Inside The Celtics

Celtics Pass First Crunch-Time Test in Game 4 Win Over Cavs

Bobby Krivitsky

May 13, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) dribbles beside Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus.
May 13, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) dribbles beside Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus. / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
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Game 4 of the Celtics' Eastern Conference Semifinal clash with the Cavaliers provided Boston its first crunch-time test this postseason.

And while it helps to go against an opposition missing Donovan Mitchell due to the left calf strain he suffered in the fourth quarter of the visitors' Game 3 win at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, and Jarrett Allen, whose bruised rib has sidelined him since Game 4 of Cleveland's first-round series vs. the Magic, those reps are still valuable.

Experiencing them in a hostile environment, like the one the home crowd provided, coming to life as the Cavaliers rallied, was beneficial for a Celtics team that may find itself having to close out contests at Madison Square Garden before playing on the NBA's brightest stage if they're fortunate enough to continue advancing.

While it's impossible to lose sight of who was absent for Cleveland, Boston's defense in the clutch, defined as any game within five points in the final five minutes, was excellent.

The visitors' activity, on-ball pressure, help defense, and their shot contesting limited the Cavaliers to 11 points in the last five minutes. The hosts went most of the final two minutes with only two points added to their total until tacking on five more with the outcome decided.

Jayson Tatum finished with 33 points for the second straight game, leading all participants. His 11 rebounds were also the most in the matchup, and his five assists tied Jrue Holiday for a team-high. He also swiped two steals.

Jaylen Brown settled down after an out-of-control start offensively while trying to force the issue. He registered 27 points on 9/15 shooting, made the necessary adjustments to capitalize on his ability to get downhill, including multiple left-handed finishes, and snagged eight rebounds.

Boston also got terrific all-around production from Holiday, who contributed 16 points on 6/11 shooting, including faring 4/8 from beyond the arc. The two-time All-Star also secured seven rebounds, and he had the previously mentioned five assists, three steals, and a block.

The second unit also stepped up in Monday's 109-102 win, with Payton Pritchard generating 11 points off the bench and bringing an up-tempo approach to a Celtics' offense whose pace varied throughout the night.

Luke Kornet chipped in nine points and six rebounds, including three on the offensive end, helping the visitors build a 16-10 advantage in second-chance scoring, a victory on the margins that was critical to their Game 4 win.

Now for a deep dive into what stood out as the Celtics moved one win away from their third consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, a ticket they can punch on Wednesday night at TD Garden.

1. Jayson Tatum again got off to a fast start scoring-wise on Monday, generating 16 points in the first frame. That's his most in any period this postseason. It's also the most he's ever scored in the first quarter of a playoff game.

Getting off to a good start fueled the five-time All-Star in the Celtics' Game 3 win on Saturday as he broke out of his scoring slump. The former Duke Blue Devil produced 12 points in the first 12 minutes that night and finished with 33, matching Donovan Mitchell for the most in the contest.

2. Boston's defense wasn't at the level it needed to be in the opening frame. The Cavaliers shot 50% from the field, including knocking down six of the nine mostly clean looks they got from behind the arc.

The visitors consistently paid for mistakes like leaving Sam Merrill open in the corner and not doing a better job of contesting Max Strus's attempts. 

3. Despite their lack of resistance on defense and six first-quarter turnovers that led to ten points for Cleveland, the Celtics' shooting 66.7% from the field, and pairing a 4/8 performance from three-point range with 14 points in the paint propelled them to a 37-30 edge entering the second period.

Four giveaways by the hosts also helped the Celtics manufacture ten fast-break points. And faring 5/7 at the free-throw line while keeping the Cavaliers from attempting any also aided Boston's ability to build a seven-point advantage through the first 12 minutes of Monday's matchup.

4. Jrue Holiday got off to a scorching start in the second quarter. The two-time All-Star fought for an offensive rebound, then cleaned up a Sam Hauser missed three; he breezed by Georges Niang for two points, and he knocked down a three from the left wing. Those seven points came before the nine-minute mark.

All ten of his first-half points occurred in the second frame.

5. After a Jaylen Brown layup at the 8:45 mark, the star wing went crashing into Strus, who wound up over the top of him. Whether it was frustration about that or feeling like Strus should've gotten off him faster, Brown grabbed his foot with two hands.

That prompted a ref-initiated review for a potential flagrant foul. Surprisingly, the officials did not deem it unnecessary. However, it was an away-from-the-play foul, netting Cleveland one free throw.

6. Boston's ability to extend possessions, converting six offensive rebounds into a 10-4 edge in second-chance scoring, and producing 14 points in the paint in the first two frames were crucial complements to its 7/16 (43.8%) shooting from beyond the arc in the opening 24 minutes.

Tatum entered intermission with 23 points, leading all scorers. Brown chipped in 11, and Holiday had 10.

The Celtics also got solid minutes from their second unit. Luke Kornet's eight points included throwing down a thunderous put-back slam and finishing off an alley-oop from Tatum. Payton Pritchard pushed the pace, snagged an offensive rebound, and made two of his three triples.

7. But the visitors entered halftime needing to step it up defensively. Ten turnovers didn't help, and neither did some rushed shots, but simple mistakes and the need to be faster to contest Cleveland's attempts fed into the Cavaliers knocking down 11/25 (44%) of their threes.

Strus paced the hosts with 15 points while Caris LeVert provided 12 and Darius Garland contributed 11.

8. The Celtics answered the call on defense in the third quarter. Better on-ball pressure, help defense, and shot contests induced the hosts into a 21-point period in which they went 1/10 from three-point range.

9. While Kornet and Pritchard continued to step up off the bench, it was perplexing not to see Xavier Tillman Sr. get an opportunity to join them. Al Horford entered the fourth quarter having missed his last nine threes.

The 16-year veteran is fatigued, appearing to lose confidence in his shot, rushing opportunities in the low post, and he got hunted on defense.

Tillman is playoff-proven and defended well when given minutes in Game 2 of this series. Leaning on him to help pace Horford doesn't just seem wise but also appears necessary.

10. When the Cavaliers pulled within five on an Evan Mobley layup that trimmed the gap to 100-95 with 3:14 left, Boston engaged in its first crunch time minutes this postseason.

The visitors' ability to hold Cleveland to seven points in the final two minutes, with five of those coming with the outcome decided, plus a Brown three off a feed from Tatum, propelled them across the finishing line, fending off the hosts' comeback bid to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

11. Game 5 between the Celtics and Cavaliers is on Wednesday night at TD Garden. That matchup will tip off at 7:00 EST.

Further Reading

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown Still Shaking Off Criticism While Growing as Leaders

Jrue Holiday Delivers 'Masterclass' in Game 3 Win vs. Cavs

Jayson Tatum Breaks Out of Scoring Slump That Never Defined Him: 'Underappreciated'

Celtics Discuss 'Unacceptable Performance' in Game 2 Loss to Cavs

Shooting Struggles Not Preventing Jayson Tatum from Positive Impact: 'They'll Fall'

Derrick White Discusses Joining Elite Company in Game 1 Win vs. Cavaliers

Jaylen Brown Leads Celtics to Tone-Setting Win in Game 1 vs. Cavaliers

Kristaps Porzingis Discusses Target Date to Rejoin Celtics' Playoff Run: 'Doing Everything I Can'

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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