The Boston Celtics just beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3. The game ended 106-93 to Jayson Tatum and Co., who came on a mission to bounce back on the night. Donovan Mitchell was arguably the only scoring option once again, which was one of the main reasons for the Cavaliers’ downfall in the game.
After the game, Tatum spoke about what the expectations were for the series, now that his team has taken the lead. He said, “Not to be satisfied, this series is far from over, we responded after a loss, and they’re going to feel like they can play better. Some things we can go over on film tomorrow, get some rest, and it should be another fun one on Monday, this is a great atmosphere, and we’re looking forward to it.”
The Cavaliers will be looking to bounce back in Game 3, and they have the necessary options for it as well. To beat a team like the Celtics, the Cavs would have to rely on Mitchell too much. The Celtics could close all doors on him and the Cavs would have to find another option when going on offense.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown step up for the Celtics once again
This is the 14th time that both Tatum and Jaylen Brown have scored more than 25 points in the same playoff game. That speaks at length about how much they have stepped up for the team. Tatum put up 33 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 11-25. JB, on the other hand, scored 28 points, shooting 13-17.
Jayson Tatum tonight:
33 PTS – 13 REB – 6 AST – 1 STL – 1 BLKJaylen Brown tonight:
28 PTS – 9 REB – 3 AST – 1 STL – 76% FG pic.twitter.com/rguoQVE4aU— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 12, 2024
When being asked about his partnership with Brown, Tatum said, “We have a really great team, but we know we only go as far as us two go, and that’s being the best players, best teammates on both ends of the floor, and leading these guys every single night.”
Brown is another offensive player that the Celtics can rely on. That is where the Cavaliers are lacking. Mitchell is almost the only one who is fighting on the offense, and that could cost them heavily if it’s not addressed in the next game.
Donovan Mitchell’s 33-point game goes in vain
Mitchell put up a phenomenal performance against the Celtics’ defense. He made 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, shooting 12-22. Spida‘s three-point numbers were decent too, as he shot 7-12 from behind the line.
Donovan Mitchell, despite the loss:
33 points
7 threes
6 rebounds
0 turnovers
12/22 FGGave it his all. pic.twitter.com/rE6mRKwEOX
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 12, 2024
No other Cavaliers player scored more than 20 points, and that should tell us what the team’s problem is. Darius Garland had a game to forget, as he made only 15 points on the night and his +/- was also at a -17. Mitchell’s teammates would have to step up in the coming games if the Cavaliers want to have a fighting chance against one of the best teams in the NBA this year.