Game ID: 22400307
Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 6:00 PM ET
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
CLE 28 23 21 43 115BOS 24 25 35 27 111
BOS @ CLE ScoutingBOS @ CLE Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
CLE availability going into 11/20 · back-to-backBACK Merrill back 11/19 after 3, 19 min since (96% of 20)
CLE availability going into 11/24 · 3 days' restOUT LeVert missed 2 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Wade missed 2 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Okoro missed 2 since 11/19, returns tonight: 29 min (155% of 18)
BACK Merrill back 11/19 after 3, 19 min since (96% of 20)
CLE availability going into 11/27 · 2 days' restOUT LeVert missed 3 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Wade missed 3 since 11/19, out tonight
BACK Merrill back 11/19 after 3, 19 min since (98% of 20)
BACK Okoro back 11/24 after 2, 29 min since (155% of 18)
NEW Jerome 20 to 26 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 11/29 · 1 day's restOUT LeVert missed 4 since 11/19, returns tonight: 20 min (85% of 24)
OUT Wade missed 4 since 11/19, out tonight
BACK Merrill back 11/19 after 3, 19 min since (94% of 20)
BACK Okoro back 11/24 after 2, 26 min since (139% of 18)
NEW Jerome 20 to 27 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 12/01 · 1 day's restOUT Wade missed 5 since 11/19, out tonight
BACK LeVert back 11/29 after 4, 20 min since (85% of 24)
BACK Merrill back 11/19 after 3, 19 min since (96% of 20)
BACK Okoro back 11/24 after 2, 23 min since (126% of 18)
CLE availability going into 12/03 · 1 day's restOUT Wade missed 6 since 11/19, returns tonight: 19 min (91% of 20)
BACK LeVert back 11/29 after 4, 22 min since (92% of 24)
BACK Okoro back 11/24 after 2, 23 min since (127% of 18)
CLE availability going into 12/05 · 1 day's restBACK LeVert back 11/29 after 4, 23 min since (95% of 24)
BACK Wade back 12/03 after 6, 19 min since (91% of 20)
BACK Okoro back 11/24 after 2, 25 min since (134% of 18)
CLE availability going into 12/07 · 1 day's restBACK LeVert back 11/29 after 4, 24 min since (100% of 24)
BACK Wade back 12/03 after 6, 19 min since (91% of 20)
CLE availability going into 12/08 · back-to-backBACK LeVert back 11/29 after 4, 24 min since (100% of 24)
BACK Wade back 12/03 after 6, 20 min since (100% of 20)
BOS availability going into 11/22 · 2 days' restOUT Porziņģis missed 2 since 11/16, out tonight
OUT Scheierman missed 7 since 11/06, out tonight
BACK Brown back 11/10 after 4, 38 min since (110% of 35)
NEW Queta 13 to 22 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 11/24 · 1 day's restOUT Porziņģis missed 3 since 11/16, out tonight
OUT Scheierman missed 8 since 11/06, out tonight
NEW Queta 13 to 22 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 11/25 · back-to-backOUT Porziņģis missed 4 since 11/16, returns tonight: 23 min (83% of 27)
OUT Scheierman missed 9 since 11/06, returns tonight: 5 min (43% of 12)
NEW Queta 13 to 22 min over the last 4
BOS availability going into 11/29 · 3 days' restOUT Kornet missed 2 since 11/24, out tonight
BACK Porziņģis back 11/25 after 4, 23 min since (83% of 27)
BACK Scheierman back 11/25 after 9, 5 min since (43% of 12)
NEW Queta 13 to 23 min over the last 4
BOS availability going into 12/01 · 1 day's restOUT Kornet missed 3 since 11/24, returns tonight: 9 min (47% of 18)
BACK Porziņģis back 11/25 after 4, 24 min since (88% of 27)
BACK Scheierman back 11/25 after 9, 5 min since (43% of 12)
BOS availability going into 12/02 · back-to-backOUT Scheierman missed 2 since 11/29, returns tonight: 11 min (94% of 12)
