BOSTON — Caris LeVert stepped back for another 3-pointer and watched it rattle through the hoop as he fell to the ground, and sat on the floor for a few moments. The Cavaliers guard had just been fouled, but he probably needed a moment to take a breath, too.
Seconds after, the TD Garden crowd started hitting the exits in droves,
LeVert’s four-point play was the dagger on a painful early-season lesson for the Celtics, who learned the Cavs are certainly nothing to mess with this season but also have loads of work left to reach their lofty championship aspirations. Another big lead was lost, and LeVert and co-star Donovan Mitchell showed their defense isn’t quite up to par yet. The duo each scored 41 and overcame the Celtics in the second half as they handed them an ugly 132-123 overtime loss.
