Jaylen Brown notched 32 points to propel the Boston Celtics to a 120-95 win over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals held on Tuesday.

Derrick White, with 25 points, showcased his sharpshooting skills by making 7 of 12 shots from beyond the arc for the Celtics, who outclassed the Cavaliers in rebounding with a 55-38 margin.

Adding to the mix, Jayson Tatum contributed 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, despite struggling with his shooting accuracy. Tatum managed to convert only 7 of 19 field goal attempts, missing all 5 shots from the 3-point line.

The Celtics also saw Payton Pritchard shining bright with 16 points, while Jrue Holiday chipped in with 13 points, contributing to the team’s victory. Luke Kornet played a pivotal role by securing 10 rebounds.

For the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell led the scoring charts with an impressive tally of 33 points, along with six rebounds and five assists. Evan Mobley‘s 17 points and 13 rebounds, followed by Darius Garland‘s 14 points and Isaac Okoro‘s 11, were not enough to turn the tide in their favor.

Jarrett Allen, the starting center for the Cavaliers, remained sidelined for the fourth consecutive game due to a rib injury. Allen demonstrated excellent performance in the initial four games of Cleveland’s series against the Orlando Magic, averaging 17.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 31.7 minutes per game.

The upcoming clash, Game 2 in the seven-game series, is set to take place on Thursday in Boston, continuing the intense battle between the two formidable teams.

As anticipated, the absence of center Kristaps Porzingis, recuperating from a strained right calf, was felt by the Celtics. Despite this setback, the team managed to assert its dominance, boasting an impressive 24-4 record in games where Porzingis was missing throughout this season.

Boston led the charge early with a 40-34 advantage after the initial quarter, maintaining a steady lead with a scoreline reading 59-49 in their favor at halftime. Displaying resilience, the Celtics surged ahead by 13 points on three occasions during the second quarter.

The game witnessed a remarkable performance from White, who added 14 points in the third quarter as the Celtics extended their lead to a maximum of 16 points.

Pritchard’s last-moment 3-pointer before the third-quarter buzzer sealed the deal, ensuring a healthy 92-77 lead for Boston going into the final phase of the game. Mitchell, with 16 points in the third quarter, tried to keep the Cavaliers within striking distance.

Heading into the closing minutes of the game, the Cavaliers found themselves trailing by a significant deficit of 26 points, eventually succumbing to the Celtics’ relentless offensive and defensive prowess.