The Boston Celtics fought off a spirited challenge from short-handed Cleveland Monday, beating the Cavaliers 109-102 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final series.

Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Jaylen Brown added 27 points for the Celtics, who will try to finish off the best-of-seven series at home on Wednesday.

The Cavaliers were dealt a heavy blow when Donovan Mitchell, who had averaged more than 35 points over the six prior games, was ruled out with a calf injury, joining starting center Jarrett Allen on the sidelines.

NBA superstar LeBron James, who led the Cavs to their only NBA title back in 2016, was sitting courtside, but with Mitchell absent the Cavs ultimately didn't have enough firepower.

The Cavs kept the pressure on, taking the lead briefly on Darius Garland's driving basket early in the third quarter -- their first lead since the first quarter.

But the Celtics quickly reasserted themselves and led by 10 going into the final period.

Cleveland, on the back of 30 points from Garland, pulled within five points three times in the final four minutes, but Brown, fed by Tatum, connected on a three-pointer with 1:09 to play that effectively sealed it.

"It's a game of runs," Tatum said after the Celtics struggled to put the depleted Cavaliers away.&nbsp;

"It's not going to be perfect every single time. They're going to make shots, but it's our job to figure it out."

The Celtics, winners of a league-best 64 regular-season games, used a 12-0 scoring run to take charge in the first quarter, Tatum scoring 16 points in the period.

Boston led by as many as 13 in the second quarter but Tatum cooled off and Cleveland, buoyed by 11 of their 15 three-pointers in the first half, battled back, twice cutting the deficit to one point before going into the break down by five.

The Celtics caught a break early in the second quarter, when Brown was called for only a common foul, rather than a flagrant, after he fell backwards into Max Strus and grabbed Strus's ankle as the Cavs player -- himself struggling to stay upright -- stepped over his head.

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Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff was more concerned at the fact that Boston went to the free-throw line 24 times compared to Cleveland's seven.

"I'll be honest with you, I was disappointed with the way the whistle blew tonight," he said.&nbsp;

"I thought our guys deserved much better, the way that they were competing, they were attacking the paint, they were getting after it.

"We're not asking for anything more, but we're asking for equal and I don't think we got an equal opportunity at it tonight from that standpoint."

The Dallas Mavericks were aiming to extend their 2-1 series lead as they hosted Western Conference top seeds Oklahoma City Thunder in the later game.

The Boston Celtics fought off a spirited challenge from short-handed Cleveland Monday, beating the Cavaliers 109-102 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final series.

The Boston Celtics fought off a spirited challenge from short-handed Cleveland Monday, beating the Cavaliers 109-102 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final series. Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Jaylen Brown added 27 points for the Celtics, who will try to finish off the best-of-seven series at home on Wednesday. The Cavaliers were dealt a heavy blow when Donovan Mitchell, who had averaged more than 35 points over the six prior games, was ruled out with a calf injury, joining starting center Jarrett Allen on the sidelines. NBA superstar LeBron James, who led the Cavs to their only NBA title back in 2016, was sitting courtside, but with Mitchell absent the Cavs ultimately didn't have enough firepower. The Cavs kept the pressure on, taking the lead briefly on Darius Garland's driving basket early in the third quarter -- their first lead since the first quarter. But the Celtics quickly reasserted themselves and led by 10 going into the final period. Cleveland, on the back of 30 points from Garland, pulled within five points three times in the final four minutes, but Brown, fed by Tatum, connected on a three-pointer with 1:09 to play that effectively sealed it. "It's a game of runs," Tatum said after the Celtics struggled to put the depleted Cavaliers away. "It's not going to be perfect every single time. They're going to make shots, but it's our job to figure it out." The Celtics, winners of a league-best 64 regular-season games, used a 12-0 scoring run to take charge in the first quarter, Tatum scoring 16 points in the period. Boston led by as many as 13 in the second quarter but Tatum cooled off and Cleveland, buoyed by 11 of their 15 three-pointers in the first half, battled back, twice cutting the deficit to one point before going into the break down by five. The Celtics caught a break early in the second quarter, when Brown was called for only a common foul, rather than a flagrant, after he fell backwards into Max Strus and grabbed Strus's ankle as the Cavs player -- himself struggling to stay upright -- stepped over his head. ALSO READ | NFL 2024: Ravens vs Chiefs to kickoff season; full schedule to be released on May 15 Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff was more concerned at the fact that Boston went to the free-throw line 24 times compared to Cleveland's seven. "I'll be honest with you, I was disappointed with the way the whistle blew tonight," he said. "I thought our guys deserved much better, the way that they were competing, they were attacking the paint, they were getting after it. "We're not asking for anything more, but we're asking for equal and I don't think we got an equal opportunity at it tonight from that standpoint." The Dallas Mavericks were aiming to extend their 2-1 series lead as they hosted Western Conference top seeds Oklahoma City Thunder in the later game.

