The defending champion ended the Cavaliers’ 15-game winning streak.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, who had won their first 15 matches, suffered their first defeat on the floor of NBA champion Boston (120-117) on Tuesday. Authors of the second best start to the season in the history of the North American basketball league, tied with three other teams, the Cavaliers will therefore not be able to worry the record of the Golden State Warriors (24 successes in 2015).
The big show at the start of the year, between the team of the moment and the reigning champion – who faced each other in the 2nd round of the play-offs in the spring for a 4-1 victory for Boston – partly held its own. promises, after a start to the match which gave rise to fears of a demonstration from Boston. On a special lime green floor, the match also counting for the NBA Cup, the Celtics brought down lightning at three points, displaying at the end of the match an insolent skill of 53.7% (22 out of 41), after shooting at 14 out of 22 at the break. The gap thus reached 21 points in the 3rd quarter, Cleveland not being helped by the unusual clumsiness of its leader Darius Garland (8 points to 3 on 21 shooting).
By concentrating their efforts under the basket with their two strong Evan Mobley (22 points, 11 rebounds) and Jarrett Allen (10 points, 11 rebounds), the Cavaliers regained confidence before the Donovan Mitchell festival (35 points, 8 rebounds), which allowed the «Cavs» to come back to 2 points 5 times. Boston, however, never allowed its opponent to get back in front, relying on another great game from Jayson Tatum (33 points at 6 out of 10 from far, 12 rebounds, 7 assists), the NBA player who scored the most at the start of the season.
A good lay-up drive from Jayon Brown, more discreet (17 points, 8 assists), made the decisive difference 40 seconds from time, rewarding the excellent game of veteran Al Horford (20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 against), who holds the Celtics racket while awaiting the next return from injury of Kristaps Porzingis. “The way you respond to a comeback from the opponent shows the kind of team you are”appreciated Tatum, author of a shoulder blow pressed into Mitchell’s jaw at the end of the game. “With their start to the season they thought they were the best team, we wanted to show them that we think we are the best team.”
200e triple-double pour Westbrook
In Memphis, the 2023 champion Denver, deprived of its Serbian totem Nikola Jokic for the second consecutive match, still won 122 to 110 with finally successful matches for Jamal Murray (27 points) and Michael Porter Jr. (24 points, 11 rebounds). Above all, veteran Russell Westbrook, who arrived in Colorado this summer from the Los Angeles Clippers, validated his 200th triple double (12 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists), a first in the NBA. “I am grateful to have been able to take every opportunity to play at the highest level”commented the 36-year-old player who plays for his 6th franchise.
After a rest match, Luka Doncic (26 points) brought Dallas to a crushing victory against New Orleans (132-91), while San Antonio, deprived of Victor Wembanyama, created a surprise by dominating the Thunder. Oklahoma City (110-104), which loses the lead in the West to the Golden State Warriors.
