With an opportunity to close out the series on their home floor, Jayson Tatum (25 points, ten rebounds, nine assists) and the Celtics delivered the final blow to the shorthanded Cavaliers, securing a 113-98 victory in Game 5. This win books Boston a return trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.
This marks Boston’s third straight Conference Finals appearance, sixth in the last eight years, and 23rd in franchise history—the second most of any franchise since the NBA realigned with conferences and multiple divisions in 1971, trailing only the Lakers (24).
The Celtics have now reached three consecutive East Finals for the first time since making five in a row from 1984-88. Al Horford, who entered Game 5 with a total of 26 points scored through the first four games, had a standout performance, finishing with 22 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, and six three-pointers. This was his highest-scoring playoff game since Game 1 of the 2022 Finals.
Horford joined LeBron James as the only player in NBA history to record 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and 5+ three-pointers in a playoff game at age 35 or older. Derrick White (18 points, five rebounds, six assists, two blocks) and Jaylen Brown (11 points, seven assists) combined 29 points to complement the big games from Tatum and Horford.
Despite missing key players due to injury, including Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Caris LeVert, the Cavaliers kept battling. They were within three points twice in the fourth quarter before Boston ultimately pulled away. Evan Mobley led all scorers with a playoff career-high 33 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
The Celtics now await the winner of the Knicks-Pacers series, with Game 6 on Friday (8:30 ET, ESPN) and a potential Game 7 on Sunday.
The post SOURCE SPORTS: Celtics Advance to Eastern Conference Finals After Defeating Cavaliers in Game 5 first appeared on The Source.
The post SOURCE SPORTS: Celtics Advance to Eastern Conference Finals After Defeating Cavaliers in Game 5 appeared first on The Source.