BOSTON (AP) — This time, the most important thing wasn’t to maintain their perfect season, or defend a streak of 15 consecutive wins. The main goal wasn’t even to secure a better position in the NBA Cup.
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It was an opportunity for the undefeated Cavaliers to see where they stand compared to the defending NBA champions.
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"It was a great test for us, and unfortunately we didn't get the victory," said Donovan Mitchell, whose 35 points couldn't prevent Cleveland from suffering their first loss of the season on Tuesday, 120-117 against the Boston Celtics."
"It's definitely a reference point," said Mitchell, who scored 18 points in the last quarter, including 14 consecutive points for Cleveland in the final four minutes. "You want to see where you're at, but not give it too much importance. ... We're not going to be the same team now as we will be in April."
The Celtics won an unprecedented 18th championship last spring. They defeated the Cavaliers in five games in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and entered the season as favorites to defend the title, or at least return to the NBA Finals.
Cleveland, which won a playoff series last year for the first time since LeBron James left the team for the second time in 2018, was not seen as a contender.
But it was the Cavs who rose to the top of the standings this fall, with a franchise-record 15-game winning streak, leaving them as the last undefeated team in the league. Coach Kenny Atkinson became the first NBA coach to win his first 15 games with a new team.
"You want to be part of history in that sense. But it's a thing of the past. It's over. And, you know, it was a good run," said Mitchell. "It was fun. When you play basketball, good basketball, and obviously win games, whether they are blowouts, close games, or comeback victories, you enjoy these moments."
Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and added 12 rebounds for the Celtics. He made six of Boston's 22 three-pointers, and added seven assists as the Celtics secured their third consecutive victory.
Mitchell scored 35 points, and Evan Mobley finished with 22, in addition to grabbing 11 rebounds, for the Cavaliers, the fourth team in NBA history to start the season with 15 straight wins. The 15-game winning streak was the longest in Cavaliers franchise history.
The Celtics hit 14 out of 22 from the three-point range in the first half. They were up by five points with 5:05 remaining when they made four consecutive three-pointers, and six in total towards the end, extending their lead to 65-48 at halftime.
The Cavs host New Orleans on Wednesday and the Celtics visit the Washington Wizards on Friday.