Jaylen Brown's 32-point performance leads the Celtics to a crushing 120-95 victory over the Cavaliers, giving Boston an early advantage in their second-round playoff series.
The Boston Celtics unleashed an offensive onslaught from beyond the arc in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, powering to a commanding 120-95 victory on Monday night.
Jaylen Brown Spearheaded Boston's three-point barrage, pouring in 32 points while connecting on 6-of-10 from downtown. His backcourt mate, Marcus Smart, also contributed 21 points, including 5-of-10 shooting from long range.
The Celtics' torrid shooting from deep proved too much for the Cavaliers to handle. Boston drilled a total of 21 three-pointers, eclipsing their previous playoff high of 19 set against the Indiana Pacers in the first round.
In contrast, the Cavaliers struggled to keep pace with Boston's long-range accuracy. Cleveland shot just 7-of-33 from beyond the arc, with Darius Garland shooting 0-for-5 and Caris LeVert going 1-for-6.
Jayson Tatum chipped in 17 points for Boston, while Al Horford added 12 points and Robert Williams III contributed 10 points and 13 rebounds.
For the Cavaliers, Garland and LeVert led the scoring with 17 points each, but their efforts were overshadowed by the Celtics' overwhelming firepower. Evan Mobley added 15 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland.
The Cavaliers trailed by 12 points at halftime and saw their deficit balloon to 26 points in the third quarter. Boston's relentless three-point shooting forced Cleveland into a frantic pace, and the Cavs were unable to close the gap.
The Celtics' victory gives them an early 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 will take place in Cleveland on Wednesday night.
Boston's long-range dominance has become a hallmark of their success in this postseason. They have now shot 40% or better from three-point range in five of their six playoff games.
With Brown and Smart leading the charge, the Celtics are poised to continue their playoff run with their potent three-point attack.
