The Boston Celtics returned to form in Game 3. Donovan Mitchell is great, but without help, he and the Cleveland Cavaliers stand no chance against the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed.
After a brutal defensive effort in Game 2, the Celtics bounced back on Saturday. Mitchell got his, but overall, Boston quieted the Cavaliers’ offense, holding them to 42.9 percent shooting from the field and only 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum helped the Celtics offense rebound from Game 2. Boston shot 51.2 percent from the field and hit 13 of 34 three-point attempts.
Brown was extremely efficient in Game 3, recording 28 points on 13-of-17 shooting. Likewise, Holiday was more than dependable on Saturday night, going 7-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from three for 18 points while adding eight rebounds.
Conversely, Tatum came out playing aggressively but shot just 11-of-25 from the field and 2-of-8 from three. However, taking charge paid dividends for the Celtics forward, who finished with a gritty 33-point effort, adding 13 rebounds and six assists.
The Celtics led by nine at halftime but went on a 14-0 run to start the third quarter, building a lead as large as 23 points. Cleveland would go on a few mini-runs of their own to hang around but never got closer than nine points.
Mitchell was spectacular in Game 3, scoring 33 points (12-of-22), including seven three-pointers. But no matter how well he plays, he can’t beat the Celtics alone. The rest of the Cavaliers lineup shot just 24-of-62 and a miserable 5-of-24 from three.
The experienced Celtics shook off a lopsided loss in Game 2, while those on the outside wanted to press the panic button. Boston showed why on Saturday, snatching the series momentum back from the Cavaliers and maybe Cleveland’s hope of winning.