Streak busted: Cavs erase 22-point deficit in 4th, stun Celtics

Dean Wade scored 23 points and Jarrett Allen finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds to help the shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers overcome a 22-point, fourth-quarter deficit and beat the visiting Boston Celtics, 105-104, on Tuesday night, March 5 (Wednesday, March 6, Manila time).

The Celtics trailed by one point when Cleveland’s Darius Garland was called for a foul on Jayson Tatum with 0.7 seconds to play, but the Cavaliers challenged the call and it was overturned. The loss ended Boston’s 11-game winning streak and its eight-game road winning streak.

Cleveland took a 105-104 lead on a Wade dunk with 19.1 seconds to play. The Cavaliers outscored the Celtics 34-17 in the fourth.

Tatum had 26 points and 13 rebounds. The Celtics received 24 points and 9 rebounds from Kristaps Porzingis and 21 points from Jaylen Brown.

The Cavaliers were without leading scorer Donovan Mitchell, who sat out for the third straight game with a left knee bone bruise. 

Mitchell, who is expected to miss at least two more games, is averaging 28.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and a career-high 6.2 assists per game this season.

Cleveland’s Max Strus was also a late scratch because of a knee injury.

Garland and Isaac Okoro each scored 16 points. Garland also had 11 assists.

Cleveland led 9-6 early, but Boston surged ahead by scoring the next 14 points to take a 20-9 lead. The Celtics were up 33-25 after one quarter and led 55-45 at halftime.

Tatum led all scorers with 22 points in the first half, when he also grabbed 8 rebounds. Tatum made 7-of-9 field goal attempts in the half, including five of his six three-point attempts. The Cavaliers shot 32.1% from the field in the first two quarters (17-of-53).

Cleveland was within four after Garland capped a 7-0 spurt with a three-pointer that trimmed Boston’s lead to 69-65 with 5:02 left in the third quarter, but the Celtics outscored the Cavaliers 18-6 in the remainder of the frame and had an 87-71 advantage heading into the fourth. – Rappler.com