CLEVELAND — Already heavy underdogs on this Jap Convention semifinal sequence in opposition to the Boston Celtics, and trailing 2-1 on this best-of-seven affair, the Cleveland Cavaliers had been dealt a large blow after star guard Donovan Mitchell was formally dominated out for Monday’s Sport 4 with a calf pressure.
However as an alternative of a routine Boston blowout, this one was something however, because the Cavaliers gamely hung in there for the overwhelming majority of the 48 minutes earlier than ultimately falling 109-102 in entrance of a sellout crowd right here at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
“To be anticipated, proper?” mentioned Jayson Tatum, who led the Celtics Monday with 33 factors, 11 rebounds and 5 assists in slightly below 44 minutes. “When one of the best participant goes out, all people has extra freedom, extra alternative.
“Clearly, we knew it wasn’t going to be simple. It is the playoffs, they do not wish to go house. Give them credit score … they performed laborious from starting to finish and made large performs on each ends. They hit large photographs, so it was a battle, and it was enjoyable on the market.”
Mitchell damage his calf late within the fourth quarter of Sport 3, on the finish of a stint that noticed him play over 22 consecutive minutes within the second half. After not being current in any respect through the group’s shootaround Monday morning at its apply facility, he was formally dominated out roughly an hour earlier than tip Monday night.
That Mitchell’s absence got here after yet one more sensible efficiency, by which he scored 33 factors to go over 25 for a sixth straight recreation in these playoffs, solely added to the frustration.
However then Cleveland — with LeBron James sitting courtside throughout from Boston’s bench alongside his spouse, Savannah, and agent, Wealthy Paul — bought out to an early 8-2 lead over the opening two minutes of the sport behind a few fast triples from Max Strus, a part of Cleveland’s 6-for-7 begin from behind the arc.
It was a begin that made clear the Cavaliers weren’t going to go down with no combat, even with out their star guard accessible to assist.
“I imply, they laid all of it on the market,” Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff mentioned. “They gave us every thing that that they had. They competed at a excessive stage. They performed the sport correctly. I am happy with the fellows, the best way they went out and scrapped and competed and gave ourselves an opportunity.”
It was an opportunity, although, that finally proved to be fleeting, as that scorching capturing begin gave approach to the Cavaliers capturing 9-for-41 from behind the arc over the rest of the sport. Within the three losses on this sequence for Cleveland, Mitchell has gone 11-for-23 from 3-point vary.
His teammates? A mixed 27-for-103 (26.2%), together with a complete of 15-for-48 from 3-point vary in Sport 4.
“The identical aggressiveness, the identical angle, attempt to get as many 3s up as we are able to after which simply maintain being aggressive going to the rim,” mentioned Darius Garland, who had 30 factors and seven assists for Cleveland, when requested what the plan of assault shall be in Sport 5 whether or not or not Mitchell is out there.
“When we’ll the rim, they’re sending about three our bodies so the open kick-out is there. In order that’s how we’re getting so many high quality seems on the 3-point line. And simply attempt to buckle down defensively, attempt to maintain Jayson and Jaylen [Brown] to some robust 2s and attempt to run Derrick White, Payton Pritchard off the road and simply maintain being us, man.
“We simply need to combat via all of this. It is not going our approach, however simply maintain preventing. That is what we at all times do.”
The Celtics will head into Sport 5 trying to shut out a group at house for a second straight sequence after doing so in 5 video games in opposition to Miami within the first spherical. They will even have an opportunity to beat what has been a seasons-long difficulty when it comes to their playoff performances at house.
Over the previous three postseasons, Boston is 14-14 at house — essentially the most video games performed (28) with no successful report at house over three postseasons in NBA historical past, per ESPN’s Stats & Info analysis. Then again, the Celtics at the moment are 18-7 on the highway over that span.
“There’s nothing higher than successful a playoff recreation on the highway,” Brown mentioned. “It is like all people in opposition to you guys, you come right here with the fellows within the locker room. It is a robust setting, the gang was nice, however as a competitor, it is actually enjoyable to be in an setting like that, win on the highway.
“Now it is time to return and play nicely in entrance of our followers and provides them one thing to cheer for and attempt to get a win.”
