Use any adjective you want. Unbelievable, inconceivable, unimaginable. This Celtics’ win was all the above.
After a 44-point loss to the the Cavs in game 2, no one on the face of the planet expected the Celtics to come out on top in Game 3.
Kevin Love started off the game on fire, recording five 3-pointers in the first quarter. The Cavs shot 16-39 from distance for the game. The Celtics had to match the long ball, as they ended up going 18-40 from downtown for the game.
Marcus Smart led the way with seven 3-pointers of his own (7-10) for the game. Smart channeled his inner Isaiah Thomas tonight (who is out for the remainder of the postseason), scoring 27 points, recording seven assists, five rebounds, two steals, and one block in the game.
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Smart truly embodied what it meant to be a Celtic tonight. He led the way, and made sure that his team would not get embarrassed again. Avery Bradley hit the game-winner from downtown, as he scored 20 points of his own, and dropped three 3-pointers. Smart and Bradley showed tremendous grit and determination in Cleveland tonight.
Jonas Jerebko brought some scrappiness to the table tonight, as he had a few altercations with several Cavs’ players. Jerebko started the spark for the Celtics’ rally. He added 10 points off the bench, and didn’t miss a single shot. He was +22 for the game. Kelly Olynyk added 15 points of his own off the bench. Love scored 28 points, and Kyrie Irving added 29 points for the Cavs.
For some reason, LeBron James was not his usual self tonight, and didn’t seem to be engaged, especially late in the game. He finished with 11 points and six turnovers, and failed to score in the final 16 minutes of the game.
The Celtics were down by 16 at halftime. Many NBA fans probably turned their TVs off, expecting a similar outcome to Games 1 and 2. The Celtics then outscored the Cavs by 11 points and eight points in the third and fourth quarters respectively. The Cavaliers were up by as many as 21 in this game, but didn’t take the Celtics seriously for 48 minutes. This is by far the most impressive Celtics’ win I have ever seen.
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All the odds were against them, no one gave them any type of a chance. It is still hard to believe that this series is at 2-1 and not 3-0. The Cavs have officially lost their first playoff game. The Celtics have given their fans another home game. Lets see if the Celtics can play with this tenacity, toughness, and purposefulness in Game 4.