Keys to the Game: Celtics 113, Cavaliers 98

From a one-possession game to a 14-point game – all in the span of just two minutes and 25 seconds.

The Celtics smelled blood in the water early in the fourth quarter, they attacked, and they killed their opponent to punch their way into yet another Eastern Conference Finals.

Four of Boston’s players combined to score 13 points during a critical 13-2 run from the 9:10 mark of the fourth to the 6:45 mark. The final basket of the stretch, a 3-pointer from Jayson Tatum, splashed through the net and forced Cleveland to call for a timeout to regroup its troops.

That 14-point lead, however, was already plenty of cushion for Boston to close out the win.

Jrue Holiday opened the run with a floater and Derrick White followed that bucket up with a 3-pointer. Following a layup by Cleveland’s Darius Garland, Al Horford then connected on one of his six 3-pointers on the night to bump Boston’s lead out to nine. Horford then scored an uncontested layup at the rim off of a beautiful drive and dish from Jaylen Brown, before Tatum connected on his triple to force Cleveland into a timeout.

Boston’s lead never dropped below nine from that moment on before it polished off a 113-98 victory. The Celtics will now appear in their third consecutive Eastern Conference Finals, and their sixth in the last eight years.

Q4 :56.4 - [BOS 113-96] Horford 3pt Shot: Made (22 PTS) Assist: Holiday (4 AST)