BACK Porziņģis back 11/25 after 4, 27 min since (98% of 27)
BACK Kornet back 12/01 after 3, 9 min since (47% of 18)
BOS availability going into 12/04 · 1 day's restBACK Porziņģis back 11/25 after 4, 27 min since (98% of 27)
BACK Kornet back 12/01 after 3, 18 min since (98% of 18)
BACK Scheierman back 11/25 after 9, 8 min since (69% of 12)
BOS availability going into 12/06 · 1 day's restOUT Holiday missed 2 since 12/02, returns tonight: 34 min (110% of 31)
BACK Porziņģis back 11/25 after 4, 27 min since (100% of 27)
BACK Kornet back 12/01 after 3, 19 min since (103% of 18)
BACK Scheierman back 11/25 after 9, 8 min since (69% of 12)
NEW Hauser 21 to 28 min over the last 4
BOS availability going into 12/07 · back-to-backOUT Scheierman missed 2 since 12/04, out tonight
BACK Holiday back 12/06 after 2, 34 min since (110% of 31)
BACK Kornet back 12/01 after 3, 19 min since (103% of 18)
NEW Hauser 21 to 28 min over the last 4
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 116, shooting 48 percent and 35 from three, 18 free throws a game; Mitchell at 23 and Mobley at 18 a game. Without Wade (5 straight). One day's rest. Boston comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 108, shooting 48 percent and 40 from three, 21 free throws a game; Tatum at 26 and Brown at 23 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Without Kornet (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the defense, Boston allowing 108 a night to Cleveland's 116 and the arc, Boston at 40 percent from three to Cleveland's 35. Call it Cleveland 117, Boston 116, Boston keeping it close.
11/20 vs NOP 128-100 — CLE notes
CLE won 128-100. CLE shot 53% (49 of 93) to NOP's 42%, 18 of 42 from three, and got to the line 14 times to NOP's 22. The glass went 52-40 for them. Jerome led with 29 (10 of 19, 7 of 12 from three); Niang added 20, Tyson 16. The hinge was Q3, 36-18: a lead of 14 became 32. Jerome was the night's best plus/minus at +28.
11/24 vs TOR 122-108 — CLE notes
CLE won 122-108. CLE shot 49% (48 of 97) to TOR's 40%, 16 of 41 from three, and got to the line 14 times to TOR's 34. Mitchell led with 26 (10 of 18, 5 of 9 from three); Jerome added 26, Allen 23. The hinge was Q1, 38-22: from level to 16 ahead. Garland was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
11/27 vs ATL 124-135 — CLE notes
CLE lost 124-135. CLE shot 46% (44 of 95) to ATL's 47%, 15 of 48 from three. Mitchell led with 30 (10 of 24, 4 of 14 from three, 6 of 8 at the line); Mobley added 22, Garland 19. Q2 was theirs, 29-26, but the other 3 periods went 109-95 against them. They led by as many as 19. Jerome's -17 in 24 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/29 @ ATL 101-117 — CLE notes
CLE lost 101-117. CLE took 8 more shots (93 to 85), fed by 11 offensive rebounds, but shot 41% to ATL's 52%, 11 of 38 from three. CLE turned it over 13 times to ATL's 18. The glass went 40-53 against them. Garland led with 29 (11 of 19, 5 of 8 from three); Mobley added 24, Mitchell 12. Q4 was theirs, 28-26, the deficit cut from 18 to 16, but the other 3 periods went 91-73 against them. Mitchell's -13 in 35 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/01 vs BOS 115-111 — CLE notes
CLE won 115-111. CLE shot 49% (39 of 80) to BOS's 40%, 17 of 36 from three, and went to the line 25 times to BOS's 19 — 20 points from the stripe to their 18. CLE turned it over 17 times to BOS's 8, and BOS turned those into 11 steals. Mitchell led with 35 (12 of 21, 6 of 11 from three, 5 of 8 at the line); Garland added 22, LeVert 13. The hinge was Q4, 43-27: CLE came in trailing by 12 and left it ahead by 4. Merrill was the night's best plus/minus at +16.
