BOSTON — It certainly was a good night for the Boston Celtics.
On top of gaining Gordon Hayward back from injury, the Celtics rolled to a 110-88 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday at TD Garden. Hayward notched 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in his return to the floor.
All five of Boston’s starters scored in double figures. Jayson Tatum (19 points, 11 rebounds) earned his third double-double of the season.
The Celtics move to 17-5 with the win, while the Cavs fall to 5-18.
Here’s how it all went down:
STARTING FIVE
PG: Kemba Walker
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Gordon Hayward
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Daniel Theis
A FAST START
The Celtics wasted no time opening up a double-digit lead, going up 11 in just four-and-a-half minutes. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with nine points in the quarter.
JB for two and the foul 💪 pic.twitter.com/jzFfz5kPkx
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 10, 2019
Hayward scored his first bucket in a month midway through the first thanks partly to a nifty block from Daniel Theis.
FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NZwJguxjVg
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 10, 2019
The C’s maintained a double-digit lead through most of the quarter, shooting 12-for-19 (63.2 percent) from the field. The Cavs trimmed Boston’s lead to eight with less than two minutes on the clock, but a Semi Ojeleye trey put the Celtics back up 11.
Boston took a 29-18 lead into the second quarter.
MORE BOSTON BALLIN’
Things weren’t much different in the second than in the first.
The Cavs tried to gain some ground, but the C’s maintained a healthy lead throughout the second. Boston went 10-for-22 (50 percent) from the field in the second.
Cleveland cut Boston’s lead to seven midway through the quarter with some help from Tristan Thompson. But a Walker 3-pointer put Boston back up 10 with 3:39 left in the half.
.@KembaWalker from downtown 👌 pic.twitter.com/gvrkAWVC7z
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 10, 2019
Boston took a 53-40 lead into the second half.
HAYWARD FINDS HIS GROOVE
Brown returned to the court for the start of the half, and immediately earned himself two points and an impressive block in a matter of 44 seconds.
.@FCHWPO said NO pic.twitter.com/UbXCuqgPEn
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 10, 2019
Boston quickly extended its 13-point lead to 21 less than three minutes into the third. Hayward began to find his groove as well, putting on quite the show in the process.
Gordon ➡️ Grant ➡️ Gordon https://t.co/wHoOjNTDlC
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 10, 2019
Meanwhile, Grant Williams hit his first-ever NBA 3-pointer. (Brad Wanamaker’s reaction here is priceless.)
Grant Williams for three!!! pic.twitter.com/i5HES4y4fa
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 10, 2019
Boston’s lead bloomed to 29 late in the third, but the Cavs managed to whittle it down to 17 before the quarter ended. Cleveland was a dismal 26-for-66 shooting (39.4 percent) through the first 36 minutes.
DEAL = SEALED
All the C’s had to do was defend its lead in the fourth — and they did just that.
Boston maintained its double-digit lead, leading the Cavs by as many as 20 points in the final quarter. The Celtics ended the night shooting 45-for-78 from the field, while the Cavs sank just 36 of the 89 shots they took.
Tatum notched his third double-double of the season, which including a little fourth-quarter magic.
Jayson Tatum double-double alert (19 pts, 11 reb) pic.twitter.com/HLJLQWI36i
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) December 10, 2019
There wasn’t much more to this one, as the Celtics walking away with win No. 17.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Put this one on repeat, please.
JB with the assist for Gordon Hayward's return 😲 pic.twitter.com/gcu6ct0Y1f
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) December 10, 2019
UP NEXT
The Celtics head out to Indiana to take on the Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday. Tip-off from Indianapolis is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
