Celtics Ends Cavaliers Perfect Start to the Season

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 15-match winning run came to an end in a thrilling 120-117 defeat by champions the Boston Celtics in the NBA Cup at TD Garden lastnight.

The Cavaliers became just the fourth franchise in NBA history to go 15-0 at the start of a campaign by beating the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.

But six Celtics players, led by Jayson Tatum’s 33 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, reached double figures to inflict a first defeat on the Cavs.

Trailing by 17 points at half-time, the Cavaliers mounted a spirited comeback through Evan Mobley, who finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

It helped them to make it a two-point game midway through the final quarter but the Celtics held out.

The Los Angeles Lakers extended their own winning streak to six games with a 124-118 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Dalton Knecht, 17th pick in the 2024 draft, scored a career-high 37 points. The 23-year-old matched a rookie record by hitting nine three-pointers in the victory.

Elsewhere, the Denver Nuggets beat the Memphis Grizzlies 122-110, while the Dallas Mavericks crushed the New Orleans Pelicans 132-91.

The NBA Cup, launched in 2023 and won by the LA Lakers, counts towards regular-season standings but not the Championship, which sits outside the regular season.