12/03 vs WAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 114, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Mitchell at 23 and Garland at 22 a game. Without Wade (6 straight). One day's rest. Washington comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 103 a night and allowing 119, shooting 44 percent and 27 from three, 24 free throws a game; Poole at 21 and Brogdon at 19 a game. That is 5 straight losses. Without Champagnie (8 straight), Holmes (11 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the arc, Cleveland at 38 percent from three to Washington's 27. Call it Cleveland 122, Washington 108, Cleveland by 14.
12/05 vs DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 112, shooting 47 percent and 36 from three, 22 free throws a game; Mitchell at 24 and Garland at 20 a game. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest. Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 118, shooting 54 percent and 40 from three, 25 free throws a game; Jokić at 30 and Porter Jr. at 20 a game. One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the arc, Denver at 40 percent from three to Cleveland's 36 and the defense, Cleveland allowing 112 a night to Denver's 118. Call it Cleveland 119, Denver 115, Denver keeping it close.
12/07 @ CHA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Charlotte comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 100 a night and allowing 108, shooting 41 percent and 36 from three, 16 free throws a game; Miller at 27 and Richards at 13 a game. That is 5 straight losses. Without Ball (4 straight), Bridges (8 straight), Gra. Williams (6 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 113, shooting 47 percent and 38 from three, 22 free throws a game; Mitchell at 25 and Garland at 21 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Charlotte has been plus-1 a night and Cleveland minus-6 and the line, where Cleveland takes 22 free throws a game to Charlotte's 16. Call it Cleveland 114, Charlotte 109.
12/08 @ MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 108, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 20 free throws a game; Herro at 24 and Butler III at 21 a game. Without Jović (7 straight), Ware (5 straight), Richardson (8 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 106, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 21 free throws a game; Mobley at 23 and Mitchell at 22 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Miami wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Miami 113, Cleveland 112, Cleveland keeping it close.
11/22 @ WAS 108-96 — BOS notes
BOS won 108-96. BOS shot 42% (36 of 85) to WAS's 43%, 11 of 46 from three, and went to the line 32 times to WAS's 16 — 25 points from the stripe to their 11. BOS turned it over 12 times to WAS's 19. Brown led with 31 (11 of 27, 3 of 13 from three, 6 of 8 at the line); Tatum added 16, Holiday 16. The hinge was Q4, 33-24: a lead of 3 became 12. BOS trailed 49-51 at the half and won the second half 59-45. Tatum was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
11/24 vs MIN 107-105 — BOS notes
BOS won 107-105. BOS shot 43% (37 of 87) to MIN's 42%, 21 of 56 from three, and got to the line 15 times to MIN's 21. Brown led with 29 (10 of 18, 7 of 10 from three); Tatum added 26, White 19. The hinge was Q3, 29-21: a lead of 3 became 11, and the lead reached 19.
11/25 vs LAC 126-94 — BOS notes
BOS won 126-94. BOS shot 51% (45 of 88) to LAC's 43%, 22 of 51 from three, and went to the line 20 times to LAC's 13 — 14 points from the stripe to their 9. Tatum led with 20 (7 of 15, 2 of 6 from three, 4 of 6 at the line); Pritchard added 20, White 19. The hinge was Q2, 51-29: a lead of 7 became 29, and the lead reached 32. Pritchard was the night's best plus/minus at +30.
11/29 @ CHI 138-129 — BOS notes
BOS won 138-129. BOS shot 50% (49 of 98) to CHI's 52%, 23 of 54 from three, and went to the line 23 times to CHI's 16 — 17 points from the stripe to their 13. Tatum led with 35 (12 of 18, 4 of 8 from three, 7 of 10 at the line); Pritchard added 29, Brown 21. The hinge was Q1, 39-30: from level to 9 ahead.
