BOSTON (AP) 鈥� With Celtics fans in a frenzy throughout TD Garden after the Boston Celtics blitzed to a 25-3 lead over the Cavaliers in the final matchup of Eastern Conference frontrunners, Cleveland star Donovan Mitchell didn't panic.
He actually was in a calm place.
鈥淓verything that could have possibly went wrong, went wrong. At that point, you could only go up from there,鈥� Mitchell said after posting his first 40-point game this season. "That鈥檚 been our challenge all year. How do you respond? And we did.鈥�
What followed was three quarters of frenetic basketball that concluded with and a breakout night by teammate Evan Mobley that added up to a and a ninth straight victory by the Cavs team that earned a season split with a Celtics team they could very well see in the playoffs.
The Celtics led throughout before the Cavaliers settled in and took their first lead of the game, 104-101 in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland stretched its lead to 114-110 when the Celtics got back-to-back stops, each followed by buckets by Jaylen Brown to tie the game.
Mitchell scored on a floater to put the Cavaliers back in front. Then, following a miss by Brown on Boston鈥檚 next possession, Mitchell hit a driving layup and was fouled. He completed the three-point play to put the Cavs in front 119-114 with 1:57 remaining.
Mitchell said Brown's flurry inspired him to respond after slow start to the period.
鈥淛ust kind of having a pulse. Having a feel. I took some bad ones (shots) in the fourth that I didn鈥檛 like, kind of settle," Mitchell said. "But that鈥檚 part of the process. But for me, kind of doing my job when my number鈥檚 called. Keeping it steady. That鈥檚 what I do.鈥�
As remarkable as Mitchell was, the spark for Cleveland's final fourth-quarter push actually belonged to Mobley. He had 13 points and eight rebounds in the final quarter, including the Cavs' first nine points of the period.
Mobley said it was a reminder to that he has the capacity to be an elite big man in the NBA.
But as happy as they were to leave the court with a victory, Mitchell said it was tempered by the fact that the NBA's top offense found itself in a 22-point hole to begin with.
鈥淐oming into the game it was like, no championship is being won tonight,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淚t was like, we got punched in the mouth. What are we going to do about it?鈥�
Still, coach Kenny Atkinson said that kind of comeback is something to build on.
鈥淵ou go into the locker room ... guys feel like they're as good as these guys,鈥� Atkinson said. 鈥淲e can hang with these guys. Keep at it. Stay with it. So, yeah, this gives us a little more confidence. But there's context around that. We know they're missing two guys. Humble in victory, that's for sure."
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Kyle Hightower, The Associated Press
