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When Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum have it going, it usually means good things for the Boston Celtics.
This postseason, it’s also been opening up the floor —- and the 3-point line —- for Derrick White. That’s added a new layer to a team that was already the one to beat in the East.
Brown scored 32 points, White made seven 3-pointers and added 25, and the Celtics powered past the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-95 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their second-round NBA playoff series.
Tatum finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds to help the Celtics pull away in the second half.
“It feels good. I think the most important thing is to win,” White said. “I’ve said before, it doesn’t matter if I score zero or score however many I scored today. When we win, I’m doing enough.”
The Cavaliers went 11 of 42 from 3-point range and kept pace early. But the Celtics were even more efficient from the outside, connecting on 18 of 46 from beyond the arc for the game.
It helped Boston carry a 15-point lead into the fourth quarter. The Celtics then started the final period on a 10-2 run to increase their lead to 102-79.
At one point early in the fourth, Brown shot 3 from the top of the key and turned his head before it fell through the hoop, reminiscent of Golden State sharpshooter Stephen Curry.
“I had it rolling tonight,” Brown said. “You just want to come out and make the right plays, make the right reads.
