The Boston Celtics defeated the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers and brought their record back to .500 at 16-16. The Celtics dominated for the large majority of the game and led by 10 or more points for the final 30 minutes of action.
Jaylen Brown was the star performer, scoring 34 points and 12-for-22 from the field and knocking down half of his 10 three pointers. His co-star, Jayson Tatum, had a quiet but solid night with 18 points, nine boards, and five assists.
Robert Williams played one if his best games as a Celtic, flirting with a triple-double with numbers of 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. He has proved time and time again this season that he is the key to unlocking this team’s potential.
The biggest storyline of the night was the return of Joe Johnson. The Celtics picked him up on a 10-day hardship deal to replace the players out in health protocols. Johnson was originally drafted by the Celtics in 2001 and it seems like he will end his career with them as well.
The seven time all-star received a huge ovation when he checked into the game. “Iso Joe” even gave the fans one of his signature mid-range buckets. That was his first bucket since 2018.
The Celtics’ next game will be on Christmas day against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks will likely be missing Giannis Antetokounmpo and others, meaning this could be a great chance for the C’s to pick up a huge win.