Cavaliers, Mavericks score equalizer
‘I like the way that we were just attackminded.’
LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Cleveland and Dallas turned the tables on their top-seeded opponents as the Cavaliers shocked the Boston Celtics while the Mavericks silenced the Thunder to level their National Basketball Association playoff series at one game apiece. Donovan Mitchell led a comprehensive Cleveland effort as the Cavaliers powered past the Celtics 118-94 in Boston to make it 1-1 in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series. Dallas star Luka Doncic scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and teammate P.J. Washington poured in another 29 points for the Mavericks, who beat the Thunder 119-110 in Oklahoma City to knot their Western Conference semifinal at one-all. Mitchell scored 23 of his 29 points in the second half and received plenty of support from “attack-minded” teammates as the Cavs bounced back from a Game 1 rout.
Evan Mobley, 22, got Cleveland going early, scoring 15 of his playoff career-high 21 points in the first half. Mobley added 10 rebounds and five assists and reserve guard Caris LeVert added 21 points off the bench for Cleveland, who had six players score in double figures.
“I like the way that we were just attack-minded,” Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
“We didn’t settle for the first quick (shot) that we saw.”
The Cavs fell behind in each of the first two quarters and tied it up 54-54 at halftime. Mitchell erupted for 16 points in the third quarter as the Cavaliers seized control.
The Cavs, up by 12 going into the fourth, pressed their advantage, as Mitchell drained three straight baskets that included a spinning drive for a hook shot that made it 99-83.
By the time Cleveland pushed their lead to 24 points with less than five minutes to play, fans were streaming out of TD Garden arena.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla pulled out his starters, with Jayson Tatum finishing with 25 points and Jaylen Brown adding 19. Brown said the Celtics’ defensive effort was simply “unacceptable.” “We gave up 118 points,” he said.
“On top of that we lost the rebound battle — so we didn’t help ourselves tonight.”
Mitchell, meanwhile, was delighted with what he called a “complete performance.”
“Everybody did their job,” Mitchell said, adding they need to keep the pressure on when the series shifts to Cleveland on Saturday.