Ford Keys to the Game: Cavaliers at Celtics

Cavaliers 108, Celtics 88

Game Highlights

Photo of the Game

Tony Allen makes his way under the bridge, so to speak, of Jamario Moon and Antawn Jamison's arms..
Elsa/Getty Images

By Marc D'Amico
Celtics.com

Key Moment

Boston's eight-point halftime lead was dwindled down to one by the time the fourth quarter began, and the Cavs didn't slow down from there.

LeBron James did his damage tonight, but it was his point guard that took over in the fourth. Mo Williams, who scored only five points through the first three quarters, came out of nowhere to score 14 in the fourth, including 4-of-6 shooting from downtown. Two of those threes seemed to be the back breakers for Boston, draining any hope of a comeback out of the C's and their fans.

The first three came with 6:07 remaining in the game and the Cavs ahead by only four points. LeBron James attracted plenty of attention as he handled the ball and found Williams wide open in the corner of the court. Williams drilled the shot to put Cleveland ahead by seven. Then, after Ray Allen misfired on a three at the other end, James found Williams open again without a single defender near him. The shot dropped, and in just 38 seconds the Cavaliers' lead went from four to 10 and essentially put this game away.

Key Box Score Line

This guy has the key box score line in nearly every game this guy plays. LeBron James dominated tonight's game in every facet, finishing with 36 points, seven rebounds and nine assists all while playing shutdown defense on Ray Allen in the second half. Allen had 14 points at halftime but managed only seven in the second half, much ado to James' defense.

Box Score Nuggets

• Kevin Garnett recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
• Rajon Rondo recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 assists. Fourteen of those points and eight of those assists were in the first half
• LeBron James was 11-of-15 from the free throw line. No other player in the game took more than six free throws.
• Each team made 16 free throws.
• Boston limited Cleveland to only six offensive rebounds.
• Rajon Rondo took a team-high 19 shots.
• Rasheed Wallace scored nine points in the game, all of which came in the first half.
• Anderson Varejao finished with an impressive state line of: 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
• Boston had only three blocks as a team.
• The Celtics shot 60 percent from the field in the first half but only 22 percent from the field in the second half.
• Each team led by at least 13 points at some point in the game.
• Boston committed only 11 turnovers.
• Antawn Jamison, in his second start with the Cavs, had only nine points and three rebounds.
• Three Cavs starters combined for only 20 points: Jamison nine points, Shaquille O'Neal six points and Anthony Parker five points.

Quote of the Night

Doc Rivers on the difference between the first and second halves for both teams: "I really thought the difference of the two halves was in the first half Cleveland played like [we did in the second half]. The ball didn't move for them offensively; they were a one-pass, (one-)shot offense. We were attacking and we were multiple-pass, multiple-pick. In the second half, we became them and they attacked us."