An 18-point lead to begin the final period was whittled to 2 with 1:11 left, but this time the Celtics responded with strong defense and a critical jumper by Kevin Garnett to stave off what would have been another disastrous late loss.
Sunday, Irving fueled a 12-0 game-ending run and scored the winning basket in an 88-87 triumph at TD Garden. History almost repeated itself when Irving slashed to the basket for a runner off the glass to reduce the deficit to 89-87 with 1:18 left.
Sunday, the Celtics went scoreless for the final 4:25, fumbling a series of chances to score because of silly mental miscues. Last night, they stayed poised, and went to Garnett, whose 13-footer took a tour around the rim before dropping through for a 4-point lead.
The Celtics then stopped the Cavaliers on defense for the next 30 seconds after Cleveland gathered the last of its 13 offensive rebounds to extend the possession. Paul Pierce sealed the game with two free throws in the final seconds and the Celtics walked away with a lesson learned about taking a lesser opponent lightly.
“You wanted to kind of wrap it up when you have a big lead so you can rest the starters knowing that you got back-to-back [games],’’ said Pierce, who led Boston with 20 points. “But that’s the challenges of this season, when you go on the road and the calls don’t go your way. You have to finish out the game and come back tomorrow.’’
And unlike Sunday, when coach Doc Rivers rested Pierce and Avery Bradley most of the fourth quarter, that duo combined for 20 minutes in the final period.
The Cavaliers’ run began modestly with a 6-0 surge to begin the fourth quarter. After a Garnett dunk, the Cavaliers then scored 6 more to reduce the deficit to 78-71 with 6:33 left. By then, it was apparent that an easy Boston victory was out of the question. The Celtics would be pushed to the brink again.
“I thought we really played well,’’ Rivers said. “We had the one stretch in the beginning of the fourth, where we really let [Cleveland] back in it. They really turned their defensive pressure up and we really struggled getting into our sets. We’re really good when we keep the game simple and we’re really bad when we try to do too much.’’
