The Cavs were simply outmatched once again.
The Cleveland Cavaliers fought to stay in the game for 48 minutes but the weight of Boston’s talent disparity won out in the end.
Part of the reason, if not the whole reason Cleveland was able to keep this game competitive was another offensive explosion from Donovan Mitchell. He buried six three-pointers in the first half, single-handedly giving his team life.
Mitchell has been all too familiar with big scoring nights in losing efforts throughout his playoff career. Tonight was no different as he finished with a game-high 33 points while the Celtics claimed a 2-1 series lead.
On the Boston side, it was a wave of green that buried the Cavaliers. Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and Jaylen Brown poured in 28 more. Jrue Holiday had a 15-point first half while Derrick White and Payton Pritched traded three-pointers in the fourth quarter to close the door. The Celtics’ strength is their depth. This was a prime example of how Boston can overwhelm Cleveland behind their offensive firepower.
Darius Garland put up 15 points on 15 shots, an unfortunate yet recurring theme for a player who made his money on being an efficient scorer. The Darius of old has only briefly shown his face throughout this season. For the Cavs to go any further, they will need him to come out of his cave and deliver the offensive spark he’s been known for.
Evan Mobley, whose scoring provided a victorious jolt in Game 2, was less impactful in tonight’s game despite putting up 17 points on 7-11 shooting. The issue was his lack of aggression. Mobley was timid around the rim, failing to score — or even shoot the ball — in numerous scenarios where he had an advantage.
With Boston’s present lack of rim protection and Garland’s absence in scoring, Mobley will be tasked with elevating his game to give Cleveland a fighting chance.
The Cavaliers took care of business by splitting their road trip. Now, the Celtics have returned the favor. All eyes will be on Cleveland as they look to knot the series at 2-2 on Monday. A 3-1 deficit might not be a death sentence... but LeBron James isn’t walking through that door.
