After holding a 12-point lead going into the 4th quarter, the Celtics ultimately fell short in their rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers who are still the #1 ranked team in the NBA. While the fashion in which Boston lost was certainly disappointing, the outcome wasn’t necessarily unexpected coming into the night. The Celtics were down two of their top four players, with Jaylen Brown being sidelined due to a non-COVID illness and Derrick White with a foot sprain.
One big reason this game felt within reach was due to the contributions of Sam Hauser, who received the start in place of White.