CLEVELAND — — With each of Dean Wade’s shots which splashed the internetthe Cavaliers are closing in on the Celtics and his confidence is growing.
“The edge looked like a swimming pool,” he said.
Wade made five 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Celtics on his own, and Cleveland won a replay in the final second to stun Boston 105-104 on Tuesday night, ending the longest streak of NBA wins this season at 11 games.
With NFL star Travis Kelce cheering on the Cleveland crowd from his courtside seat, the Cavs overcame a 22-point deficit in the final period, the largest fourth-quarter comeback in franchise history.
“Honestly, when the Kelce brothers started getting the crowd going, we knew we could do it,” Cavs center Jarrett Allen said.
Cleveland came roaring back without All-Star Donovan Mitchell, who missed the game with a knee injury, as well as forward Evan Mobley, who exited with a sprained ankle in the third quarter.
Wade, who finished with a career-high 23 points, came to the rescue with his barrage of 3s in the fourth and a putback dunk with 19.1 seconds left which gave the Cavs the advantage 105-104.
The Celtics were looking for one last shot and All-Star Jayson Tatum, who led Boston with 26 points, appeared to foul Cleveland’s Darius Garland by firing in a fadeaway jumper with 0.7 seconds left.
The Cavs disputed the call and, upon review, officials said it was Tatum’s leg that caused the contact and not Garland.
“I thought it was great defense,” said Garland, who wasn’t sure the call would go in his favor. “I knew the leg kick was kind of in play. My shin still hurts a little bit, so I’m glad it was knocked down.
Tatum felt Garland made enough contact to warrant free throws.
“I thought I was fouled, but they (the referees) didn’t think I was fouled, which was difficult because we would have had the throw-in,” he said. “It’s a weird way to end the game.”
It was the latest emotional home victory for the Cavs, who beat Dallas last week. Max Strus’ 60-foot shot at the buzzer.
After the game, Wade, who grew up in Kansas and is a die-hard Chiefs fan, said Kelce made him an offer.
“He said if basketball didn’t work out for me, I could be a tight end,” Wade said. “I have good hands. It was just great. Pretty cool.”
The Cavs are counting on Wade to be more consistent, especially not at full strength.
“He’s a multi-faceted guy. He’s not just a spot-up shooter,” Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff said. “We know what he can do defensively. But he has an offensive game and tonight he succeeded.
“But belief, confidence, that’s what Dean Wade is all about.”
Allen added 21 points and 12 rebounds and Garland had 16 points and 11 assists for the Cavs, who made eight of 11 3-pointers in the fourth. Reserve Georges Niang also made two big 3s to help fuel Cleveland’s rally.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 24 points and Jaylen Brown 21 for Boston, which lost for the first time since February 1. The Celtics have won by more than 40 points three times during this stretch.
“That’s what happens when you don’t gas up and put an NBA team away,” Brown said. “Tip your cap to Dean Wade. He got hot, but we should have won that game. We haven’t really seen a team come back strong like this.
“Today was a loss of mentality. We got the game. It shouldn’t have happened.”
Mitchell, the Cavs’ leading scorer, is injured in his left knee. He will miss at least the next two games, and he could be out longer with an injury that hasn’t responded to rest.
Mitchell received a platelet-rich plasma injection Monday. It will be re-examined this weekend.
Cleveland also lost Mobley, who did not return after spraining his left ankle with 5:29 left in the third quarter.
The Celtics were coming off a 52-point victory over Golden State, the club’s third win by 50 or more this season. They still led comfortably by 16 with 7:28 to play, but the Cavs continued to chip away and Wade finally put them ahead with his fifth 3.
The Kelces were on hand as the Cavs honored them with a bobblehead representing Cleveland-born NFL stars. Jason Kelce, who retired from the Philadelphia Eagles after 13 seasons on Monday, was given a No. 62 jersey.
FOLLOWING
Celtics: Against defending champion Denver on Thursday.
Cavaliers: Visit Atlanta on Wednesday.
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