RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Cleveland Cavaliers still have an alarming propensity for squandering leads. At least they're getting much different results this season.
Andre Miller scored four points in the final 1:33 Saturday night to help the Cavaliers defeat the Boston Celtics 91-89 after blowing a 19-point lead.
"We became passive and it almost cost us again," coach Randy
Wittman said of the Cavs, who lost 19 times a year ago in games in
which they had leads of nine or more points.
Antoine Walker scored 25 points for Boston, while Chris Gatling led
Cleveland with 16 points and Miller scored 15.
Cleveland is 3-0 for the first time since going 4-0 to start the 1988-89 season.
"How many people expected us to be 3-0?" Gatling said of the Cavaliers, who went 32-50 last season and then made numerous roster changes.
Cleveland has outscored opponents by a total of eight points in the three victories.
"You're not going to see anything pretty from us," Cavs guard Bimbo Coles said. "You are going to see tough, aggressive play, though. We have to play like that every night. When we don't is
when we're in trouble."
Cleveland misplaced its hard-nosed style in the second half until the final two minutes.
Miller made one of two free throws with 1:33 left to pull Cleveland to 89-88. The second-year guard then split the Celtics defense on a driving layup with 40 seconds to play to give the Cavaliers a 90-89 lead.
A 3-point shot by Boston's Paul Pierce with 23 seconds left spun out of the basket.
"I thought it was dead in," Celtics coach Rick Pitino said.
Said Pierce, who shot 2-for-11 from the field: "That was an
example of how it went for me all night."
Cleveland's Clarence Weatherspoon got the rebound and sent the ball ahead to Miller, who was fouled by Kenny Anderson.
Miller made one of two foul shots with 9.1 seconds left.
Boston had one more chance, but Matt Harpring stole the ball.
Bryant Stith scored the final five points of a 9-0 Boston run to close the third quarter and pull the Celtics to 77-69.
Boston's pressure defense forced the Cavaliers into eight turnovers in the quarter. The Celtics continued their charge in the fourth quarter and finally tied the score at 87 when Antoine Walker hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with 2:32 to play.
Cleveland's reserves outscored the Celtics' substitutes 37-10 in the first half. Gatling hit seven of eight shots from the field for 15 points in 11 minutes to help the Cavaliers open a 52-40 halftime lead.
"My role is to come in and change the flow of the game and score if I can score," Gatling said.
Boston led 20-13 before Gatling hit a running layup followed by
a 12-foot baseline jumper to spark Cleveland on a 25-9 run.
Cleveland's largest lead was 67-48 after a driving layup by
Harpring with 6:02 left in the third quarter.
Game notes
The Celtics have lost 10 in a row in Cleveland, last
winning at Gund Arena on April 4, 1996. ... The Cavaliers are 52-38
when 7-foot-3 center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has been in their lineup and 94-215 when he has been sidelined by injuries. ... Cavs forward Robert Traylor tied a career-high with four blocked shots.
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NBA Scoreboard
Boston Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
RECAPS
LA Lakers 98
Vancouver 89
Indiana 94
Chicago 81
Toronto 103
Washington 96
Orlando 107
Atlanta 104
Cleveland 91
Boston 89
Philadelphia 84
Miami 82
Utah 112
Dallas 106
Minnesota 99
Sacramento 91
Charlotte 98
New Jersey 87
Milwaukee 97
Detroit 88
Phoenix 102
Denver 99
Portland 97
Seattle 90
San Antonio 117
Golden State 105
LA Clippers 77
Houston 74
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