Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, including 13 during a decisive second-quarter run, to lead the Boston Celtics past the Cleveland Cavaliers 125-105 on Wednesday night at TD Garden.
The win moved Boston to 2-3 on the season and ended Cleveland’s three-game winning streak. Brown’s scoring outburst came as the Celtics closed the first half on a 20-3 run to seize control of the game.
Sam Hauser came off the bench to provide 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc, while Josh Minott and Neemias Queta dominated the glass, collecting 14 and 13 rebounds respectively. Payton Pritchard directed the offense with 10 assists, helping Boston record 29 team assists on 42 made field goals.
Boston entered the game on the heels of its first win of the season against New Orleans and built early momentum by matching Cleveland’s long-range shooting. The two teams combined for 18 three-pointers in the opening quarter, one shy of the NBA record.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland early, hitting all four of his 3-point attempts in the first quarter for 12 points, but cooled off afterward and finished with 15 points on 6-of-20 shooting. Evan Mobley posted a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while rookie Jaylon Tyson added 19 points and five boards.
After trailing 57-55 late in the second quarter, the Cavaliers couldn’t slow down Boston’s offense. Brown connected on back-to-back deep threes to close the half, including a 26-footer at the buzzer that extended the Celtics’ lead to 75-60.
Boston pushed its advantage to 19 midway through the third quarter and stayed in control throughout. Cleveland managed to trim the deficit to nine entering the final period but shot just 33% in the fourth as Boston’s defense held firm.
The Celtics’ frontcourt set the tone, outrebounding Cleveland 52-42 and limiting second-chance points. Hauser’s shooting off the bench helped maintain spacing, while Queta and Minott provided interior toughness.
Cleveland dropped to 3-2 on the season after a three-game win streak. The Cavaliers will host Toronto on Friday in their NBA Cup opener. Boston will travel to Philadelphia that same night for its tournament debut.
