Cavaliers' Impressive Comeback Secures Victory Over Celtics

BOSTON – In just under five minutes of Friday night’s Eastern Conference regular-season finale between the Cavaliers and Celtics, the game already seemed decided.

Cleveland’s coach, Kenny Atkinson, had already called his second timeout. Meanwhile, Boston had sunk seven 3-pointers, taking a commanding 25-3 lead and appearing poised for a dominant victory.

“We got punched in the mouth,” said Cavaliers standout Donovan Mitchell. “The question is, what are we going to do about it? How do we bounce back?”

The Cavaliers answered remarkably well, largely due to Mitchell. The six-time All-Star recorded 41 points and five assists in 35 minutes, spearheading a 123-116 victory that left the TD Garden crowd in awe.

“They believe in each other,” Atkinson observed. “They trust the plan and each other.”

Prior to this matchup, the Cavaliers hadn’t faced defeat since losing to the same Celtics on February 4 in Cleveland—just under two days before the trade deadline. After Boston controlled that 112-105 game, Cleveland acquired De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks, trading Caris LeVert and Georges Niang.

This move aimed to bolster Cleveland’s defense against players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. But as Hunter entered Friday’s game midway through the first quarter, it seemed his role could be limited to playing out a lopsided game.

However, things shifted as the quarter unfolded, with Cleveland narrowing the gap to 12 points by its end. The Cavaliers then chipped away at Boston’s advantage through persistent efforts led by Mitchell and strong shooting all around. Ultimately, Cleveland connected on 17 of 39 attempts from behind the arc, with eight players contributing at least one 3-pointer.