Jayson Tatum was dominant in the first half of the Boston Celtics’ matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. This had teammate Derrick White give a solid endorsement.
Tatum couldn’t miss from the field in the first 24 minutes of the game. Once halftime came around with the Celtics up 74-64, he had 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. He went 11-of-17 from the field, including 4-of-8 from three.
White reacted to Tatum’s performance during his halftime interview with ESPN. Reporter Lisa Salters asked him about the star’s showing in the first two quarters, which he described in two words.
“Not bad. Not bad,” White said.
Reporter: “Derrick, how would you describe that first half of basketball from Jayson Tatum?”
Derrick White: “Not bad. Not bad.”
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 1, 2025
How Jayson Tatum, Celtics played against Cavaliers
Despite Jayston Tatum’s efforts, it was not enough as the Boston Celtics lost 123-116 to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Boston jumped out to a 25-3 lead midway through the first quarter, but Cleveland responded to close the gap. Even though the Celtics led for most of the game, the Cavaliers took over in the second half as the momentum swung their way. Donovan Mitchell was the main catalyst towards the visitors securing the huge road win, finishing with 41 points and five assists on 13-of-26 shooting.
Tatum led the way with a season-high 46 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists, and three blocks. He shot 19-of-37 from the field, including 4-of-12 from beyond the arc. Co-star Jaylen Brown followed suit with 36 points and five rebounds, while Payton Pritchard provided 16 points, five rebounds and three steals. The team was without Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis due to injury.
Boston fell to 42-18 on the season, continuing to hold the second spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They now trail Cleveland by 7.5 games for the top spot, becoming hard to reach if their opponents continue winning.
The Celtics now look to rebound in their next matchup, remaining at home. They host the Denver Nuggets on March 2 at 1 p.m. ET.
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