Los Angeles (AFP) – The Cleveland Cavaliers overturned a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to snap the Boston Celtics’ 11-game winning streak with a 105-104 victory on Tuesday.
A week after coming back from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat Dallas, Cleveland conjured another remarkable late show to stun Eastern Conference leaders Boston.
Boston looked to be cruising to a 12th straight win after a clinical display left them leading 93-71 early in the fourth quarter in Cleveland.
But Dean Wade erupted for 20 points in the final frame, draining a string of three-pointers to haul Cleveland back into the contest.
Wade, who finished with 23 points, made the winning layup with 19 seconds remaining to put Cleveland ahead after Kristaps Porzingis’s free throw had helped the Celtics take a 104-103 lead.
Boston thought they had been thrown a lifeline when Jayson Tatum appeared to be fouled as he went for a late shot.
But the call was overturned in Cleveland’s favor and time ran out to give the Cavaliers a victory made all the more impressive given the absence of key starters Donovan Mitchell and Max Strus.
“It feels good, my team-mates had the trust in me to make those shots,” Wade said afterwards.
“Them just having that belief in me gave me the confidence and motivated me, and luckily they went in,” added Wade, who was congratulated at courtside by Cleveland native and Kansas City Chiefs NFL star Travis Kelce following the win.
Wade finished with 23 points, including six-of-nine from three-point range, with eight rebounds.
Jarrett Allen had 21 points while Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro added 16 points apiece.
Boston meanwhile were left wondering where it had all gone wrong after an extraordinary late collapse.
“We just went cold,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.
“I thought we had some good possessions where we didn’t make the shot. But credit to them — Wade played really well and they made plays down the stretch.”
Tatum led Boston’s scorers with 26 points while Porzingis added 24 and Jaylen Brown 21.
The Celtics remain comfortably on top of the Eastern Conference despite the loss with a 48-13 record.
Milwaukee are second in the standings at 41-21 while Cleveland are third after improving to 40-21.
In other games on Tuesday, the Philadelphia 76ers stumbled to a 112-107 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets in New York.
Dorian Finney-Smith and German international Dennis Schroder both made 20 points each as Brooklyn outscored the Sixers 32-24 in the fourth quarter to win.
In Toronto meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans dished out a humiliating 41-point drubbing of the Raptors, winning 139-98.
Trey Murphy led the Pelicans scoring with 34 points on a night when no fewer than seven New Orleans players made double figures.
“I’m extremely proud of this group — it’s a great step in the right direction,” said New Orleans head coach Willie Green.
The Pelicans improved to 37-25 to remain in fifth place in the West.
© 2024 AFP
