BOSTON — The Celtics were never concerned about Jayson Tatum, nor should they have been.
As Al Horford said after Monday’s loss to the Knicks, “It’s a long season. There’s going to be ups and downs, and he’s the last guy I’m worried about.”
But after three lackluster performances coming out of the All-Star break — capped by his first career ejection late in Monday’s loss — the Celtics needed a response from their superstar. Tatum said that after a few weeks on the road, he was looking forward to home-cooked meals and seeing his son, Deuce. Maybe there was something to that. Tatum returned to form on Wednesday night, scoring 41 points and adding 10 rebounds and eight assists, as he gave the Celtics the separation they needed in a 117-113 victory over the Cavaliers.
The Celtics — after losing their first two meetings of the season to the Cavs in overtime — grabbed a win over a potential future playoff opponent as they stayed a half-game back of the Bucks for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Donovan Mitchell scored 44 points in the loss.
Horford scored 23 points as he matched his career high with six 3-pointers. On a night when the bench gave them a rare dud offensively, Tatum and Horford were the difference as the Celtics ran away from the Cavs in the second half before their late charge.
The Celtics only led by three at halftime after a close first half when the Celtics’ starting five ignited a strong surge to start the third quarter. That unit — the intended five of Tatum, Horford, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Robert Williams — only started their fifth game together of the season on Wednesday as they try to form much-needed cohesion down the stretch heading into the playoffs.
They opened the second half with arguably their best run of the season together — on both ends. Tatum found Horford for an open 3-pointer, Tatum made a free throw and Smart capped a 7-0 spurt with a 3-pointer, forcing a Cleveland timeout.
The Celtics’ starting group went on a 17-6 run to seize control and took a double-digit lead they never relinquished as Tatum got cooking. Tatum scored 13 of 16 Celtics’ points during one stretch of the third as the C’s took a 17-point lead after his 3-pointer and layup, then found Horford for another 3-pointer to push Boston’s lead to 20.
Tatum went 13 for 21 from the floor — including 4 for 6 from long range — and made 11 of 14 free throw attempts as he brushed off his bad shooting performances from the last three games. It helped the Celtics hold off a late rally from the Cavs, who trailed by 15 with three minutes left but came back to make it a four-point game in the final minute.
