Boston Celtics

5 pivotal plays from the Celtics’ Game 4 defeat in Cleveland

The series now shifts to Boston, where the Celtics have been much better this postseason.

Terry Rozier
Boston's Terry Rozier reacts to a play against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second half of Game 4. AP Photo/Tony Dejak

By Mark Dunphy

3 minutes to read

The Celtics fought throughout Monday’s Game 4 — an eventual 111-102 loss — but the lead the Cavaliers built in the first quarter proved insurmountable. LeBron James finished with 44 points on the night as Cleveland ensured Boston stayed at just one win on the road this postseason. The series returns to Boston, where the Celtics are undefeated in the playoffs, for Game 5 on Wednesday.

Here are five plays critical to Game 4’s final outcome:

Jayson Tatum misses the slam, LeBron James finishes on the other end

Midway through the first quarter, Tatum pushed the ball on a Celtics fast break, eyed James preparing to meet him at the basket, and still leaped for what would have been a highlight-reel dunk. Instead, the highlight came on the other end of the court, after James challenged Tatum at the rim and put the rookie off enough that the dunk bounced back into the air.

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Kevin Love gathered in the rebound, found James, and watched Cleveland’s star power past Marcus Morris in transition. The ball dropped through the net, the whistle blew, and Morris picked up his second of three fouls in the opening 12 minutes. James converted the three-point play to put the Cavaliers up 17-10 with 5:38 on the clock.

Kevin Love fires a beautiful full-court pass to LeBron

Another Love-to-Lebron connection. This time, Love grabbed the rebound after a Celtics miss and flicked his wrists. The pass soared the length of the court in an arc the Cleveland Browns will hope Bakey Mayfield can replicate this fall. James pulled the pass away from Marcus Smart’s outstretched fingertips and laid the ball in for two.

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The 34 points the Cavaliers scored in the first quarter was their highest such total of the postseason. They didn’t slow down in the second, finishing the half with 68 points on 61.5 percent shooting. Boston trailed 68-53 at the break.

Terry Rozier lofts an alley-oop to Tatum

With seconds remaining in the third, Smart swatted a layup attempt by James. Smart caught his own block and threw the ball into space downcourt. Rozier sprinted past Kyle Korver to the loose ball (minutes after Korver had done the same to him), and threw it up for Tatum to slam home.

The alley-oop cut the Cavs lead to 13 points. Boston had pulled within eight earlier in the quarter, but James, Korver, and company kept them at bay with a series of defensive stops and trips to the free throw line.

Al Horford spins past two Cavaliers and forces Ty Lue to call timeout

The Celtics sliced the lead back to eight at the 8:28 mark of the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown slipped it inside to Horford, who drew the double team from Larry Nance Jr. Boston’s All-Star spun away from both defenders and threw down a dunk that compelled Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue to call timeout.

Aron Baynes hit a free throw on the ensuing Celtics possession, but that seven-point difference was as close as the Celtics came in the closing minutes of Game 4.

James steals, shoots, and scores

The Celtics looked to have made a pivotal defensive stop late in the fourth after Morris intercepted an errant pass by James. However, James more than made up for his mistake. Morris threw the ball back into play as he was falling out of bounds, and James was waiting underneath the basket to steal the ball back. He spun, knocked Smart to the floor, and banked a shot home.

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James’s shot extended the Cavaliers lead to 11 points with 3:36 remaining. Cleveland closed out the game 111-102 to send the Eastern Conference finals back to Boston tied at two games apiece.

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