Cavaliers 113, Celtics 117

Game Highlights

Photo of the Game

Kevin Garnett takes a running shot in the paint between three Cavaliers defenders.
Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty

By Marc D'Amico
Celtics.com

Key Moment

The Celtics held onto an unexpected double-digit lead for nearly all of the first 40 minutes of the game, but when LeBron James decided to take over in the fourth quarter, that lead couldn't be sustained.

Luckily for the C's, they had their own player taking over.

While James racked up 20 points in the fourth and single-handedly brought the Cavaliers back into the game, Boston's marksman, Ray Allen, was finishing off his own offensive show. Allen entered the fourth quarter having already tied his season high with 27 points, but Boston would need him to continue that hot hand to fend off James and Co. Allen delivered and drilled the biggest shot of the game, a 3-pointer with 47.9 seconds remaining to put Boston ahead by four points.

But even after Allen nailed that shot, James had a chance at winning the game. He took a rebound with 10.2 seconds remaining after Kendrick Perkins missed a pair free throws -- points that could have essentially wrapped up the win for Boston -- and streaked down court, seemingly for a possible game-tying layup. Instead, he pulled an Ali Farokhmanesh (Google that name if you're lost right now) and pulled up for a 3-pointer that was intended to be the game-winning dagger slammed into Boston's chest.

Instead, that dagger dug into his own team, as the shot missed and Boston corralled the rebound. Kevin Garnett sunk two free throws with 2.7 seconds left on the clock to close out the game's scoring, and with that, Boston had another holiday victory.

Key Box Score Line

Boston had one of its best offensive performances of the season today against one of the top defensive teams in the league, but there was one Celtic who stood above the rest, and his name is Ray Allen.

Allen finished with a season-high 33 points to go along with three rebounds and four assists. He shot 10-of-17 from the field and 6-of-9 from 3-point range, all while making key basket after key basket for the C's.

It's safe to say that without Allen on the floor this afternoon, Boston probably would have been sent home with its fourth straight loss.

Box Score Nuggets

• All five Celtics starters scored in double-figures, led by Ray Allen's 33.
• Both teams committed 11 turnovers and blocked four shots.
• Cleveland shot better from the field (51.3 percent to Boston's 48.8 percent) but still lost.
• The Celtics scored at least 31 points in each of the first three quarters.
• LeBron James finished with 42 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.
• James also took 22 free throws, making only 14, and shot 0-of-9 from downtown.
• Two Cavs finished with double-doubles: Antawn Jamison with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and J.J. Hickson with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
• Two Celtics also finished with double-doubles: Kendrick Perkins with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo with 16 points and 14 assists.
• Mo Williams did not miss a shot today, finishing 6-of-6 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free throw line.
• Doc Rivers proclaimed his playoff rotation as essentially the nine Celtics that played substantial minutes tonight: the starting five, along with Tony Allen, Glen Davis, Rasheed Wallace and Michael Finley.
• Ray Allen scored a season-high 33 points on 10-of-17 shooting and 6-of-9 from 3-point range.
• Kevin Garnett scored 19 points with eight rebounds, while also making nine of his 10 free throws.
• Tony Allen was the only player in the game to record more than one steal, finishing with two.
• Boston recorded 28 assists, 14 of which came from Rajon Rondo.
• Six technical fouls were whistled in the game.

Quote of the Night

LeBron James on the rivalry between the Celtics and Cavaliers: "Where does [the dislike] come from? It comes from a tough seven-game series that we had, it comes from them wanting to be really great, them winning the championship, us wanting to win the championship and having to come through Boston to try to win it. The regular season battles that we have had, the battles between me and Paul. The competition, that's what's good about this game, I think this game has lost a little bit of that in the years, all the talking, teams not liking each other. That's the same thing I kind of figured out last year when I walked off the court in Orlando, people were mad I didn't shake hands...why should I be happy? Why should I be happy? I'm not happy, I'm disgusted that I lost. I move on to the next season. That's what this game has lost, it's lost what its had in the 80's and early 90's where teams really didn't like each other."