Celtics fend off Cavs, return to Japanese Convention finals

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics, behind 25 factors, 10 rebounds and 9 assists from Jayson Tatum, defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-98 in Recreation 5 of their Japanese Convention semifinal collection Wednesday evening, successful the collection 4 video games to 1 and advancing to the Japanese Convention finals.

With the victory, Boston superior to the East finals for a 3rd straight season. It additionally marks the sixth journey in eight years – the second time the Celtics have completed that feat (1980-88) and becoming a member of the Philadelphia 76ers (1977-85), Los Angeles Lakers (1980-91), Chicago Bulls (1989-98), Detroit Pistons (2003-08) and Golden State Warriors (2015-22) in doing so because the NBA went to a two-conference format within the 1970-71 season.

Boston will now await the winner of the opposite Japanese Convention semifinal between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, which New York leads 3 video games to 2 heading into Friday’s Recreation 6 in Indianapolis, with the convention finals set to start right here at TD Backyard both Sunday afternoon or Tuesday evening.

For a lot of the primary half Wednesday evening, nonetheless, it regarded like which may not be the case – regardless of Cleveland getting into the sport lacking star guard Donovan Mitchell (left calf pressure); guard Caris LeVert (left knee bone bruise), Mitchell’s alternative within the beginning lineup in Recreation 4; and beginning middle Jarrett Allen, who missed his eighth straight recreation with a bruised rib.

Regardless of that, nonetheless, Cleveland led for chunks of the primary half – primarily behind a red-hot capturing efficiency from former Celtic Marcus Morris who had 14 factors on 6-for-8 capturing within the opening 24 minutes – earlier than Boston ultimately took a 58-52 lead into the primary half break.

It was the most recent reminder of how the Celtics have performed wildly in a different way at dwelling in comparison with on the highway over the previous few playoffs. Getting into Wednesday’s motion, Boston had gone 14-14 because the begin of the 2022 playoffs right here at TD Backyard – essentially the most video games performed (28) with out a successful report at dwelling over three postseasons in NBA historical past, per ESPN’s Stats & Data Group. That features dropping Recreation 2 of each Boston’s first spherical collection in opposition to the Miami Warmth and this collection in opposition to Cleveland regardless of each groups lacking key contributors with accidents.

On the highway, nonetheless, Boston is undefeated (4-0) in these playoffs, and 18-7 total over the previous three postseasons.

However after the sluggish begin, Boston lastly started to get some traction – and a few vitality into its dwelling crowd – behind a number of hustle performs from Al Horford, who’s simply a few weeks shy of his thirty eighth birthday and in the midst of his seventeenth NBA season. After going simply 4-for-22 from 3-point vary over the primary 4 video games of the collection – together with 0-for-10 within the two video games in Cleveland – Horford hit six on this recreation alone, and repeatedly saved performs alive together with his vitality.

Horford additionally repeatedly defended Cavaliers guard Darius Garland in isolations, particularly within the fourth quarter, taking part in an element in Garland – who scored 30 factors in Recreation 4 – going 4-for-17 in Recreation 5, ending with 11 factors and 9 assists, and was subbed out for the ultimate time inside the ultimate minute to large standing ovation for his efforts.

Cleveland hung round due to a stellar recreation from Evan Mobley, who had the very best offensive recreation of his postseason profession to this point by scoring 33 factors on 15-for-24 capturing, together with Morris – who had seven factors throughout the primary 4 video games in whole – ending with 25 factors on 10-for-13 capturing.

However after Morris hit a triple with 10:59 remaining within the fourth to make it 86-83 Celtics, Boston responded with a 15-4 run over the following 4 minutes, capped by a Tatum jumper with 6:45 remaining, that put the Celtics up by 14, and had the sellout crowd roaring with pleasure.

From there, Boston’s lead by no means bought decrease than 9, and the sport was basically over when Tatum hit Jrue Vacation beneath the basket for a large open layup with 2:15 to go to push the lead again to 14, and formally beginning the social gathering right here for yet one more journey to the NBA’s Last 4.