It was a banner Sunday afternoon for the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden, as they blitzed a shorthanded Cleveland Cavs team by an insane 34-9 margin in the second quarter before cruising to a 117-78 victory.
While the Celtics did it against a Cleveland squad resting its Big 3 of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love, they'll take the boost to their playoff chances as they remain firmly in control of the East's #7 seed.
Key Stat:
We're just guessing that when you post 20 steals to another team's one, you're having a pretty damn good day. The Celtics did just that while winning the turnover battle by an eye-popping 24-to-7 margin.
Boston MVPs:
This was the definition of a team effort through and through. Four starters finished in double figures and head coach Brad Stevens got production on both ends of the floor eight-deep into his rotation. This game was a statement of intent for a young Celtics team hungry to take the next step.
Cleveland MVP:
Tristan Thompson was effective (14 points, 5 rebounds) and Iman Shumpert was a bundle of energy (15 points, 10 rebounds), but the rest of the Cavs' non-marquee players were adrift in the ocean all day long.
What’s Next?
Boston remains at home for an another huge Eastern Conference showdown with the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, while Cleveland heads back to Ohio to host the Detroit Pistons tomorrow.
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