Jayson Tatum scored 33 points , the Celtics beat the severely short-handed Cavaliers 109-102 in Game 4 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Jaylen Brown added 27 for the Celtics, who can close out Cleveland with a win in Game 5 on Wednesday night at home.
“It took us a little while to get going, and stop ball watching and play some basketball,” Brown said.
Game 6, if necessary, would be back at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday.
The Cavs got pushed to the brink of elimination with two top players in street clothes on the bench, as Donovan Mitchell (calf) and Jarrett Allen (ribs) sat out with injuries. Their status going forward is uncertain.
“They laid it all out there,” Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of his team. “They gave us everything that they had. They competed at a high level. They played the game properly. I’m proud of the guys, the way they went out and scrapped and competed and gave ourselves a chance.”
Tatum had his second straight strong performance, adding 11 rebounds and five assists. Jrue Holiday had 16 points for Boston, which improved to 4-0 away from home in the postseason.
“There’s no better feeling than winning a playoff game on the road,” Tatum said. “Tough environment and the crowd was great. Now, it’s time to go back to Boston and play well in front of our fans and give them something to cheer for.”