11:02 p.m.-CELTICS TAKE 2-0 SERIES LEAD OVER CAVALIERS IN EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
The Cleveland Cavaliers have their work cut out for them if they hope to make a fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals.
After fighting their way to a seven-point lead at halftime, the Boston Celtics ratcheted up the pressure and held a 59-39 scoring edge in the second half on the way to a 107-94 win over the Cavaliers in Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden in Boston Tuesday night.
Led by 23 points from shooting guard Jaylen Brown, all five of Boston’s starters scored in double figures.
Despite getting a triple double of 42 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds from small forward LeBron James, the Cavaliers trail the Celtics, 2-0, in the best-of-seven series.
WKYC's Dave DeNatale had instant reaction on the Cavs' loss on Facebook Live. You can see his thoughts below:
The Cavaliers will look to get back on the winning track in front of the home fans, while the Celtics will try to carry the home-court magic on the road on Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
The Celtics have yet to lose at home in the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
PHOTOS: Cleveland Cavaliers face Boston Celtics in Game 2 of Eastern Conference Finals
10:22 p.m.-CELTICS LEAD CAVS BY SEVEN AFTER THIRD QUARTER
The Cleveland Cavaliers started the second half of Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals with a seven-point lead over the Boston Celtics, but the home team turned the tables and scrambled their way to an 84-77 advantage after the third quarter at TD Garden in Boston.
The Celtics outscored the Cavaliers, 36-22, thanks in large part to their 56 percent shooting from the field. Out of the halftime break, the Celtics converted 14 of their 25 looks at the hoop, including a five-for-10 showing from three-point range.
After a strong shooting performance in the first half, the Cavaliers made only nine of their 22 attempts, and three of those makes came from beyond the arc in the third quarter.
The Celtics outrebounded the Cavaliers, 13-10, and converted two turnovers into two points in the third quarter.
10:10 p.m.-CELTICS STORM AHEAD OF CAVALIERS IN THIRD QUARTER
Third-quarter lulls plagued the Cleveland Cavaliers all throughout the regular season, and that problem reared its ugly head once again in Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden in Boston.
On the strength of a 26-16 scoring run, the Boston Celtics built a 74-71 lead over the Cavaliers with 4:06 to play in the third quarter.
Boston built the three-point advantage by making 10 of its 15 shots out of the halftime break, while the Cavaliers hit just seven of their 16 looks at the hoop during the early part of the third quarter.
9:39 p.m.-CAVALIERS LEAD CELTICS, 55-48, AT HALFTIME OF GAME 2
Led by a 25-point effort from small forward LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers built a 55-48 lead over the Boston Celtics at halftime of Game 2 in the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden in Boston.
James converted nine of his 15 attempts from the field, including a four-for-seven mark from three-point range. And when James was not scoring, he set up his teammates up for good looks at the hoop and assisted on five second-quarter baskets and six first-half makes.
In addition to James, the Cavaliers got 11 first-half points from shooting guard Kyle Korver, who was switched to a reserve role for Game 2 in favor of center Tristan Thompson.
The switch worked out well in multiple ways early in the game, as Thompson pulled down five first-half rebounds, three of which were on the offensive end of the floor, and converted two of his three looks at the basket.
Despite being outscored by the Celtics, 24-18, in the paint, the Cavaliers had an 8-2 advantage in second-chance scoring and 6-3 edge in fast-break points.
9:28 p.m.-LEBRON JAMES EXITS GAME 2 AFTER COLLISION WITH JAYSON TATUM
Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had a strong Game 2 performance going when one drive to the basket changed the tenure of the second quarter against the Boston Celtics in the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden in Boston.
James drove to the basket but the shoulder of Celtics forward Jayson Tatum hit him on the chin. After absorbing the hit, James struggled his way to the free-throw line.
Immediately after a stoppage in play after shooting a pair of free throws, James walked slowly to the locker room. However, after a short stint in the locker room, James returned to the bench and checked in at the next dead ball.
9:18 p.m.-CAVALIERS LEAD CELTICS BY FIVE MIDWAY THROUGH SECOND QUARTER
The Cleveland Cavaliers hold a 41-36 lead over the Boston Celtics with 5:55 to play in the first half of Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden in Boston.
The Cavaliers have converted five of their nine shots from the field, as well as both of their three-point attempts over the first six minutes of play in the second quarter.
Small forward LeBron James led the way with 23 points on nine-of-15 shooting, and four of those nine makes came from beyond the three-point arc.
In addition to James, the Cavaliers got 11 points on four-of-five shooting from shooting guard Kyle Korver. Korver knocked down both of his first-half three-point attempts.
