The Boston Celtics traveled to Cleveland and defeated the Cavaliers 106-93 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The win earned Boston a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Both the Celtics and Cavaliers watched their stars come to life early in Game 3.
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Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell combined for 23 first-quarter points. Tatum found several impactful plays as a scorer and rebounder while Mitchell consistently drained shots from deep. Stars set the tone and would be the story for the rest of the night.
After taking a nine-point halftime lead, the Celtics ensured that they would not fall into a regression as they did in a brutal third quarter in Game 2. Boston started the second half on a 14-0 run, restoring a dominant style of play that the Celtics often instill on the court.
Tatum and Mitchell battled through the fourth quarter, though Boston's three-point shooting made a difference with clutch shots from Payton Pritchard and Derrick White. The Celtics brought the tempo on Saturday and rode that momentum to the final buzzer for the series lead.
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STARS OF THE GAME
-- Tatum showed signs of improvement with a double-double, tallying 33 points and 13 rebounds.
-- Jaylen Brown boosted Boston with 28 points.
-- Cleveland's Mitchell showed out again in a 33-point performance.
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UP NEXT
The Celtics and Cavaliers continue the series in Game 4 on Monday night in Cleveland. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on TNT.
Featured image via David Richard/USA TODAY Sports Images
