Jayson Tatum on Tuesday scored 22 points as the Boston Celtics laid down a post-season marker against the high-flying Cleveland Cavaliers with a 112-105 victory on the road.
In a heavyweight showdown between the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers and the second-ranked Celtics, Boston produced a clinical display to seal a deserved win.
Tatum led the Boston scoring, but it was the Celtics’ balanced offense that proved too much for the Cavaliers.
Photo: David Richard / Imagn Images
Tatum was one of five Celtics players to finish in double figures, while Derrick White’s 20-point contribution — which included six three-pointers — played a key role in securing a Boston victory.
Kristaps Porzingis finished with 19 points and Jaylen Brown 16, while Donovan Mitchell led the Cleveland scoring with 31 points.
Boston had looked poised to inflict a crushing defeat after outscoring Cleveland 28-15 in the first quarter before opening up a mammoth 20-point lead in the second, but after trailing 43-23 midway through the second quarter, Cleveland came roaring back to cut the deficit to 10 points at halftime.
Photo: David Richard / Imagn Images
The Cavs kept chipping away at the Boston advantage in the second half, but some superb shooting by the Celtics ensured the visitors always kept the hosts at arm’s length.
Elsewhere, Kyrie Irving scored 34 points, but it was not enough to stop the Dallas Mavericks from slipping to a 118-116 defeat against a Philadelphia 76ers line up buoyed by the return of Joel Embiid.
Embiid, who has missed the past month with a knee and foot injury, produced a superb triple-double of 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and scored the go-ahead basket with 22 seconds remaining to help the Sixers claim a precious win.
Photo: Kyle Ross / Imagn Images
Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers scoring with 33 points, and added 13 assists and four rebounds.
The Mavericks were without new recruit Anthony Davis, who is nursing an abdominal strain, but is expected to be ready to make his debut later this week.
In Toronto, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 27 points and hauled down 20 rebounds to help the New York Knicks to a 121-115 win over the Raptors.
In New York, the struggling Brooklyn Nets (17-33) upset the Houston Rockets 99-97 thanks to a D’Angelo Russell three-pointer with three seconds remaining.
In other games on Tuesday, the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Indiana Pacers 112-89, while the Chicago Bulls downed the Miami Heat 133-124.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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