Cavs mount big 4Q comeback, snaps Celtics’ 11-game winning streak

Behind backup Dean Wade’s 20 points in the final quarter, the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from a 22-point point deficit to beat the Boston Celtics, 105-104, snapping the 11-game winning streak of the current top team in the league.

Wade made five 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Celtics by himself, and the Cavaliers won a replay review in the final second to stun Boston.

With 9 minutes left in the 4Q, the Cavs trailed by 22 points, 93-71...

And then Dean Wade TOOK OVER, scoring 20 PTS and hitting 7 triples to lead Cleveland past the 1st-place Celtics 🤯 pic.twitter.com/B4rGXtlcws

— NBA (@NBA) March 6, 2024

The Cavaliers trailed, 93-71 with nine minutes left, then reeled off a 34-11 run to close the fourth quarter capped by a Wade dunk with 19 seconds remaining.

With Boston leading 104-103 in the game's final 30 seconds, Darius Garland drove to the basket for a contested layup. He missed, but Wade was there for the putback to give the Cavs the lead and send the Cleveland crowd into a frenzy.

DEAN WADE PUTBACK FOR THE CAVS LEAD ON TNT. https://t.co/x3BkqigOpR pic.twitter.com/XfEyh9TcnK

— NBA (@NBA) March 6, 2024

In the last seconds of the game, Jayson Tatum pulled up for his specialty jumpshot and got a whistle with 0.7 seconds left. Officials ruled that Garland fouled Tatum on the shot, which would have put the 82.9% free-throw shooter on the line with a chance to win the game.

The Cavs didn't like the call, and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff used his challenge. Officials determined that there was no foul on the pivotal play. A jump ball was called but the Celtics did not have enough time to put a shot up, giving the Cavs and their fans like the Kelce brothers the impressive victory.

CAVS WIN, BABY. #LETEMKNOW pic.twitter.com/e2BAlRKqW8

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 6, 2024

Wade finished with 23 points and eight boards, followed by Jarrett Allen with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro each had 16 to lift the Cavaliers past the No. 1 team in the league. 

Tatum was the top scorer for Boston with 26 points, accompanied by 13 rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis racked up 24 and nine boards in the loss. Jaylen Brown contributed 21.

With the win, the Cavaliers improved to 40-21 to move within half a game of the second-place Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference standings. The first-place Celtics dropped to 48-13, but remain in full control of the conference, 7.5 games ahead of the Bucks.