Boston Celtics are back in the win column.
Losers of their previous four games, the Celtics earned a 116-106 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday.
At no point did the Celtics really run away with the game, allowing the lowly Cavs to hang around most of the night. Boston never led by more than 12, and the game featured a pair of ties and five lead changes.
Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart each recorded 21 points. Al Horford (19 points), Gordon Hayward (15), Marcus Morris (14) and Terry Rozier (11) also tallied double figures.
Colin Sexton had 24 points and was one of five Cavs in double figures.
With the win, the Celtics climb to 44-31, while the Cavs fall to 19-56 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down.
STARTING FIVE
PG:Â Terry Rozier
SG: Marcus Smart
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Al Horford
C: Aron Baynes
NO KYRIE
The Celtics were without star point guard Kyrie Irving (load management) on Tuesday.
TATUM STARTS HOT
It took a while for either side to get going in the first quarter, combining for just 19 points in the first half of the period. Right around that midway point was when the Celtics started to find their shot a bit though, using a 9-2 run over 1:37 to give them a 17-11 lead with 4:29 left.
From there, both teams kicked it into gear, with the Celtics ultimately ending the opening 12 minutes ahead 32-27.
Tatum paced all players with 14 points in the first.
LEADING AT THE HALF
The Celtics saw their lead disappear in the second quarter but ultimately got it back, building a cushion to close the half. They outscored the Cavs 25-24 in the second to take a 57-51 lead into the break.
Though Boston led by as many as nine at one point in the quarter, a Sexton jumper with 1:58 left gave Cleveland a 51-50 advantage, its first lead since early in the first quarter.
Hayward responded with a nice dunk though, kicking off a 7-0 run to end the quarter.
Tatum led all players with 21 points in the first half.
CAVS HANG AROUND
Although the Celtics created some separation in the third quarter, they let it slip a bit. They outscored the Cavs 31-30 in the third to head into the final stanza up 88-81.
The Celtics quickly opened their advantage to 10 by scoring six of the first eight points to kick off the second half. Though the Cavs didn’t go quietly, the C’s did a mostly solid job of responding, keeping their lead hovering in the nine- to 11-point range for much of the quarter.
In the final minutes, however, the Cavs started chipping away by scoring eight of the frame’s final 13 points.
Boston had a penchant for the lob in the third quarter.
C’S STAVE OFF CAVS COMEBACK
The Cavs made the things interesting at points in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t complete a comeback, giving the Celtics the victory.
With 9:10 left in the quarter, the Cavs tied the game at 92. It was the first time in the half they didn’t trail. But the tie wouldn’t last long, as the Celtics took advantage of a Cavs dry spell by going on a 10-2 run after the brief deadlock.
At the 3:30 mark, Tatum hit Horford with a lob that put the Celtics back up by 10.
The Cavs would get their deficit back down to six, but never could get closer the rest of the way.
PLAY OF THE GAME
That was close.
UP NEXT
The Celtics will return home for a tilt with the Indiana Pacers on Friday. Tip from TD Garden is set for 7 p.m. ET.
