Rapid Recap is designed for the busiest of Celtics fans. Whether you can’t stay awake to read 10 paragraphs or your hangover is just too much, Rapid Recap tells the timeline of the game in only a minute or two.
Barely 24 hours after one of the season’s most baffling and ignominious losses, the Celtics were back in the fray, against the worst-in-the-East Cleveland Cavaliers. With three starters missing from the lineup, no less: Kemba Walker resting his knee, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward out with leg injuries.
Jayson Tatum and his 34-9-6-2-1 line led the Cs to a 112-106 victory. But with all the injuries and this being the Cavs, I can’t say it was a particularly good game for anyone but Tatum—well, except for Semi Ojeleye, who out of nowhere dropped a career-high 22 points on 73% shooting and did bring energy to a game otherwise lacking it whenever he took the floor.
Tatum dictated the tempo of the game early and kept Boston on an even keel—but in no way was this enjoyable basketball. This Wanamaker move was kinda slick, I guess:
"Mine" – @phillybul_22 https://t.co/pEty14LzYd
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 5, 2020
But, honestly, I mean…
Ante Zizic vs Enes Kanter
a battle for the ages
— Chris Wozniak (@wlohaty) March 5, 2020
COUNTERPOINT: TIMELORD BACK.
Nice pass from Tatum to Timelord. Good aggressive finish for Williams in the paint.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 5, 2020
Forgot how much I missed TimeLord doing things
— Paul Flannery (@Pflanns) March 5, 2020
The Celtics were not playing with particular discipline or defensive acumen, but held the narrowest lead 12 minutes in:
Celtics lead 28-27 after one.
Tatum – 9 points
Kanter – 6 points, 5 rebounds
Wanamaker – 4 points
Celtics – 7 offensive reboundsLove – 8 points
Nance – 6 points
Sexton – 4 points
Cavaliers – 2-7 3-point shooting— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 5, 2020
Then in the second quarter, there was the only thing as unexpected as the Spanish Inquisition: a scoring surge by Semi Ojeleye:
Semi Ojeleye is up to 15 points… 2 away from his career high already
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) March 5, 2020
Four of five on threes! But we simply can’t have nice things:
Semi looked like he might have been in more than the usual pain associated with a knee to the groin. https://t.co/h4Mzrd6QLw
— Tom Westerholm (@Tom_NBA) March 5, 2020
Let’s balance that with something positive:
AGAIN. pic.twitter.com/HenRJVVPzt
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 5, 2020
Between Tatum’s expected dominance and Semi’s wild-card sniping, the Celtics got ahead by as much as 13 points. But they should’ve been stepping on the Cavaliers’ collective neck, and weren’t.
HALFTIME RETURNS: Those who invested in Semi Ojeleye have turned a nice profit, helping the #Celtics cling to a 58-52 lead vs the #Cavs
🔥'n up: Semi Ojeleye (season-high 15 pts … and counting)
⬆️ Tatum (17 pts leads all #Celtics0 scorers)
⬆️ C. Sexton (Game-high 18 pts)— A. Sherrod Blakely (@ASherrodblakely) March 5, 2020
It turned out that the knee to the nuts poor Ojeleye took was more serious than expected, and injuries weren’t limited to the Cs:
#NEBHInjuryReport Semi Ojeleye (knee to groin) is questionable to return.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 5, 2020
The Cavaliers announced that Kevin Porter Jr. is being evaluated for a head injury and is doubtful to return to tonight's game.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 5, 2020
Had to step away from the Celtics game during 2Q, and I get back to learn 1) Semi has 15 points! 2) and 2 broken balls.
This team cannot catch a break.
— Mike Dynon ☘️🏀 (@MikeDynon) March 5, 2020
And somehow, in the meantime, the Cavaliers first caught up to the Celtics’ score, and then overtook it. Briefly. But, c’mon, even without three starters the Celtics should’ve been comfortably ahead of a Cavs team that, on its best days, looks like a hectic run-and-gun mess and is led by one of the most uniquely miserable humans in the NBA (Kevin “I Can Afford It” Love).
Ok C’s, cut it out. https://t.co/ic44cGpuvB
— CelticsBlog (@celticsblog) March 5, 2020
Yet it remained close through most of the third quarter.
WILLIAMS + WILLIAMS = 2 pic.twitter.com/GHnRXGVmo4
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 5, 2020
Grant actually gave the game many of its best moments:
OK Grant Williams… wow pic.twitter.com/cydWm8oCWb
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) March 5, 2020
Up 4⃣ after 3⃣ pic.twitter.com/kERrMEBlab
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 5, 2020
The final frame played out as a war of attrition with the two squads trading leads, both having given up on defense almost entirely. This is fun when two healthy, good teams do it; these Celtics and these Cavs at the moment are neither good nor healthy. Not a fun watch! (Fortunately, the Celtics’ quality issues are temporary, whereas the Cavaliers’…are not, although on the bright side, Collin Sexton and Darius Garland might actually be good.)
.@semi's doing it all tonight 🚫 pic.twitter.com/ODwCHgaIgT
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 5, 2020
Semi continued to effectively make his argument not to be cut from the roster next year, and that is ultimately what sealed the game for Boston—that and some clutch points from Smart in spite of his bad shooting night. But I don’t think anyone would call that a great game for our heroes, and I also think they’re just as glad it’s over as I am.
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