Boston Celtics Crush Cleveland Cavaliers 111‑101
It was a night of fire‑power for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown led the charge with 34 points, while Robert Williams III put together a stat‑deck of 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists.
Hot‑shot Highlights
- Jaylen Brown – 34 points, dominant
- Robert Williams III – 21 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists
- Jayson Tatum – 18 points, 9 rebounds
- Romeo Langford – 11 points, 9 rebounds
Cavaliers’ Night Out
- Darius Garland – 28 points, sparks a brief comeback
- Kevin Love – 18 points, 12 rebounds (double‑double)
- Cedi Osman – 13 points, solid contribution
The Celtics stayed in control all night, blowing out the Cavaliers 111‑101. This marks their third win in five games.
Covid‑19 Showdowns
Both rosters were under‑strength as the NBA’s ongoing Covid protocol had several key players out.
- Boston – Al Horford, Grant Williams, Jabari Parker, Juancho Hernangomez, Sam Hauser, Josh Richardson, Brodric Thomas (all sidelined)
- Cleveland – Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Ed Davis, Isaac Okoro, Lamar Stevens, Denzel Valentine, RJ Nembhard, Dylan Windler (all sidelined)
Kevin Love, who had a foot injury, still lined up for Cleveland due to his importance to the team.
Game Flow
At halftime, Boston led 63‑48. They blew the lead into a 23‑point margin in the third quarter, but Cleveland’s 15‑3 run narrowed the gap to 85‑73 before the final period.
Garland’s clutch pull‑up with 11:20 remaining pulled the Cavs close (85‑75), yet the Celtics kept the momentum with a swift seven‑point burst before the clock expired.
Old‑Guard Add‑In
Late Wednesday, the Celtics signed ex‑Celtic Joe Johnson to a 10‑day contract under the hardship exception. At 1:57 left on the clock, Johnson made a lone, memorable jump shot with 23.2 seconds remaining.
Johnson’s Boston roots ran back to 2001, when he was the 10th overall draft pick. He played only 48 games with Boston before heading to Phoenix mid‑season.
What’s Next
The Celtics are off until Saturday’s Christmas Day matinee, taking on the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.
Cleveland will host Toronto on Sunday night, hoping to pick up momentum after this tough loss.
