Philippines, 17 Jan 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Celtics Stop Cavs' Win Streak, 120-117


PhilBoxing.com




The Boston Celtics ended the Cleveland Cavaliers season starting winning streak at 15 games, holding out to a 120-117 victory at the TD Garden.

The loss was not entirely unexpected but the Cavaliers had all the motivations to win this game:

-Extend its winning streak to 16 which would put them next only to the record setting Golden State's 24-0;

-Beat the Celtics in their own home arena;

-Raise their record to 2-0 in the Group play for the NBA Emirates Cup while relegating Boston to 0-2 virtually putting them out of contention; and

-Put them ahead of Boston and everyone else in the trouble-laden Eastern Conference at least for the first quarter of the season

Most pointedly, the Cavs have the materials to accomplish the job. In fact, experts were spot on that Boston would have problem protecting the rim against Cleveland's big and tall frontline. Stats bore them out- the Cavs starring their bigs Jarret Allen and Eric Mobley beat the Celtics in inside scoring, 44-22.

But the Cavs never reckoned with the Celtics' heart of champion.

And did not have anybody to match Boston's three points shooting particularly that of Jason Tatum who burned them for a game high 33 points.

With Tatum leading the scoring with Jalen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, Boston bucked the Cavs' ring rattling assaults to race to a 65-48 halftime margin.

The Cavs realized that they had to match the Celts outside shooting to make the game competitive so their offense shifted more to Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.

But Garland was either in an off night or successfully hounded by Jrue Holiday producing a low 8 points for the evening.

It's the Cavs luck that the off the bench players as George Niang, Ty Jerome and Craig Porter took up the slack enabling Cleveland to make the game closer by the mid third quarter and for most of the final quarter.

Still the absence of stalwarts as Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert told on the Cavs as the Celtics had all available hands on deck, not allowing Cleveland a taste of the lead though they came to within two many times in the final quarter.

The Celtics shot more than 50 percent from the three points area negating the Cavs inside scoring.

Though seemingly outplayed by the Cavs bigs on defense, Al Horford more than adequately held his own on offense, scoring 20 points in support of Tatum. Brown contributed a silent 17 points while White banged in 19 points, Pritchard 13 and Holiday 11. Relief center Nehemias Quetta also saw some minutes and scored 4 points and 4 rebounds.

Mitchell topped for the Cavs with game high 35 points followed by Mobley with 20. Allen just 10 despite his towering presence at the slot. Garland was limited to just 8 points which was not compensated by Niang's 11 points, Jerome's 10 points and Porter's 15 points.

The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • NEW MAIN EVENT ANNOUNCED! RAUL CURIEL SCHEDULED TO FACE JORDAN PANTHEN IN MIDDLEWEIGHT SCRAP
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • SMALLS VS RAMOS TOPS STACKED UNDERCARD FOR NAVARRETE-NUNEZ BLOCKBUSTER IN GLENDALE
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Usyk Linked to Zuffa Boxing Deal as Questions Loom Over Title Defenses
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Abass Baraou: "No One Has Been Able to Withstand My Pressure!"
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Wise Owl Boxing Signs Rising Female Star Chantel “Chicanita” Navarro
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Mauricio Sulaiman: WBC wants to protect fighters' dream of becoming a world champion
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Xander Zayas: "It's Time to Make History!"
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Weights from Trenton, NJ
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Pro Boxer and Recent Grad Returns for Fight Night on the Farm — Celebrating Stanford’s Boxing Community
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Jamaine Ortiz Aims to Derail Keyshawn Davis’ Undefeated Streak at Madison Square Garden
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • “No bad blood from me”- Good friends become better rivals – Clarke is ready for Cruiserweight title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Itauma suffers injury; Magnificent 7 rescheduled to March 28
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Top Super Lightweights Bryan Flores & Starling Castillo Battle in 10-Round Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Harden surpasses Shaquille O'Neal's to become the ninth all-time leading scorer in NBA history
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • “It’s time, LFG” - Holly McMath Trilogy for WBC Title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • IBA President Kremlev encourages sporting organisations to protect women’s sport following Trump’s statement on Imane Khelif
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • REYES, STRICKLAND, BUSTAMANTE & SOUQUET SET FOR HISTORIC SHOWDOWN AT WNT LEGENDS – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • Pumicpic fights Korean in Japan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • No. 1 rated WBA Super Flyweight contender John “Scrappy” Ramirez remains patient and Looks forward to a 2026 World title shot
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • Ironman 70.3 Davao on March 22
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 12 JANUARY 2026: Dalton Smith Halts Subriel Matias in 5; Kabayel Stops Knyba in 3
    By Eric Armit, , Mon, 12 Jan 2026
  • Chess Players Association of Negros Occidental, Incorporated (CPANOI) – 2026 Opening Event
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 12 Jan 2026
  • STUNNING SMITH DESTROYS MATIAS TO BECOME WORLD CHAMPION
    , Sun, 11 Jan 2026
  • Former WBC champ Bazooka Limón hospitalized in Mexico
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 11 Jan 2026
  • Zuffa Boxing set to unveil its maiden card on January 23 in Las Vegas
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 10 Jan 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.