Cavs Overcome Slow Start to Defeat Celtics in Thrilling Comeback

 Cavs Overcome Slow Start to Defeat Celtics in Thrilling Comeback

Donovan Mitchell delivered a remarkable performance, scoring 41 points—26 of which came in the second half—leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 123-116 win over the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, on Friday.

The Cavaliers, who trailed by 22 points less than five minutes into the game, mounted a fierce comeback to secure their seventh consecutive road victory and their ninth straight win overall. With the win, Cleveland (49-10) now holds the best record in the NBA.

Mitchell was the standout performer, while Darius Garland added 20 points and Evan Mobley contributed a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Despite missing two key starters in Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Jrue Holiday (hand injury), the Celtics were led by power forward Jayson Tatum, who had a monster performance with 46 points, 16 rebounds, and 9 assists. Jaylen Brown also added 37 points for Boston.

The game was a back-and-forth battle, with Mobley’s three-pointer giving the Cavs their first lead of the game, 106-104, with just under nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Brown responded to tie it at 114-114, but Mitchell scored back-to-back driving baskets, pushing Cleveland ahead for good and helping them hold off the Celtics down the stretch.

Mitchell emphasized the significance of the win, noting that it was a measuring stick against the reigning champions. "These guys have won a championship, and we want to continue to get to where they’re at," Mitchell said. "The biggest thing is we fought. The biggest thing is just resiliency."

In other NBA action, Luka Doncic celebrated his 26th birthday with a stellar performance, scoring 31 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 106-102 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. LeBron James added 28 points and 13 rebounds in the win, while Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with 27 points and 16 rebounds.

Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31 points, cruised to a 135-119 win over the Atlanta Hawks to improve to a 48-11 record.

Nikola Jokic also had an incredible game, notching his 28th triple-double of the season with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 15 assists, as the Denver Nuggets ended the Detroit Pistons' eight-game winning streak with a 134-119 victory. Jamal Murray led all scorers with 31 points, while Michael Porter Jr. added 28 for the Nuggets.

The Cavaliers’ win over the Celtics further solidifies their position at the top of the Eastern Conference, extending their lead over the second-place Celtics (42-18).