The Celtics were outscored by 17 points in the second half of their loss Friday night after a key move by Kenny Atkinson.

Mobley finally found his game, and Mitchell saved the day when it looked like all was lost. Could it generate hope for this spring?

Kenny Atkinson explains what effect the Cleveland Cavaliers could get following their win over the Boston Celtics.

The Boston Celtics have had a target on their back all season long. After winning the NBA championship last year, they are at the top of the mountain. Every other team in the league is trying to knock them off of the mountain.

Darius Garland added 20 points and seven assists. Evan Mobley finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds for his 27th double-double to give Cleveland a split in the four-game series with the playoffs jus

Cleveland Cavaliers face crucial game against Boston Celtics. Evan Mobley leads Defensive Player of the Year race. Kenny Atkinson emerges as Coach of the Year favori

▪ Jayson Tatum has faced just about every defensive coverage imaginable, and most often teams try to wobble him with blitzes, traps and double teams that force another player to beat them. But Tatum is a willing and excellent passer, and this approach sometimes leads to quick advantages for the Celtics closer to the rim.

With Celtics fans in a frenzy throughout TD Garden after the Boston Celtics blitzed to a 25-3 lead over the Cavaliers in the final matchup of Eastern Conference frontrunners, Cleveland star Donovan Mitchell didn’t panic.

Donovan Mitchell scored 41 points and the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers rallied past the Boston Celtics Friday night in an Eastern Conference showdown.

For the first few moments of the game, it looked like the Boston Celtics were going to easily defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. But that didn’t end up being the case and the Cavaliers stormed back and secured a strong 123-116 win over the reigning champions.

Boston started red-hot from deep but struggled when the Cavaliers adjusted, using a mix of zone defense and small-ball lineups. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown carried the load, but Cleveland’s depth and in-game tweaks made the difference late.