12/01 @ CLE 111-115 — BOS notes
BOS lost 111-115. BOS took 15 more shots (95 to 80), fed by 10 offensive rebounds, but shot 40% to CLE's 49%, 17 of 49 from three, and got to the line 19 times to CLE's 25. BOS turned it over 8 times to CLE's 17. Tatum led with 33 (12 of 27, 4 of 9 from three); Pritchard added 24, Porziņģis 21. Q3 was theirs, 35-21, turning a 2-point deficit into a 12-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 94-76 against them. They led by as many as 14. Pritchard's -11 in 36 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/02 vs MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 108, shooting 45 percent and 37 from three, 22 free throws a game; Tatum at 26 and Brown at 24 a game. Second night of a back-to-back. Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 110, shooting 45 percent and 37 from three, 25 free throws a game; Herro at 23 and Butler III at 21 a game. Without Jović (4 straight), Ware (2 straight), Smith (5 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Boston wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Boston 116, Miami 109.
12/04 vs DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 106, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 18 free throws a game; Tatum at 26 and Brown at 24 a game. One day's rest. Detroit comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 115, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 23 free throws a game; Ivey at 18 and Beasley at 14 a game. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Detroit giving it away 17 times a game to Boston's 10 and the defense, Boston allowing 106 a night to Detroit's 115. Call it Boston 118, Detroit 107, Boston by 11.
12/06 vs MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 109, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 20 free throws a game; Tatum at 26 and Brown at 24 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Holiday (2 straight). One day's rest. Milwaukee comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 46 from three, 25 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 33 and Lillard at 29 a game. One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Boston has been plus-6 a night and Milwaukee minus-3 and the arc, Milwaukee at 46 percent from three to Boston's 39. Call it Boston 118, Milwaukee 112.
12/07 vs MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 112, shooting 46 percent and 37 from three, 19 free throws a game; Tatum at 30 and Brown at 26 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Second night of a back-to-back. Memphis comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 114, shooting 50 percent and 34 from three, 21 free throws a game; Morant at 21 and Jackson Jr. at 18 a game. Without Edey (9 straight), Williams Jr. (8 straight). One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Memphis giving it away 16 times a game to Boston's 11 and the glass, where Boston has been plus-4 a night and Memphis minus-1. Call it Boston 117, Memphis 116, Memphis keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
CLECL C. LeVert
DG D. Garland
DM D. Mitchell
EM E. Mobley
GN G. Niang
IO I. Okoro
JA J. Allen
JT J. Tyson
SM S. Merrill
TJ T. Jerome
BOSAH A. Horford
DP D. Peterson
JH J. Holiday
JS J. Springer
JT J. Tatum
KP K. Porziņģis
LK L. Kornet
PP P. Pritchard
SH S. Hauser
CLE/BOS the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Mitchell scores 35, Cavs end Celtics' winning streak with 115-111 win in matchup of East's elite
CLEVELAND -- — Donovan Mitchell scored 20 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as the Cleveland Cavaliers ended Boston's seven-game winning streak with a 115-111 victory over the Celtics on Sunday night in the second intense matchup between the Eastern Conference’s top teams this season.
Mitchell made all six field-goal attempts — including four 3-pointers — in the fourth as the Cavs overcame a 12-point deficit. The All-Star guard scored 30 points in the second half after going just 2 of 8 from the floor in the first.
Darius Garland added 22 points for Cleveland, which got some revenge on Boston after the defending NBA champions handed the Cavs their first loss on Nov. 19 following a 15-0 start.
Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and Payton Pritchard 24 for the Celtics, who led 93-81 in the fourth before Mitchell took over. Kristaps Porzingis added 21 points for Boston.
The Celtics played without two starters: Jaylen Brown (illness) and Derrick White (foot sprain).
Takeaways Celtics: Even short-handed, they pose so many problems with their offensive balance and arsenal of outside shooters.
Cavaliers: Mitchell showed why he's one of the league's best all-around players, shaking off a recent shooting slump (he went 5 of 23 in a loss to Atlanta on Friday) by making every big play down the stretch.
Key moment With Boston trailing 113-110 with 5 seconds left, Pritchard made his first free throw before intentionally missing his second while hoping for a long rebound. However, he got called for stepping into the lane too early, giving the ball back to Cleveland. Mitchell then put it away with two free throws.
Key stat Mitchell came in shooting just 40% (42 of 104) in his last five games.
Up Next Celtics host Miami on Monday to begin a stretch of four home games in six nights, and Cavaliers host Washington on Tuesday.