9:04 p.m.-CAVALIERS LEAD CELTICS, 27-23, AFTER FIRST QUARTER
The Cleveland Cavaliers knew starting strong in the first quarter was a main key to rebounding from a Game 1 loss to the Boston Celtics in the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, and that is exactly what they were able to do.
The Cavaliers fought their way to a 27-23 advantage over the Celtics after the first quarter at TD Garden in Boston.
Cavaliers small forward LeBron James led the way with 21 points on eight-of-13 shooting, including a four-for-seven mark from three-point range. Additionally, James pulled down three rebounds and assisted on one of the Cavaliers’ other three baskets in the first quarter.
As a team, the Cavaliers knocked down 11 of their 24 attempts (45.8 percent) from the field and four of their 10 looks from three-point range after making just four triples in all of their 108-83 loss to the Celtics in Game 1.
Guard Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 14 points in the first quarter.
8:57 p.m.-LEBRON HAS STRONG START TO GAME 2
Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James has been known for his memorable performances after struggling in the postseason, and he is on pace for a heck of a showing in Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Boston.
With 2:05 to play in the first quarter, James already had a game-best 19 points on seven-of-nine shooting, including a four-for-six showing from three-point range, and pushed the Cavaliers out to a 25-20 advantage over the Celtics.
James scored just 15 points and missed all five of his three-point tries in a 108-83 Game 1 loss.
After missing all of their 12 first-half attempts against the Celtics in Game 1, the Cavaliers got a pair of first-quarter three-pointers from small forward LeBron James, first on a pull-up from the top of the key, and later, on a fall-away jumper from the left wing.
Later in the quarter, James got a friendly bounce off the rim at TD Garden as a three-pointer caromed high off the iron, and fell through the net for his third triple of the quarter.
Then, James corralled the ball on the left side of the floor, and with the shot clock winding down, he fired up and buried a contested fade-away three-pointer.
8:47 p.m.-CAVALIERS LEAD CELTICS, 12-10, MIDWAY THROUGH FIRST QUARTER
The Cleveland Cavaliers had a much better start to Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals than they did against the Boston Celtics in Game 1 at TD Garden in Boston on Sunday afternoon.
With 6:46 remaining in the first quarter, the Cavaliers held a 12-10 lead over the second-seeded Celtics, and they got some much-needed early-game productivity from the three-point line.
After missing all of their 12 first-half attempts against the Celtics in Game 1, the Cavaliers got a pair of first-quarter three-pointers from small forward LeBron James, first on a pull-up from the top of the key, and later, on a fall-away jumper from the left wing.
James led the Cavaliers with eight points over the first five-plus minutes of action in Game 2.
7:30 p.m.-LEBRON JAMES: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS LOOK TO ‘REDEEM OURSELVES TONIGHT’ IN GAME 2
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers were on the wrong end of a 108-83 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, but after breaking down film of the setback and going through both a practice and shootaround, they know well the opportunity in front of them tonight.
The Cavaliers have a chance to even up the best-of-seven series at 1-1 at TD Garden in Boston before returning to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday nights.
“They just frankly played better than us in Game 1, so we look to redeem ourselves tonight,” Cavaliers small forward LeBron James said.
“When we’ve gotten off to a slow start in the first quarter or the third quarter, that resulted in a lot of losses for us this year, no matter if it’s the regular season or the postseason, so we look to try to get off to a good start tonight.”
Admittedly, James did not have the kind of Game 1 performance he wanted to have.
For the first time this postseason, James was not the Cavaliers’ leading scorer in a game, as center Kevin Love totaled 17 points, pulled down eight rebounds and handed out three assists in the loss.
Against the second-seeded Celtics, who had the best defensive efficiency rating in the league heading into Game 1, James went five of 16 from the field, and missed all five of his three-pointers on the way to a 15-point showing.
Known for bounce-back performances during his career in the NBA Playoffs, James is more concerned about winning Game 2 than he is talking about historical moments of the past.
“It’s not about that,” James said. “The gear has to be up, no matter what. It’s the postseason. I don’t know. The history speaks for itself, but at the end of the day, the game is won in-between the lines, not written on the lines, so we have to go out and play.
“Listen, history is history. I’m a guy who lives in the moment. You can’t rely on what you did in previous series. You’ve got to rely on your instincts. You’ve got to rely on the coaching staff and what they put together as far as the game plan, and then, you go out and execute it. Just because you did something in one series or the previous series doesn’t (revert) back to that. You have to be ready for the next game.”
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