Playoffs: Boston Celtics hold off depleted Cavaliers to take 3-1lead in NBA Eastern Conference semi-final

Damian Lillard scored 39 points to lead a record scoring performance by the Eastern Conference in a 211-186 rout of the Western Conference in Sunday's 73rd NBA All-Star Game.

Boston's Jaylen Brown added 36 points off the bench and Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton had 32 to help spark the East past the old All-Star Game one-team record of 196 set by the West in 2016.

"Once we came out in the third and we made a lot of shots, it was like what's the record," Lillard said. "We found out and we went after it."

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Milwaukee guard Lillard, who sank a pair of half-court shots, made a game-high 11 3-pointers off 23 attempts and went 14-of-26 overall to earn the game's Most Valuable Player award.

"It's an honor," the eight-time NBA All-Star said. "I've been here a few times so to be able to have this kind of accomplishment is special."

East captain Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 2021 All-Star Game MVP who had 23 points, knew his Bucks teammate Lillard was set for a big night.

"I knew he was going for it," said Antetokounmpo. "When he has that twitch in his eye, when he's locked in, you've got to pass him the ball and just get out of his way."

It was a night of spectacular slam dunks, astounding passes and amazing shotmaking by elite players from around the world in a relaxed atmosphere, delighting a sellout crowd at Indianapolis.

"Everybody played hard. We had fun," Antetokounmpo said. "The ball was moving. We made a lot of threes. We scored a lot of points. I'm happy."

Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns came off the West bench to score a game-high 50 points, 31 of them in the fourth quarter, while Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 in a losing cause.

The 397 combined points shattered the old mark by 23. The East shot 83 of 146 &nbsp;(56.8%) from the floor and made a record 42 3-pointers, six over the old mark by Team LeBron in 2019, in 97 attempts (43.3%).

Lillard hit a jaw-dropping mid-court shot with 6:54 remaining in the third quarter and the East closed the period on a 16-4 run to seize a 160-136 advantage entering the fourth.

Haliburton, who made 10 3-pointers in 14 attempts and shot 11-of-15 overall, sank a 3-pointer to lift the East to the milestone 200 points with 87 seconds to play.

A 13-0 East run brought a 70-51 lead early in the second quarter on the way to a 104-89 half-time edge.

The East took a 53-47 lead after the first quarter as Haliburton scored 15 points on five 3-pointers in a 92-second span, putting the East ahead 20-14.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, was selected to a record 20th All-Star appearance at age 39.

But he was hampered by a left ankle injury and scored only eight points in 14 minutes and did not play in the second half.

Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid of Philadelphia and New York's Julius Randle were out for the East with injuries, replaced by Atlanta's Trae Young and Toronto's Scottie Barnes.

Damian Lillard scored 39 points to lead a record scoring performance by the Eastern Conference in a 211-186 rout of the Western Conference in Sunday's 73rd NBA All-Star Game.

Damian Lillard scored 39 points to lead a record scoring performance by the Eastern Conference in a 211-186 rout of the Western Conference in Sunday's 73rd NBA All-Star Game. Boston's Jaylen Brown added 36 points off the bench and Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton had 32 to help spark the East past the old All-Star Game one-team record of 196 set by the West in 2016. "Once we came out in the third and we made a lot of shots, it was like what's the record," Lillard said. "We found out and we went after it." Also Read: Serie A: AC Milan miss opportunity to displace Juventus from second spot after shocking loss against Monza Milwaukee guard Lillard, who sank a pair of half-court shots, made a game-high 11 3-pointers off 23 attempts and went 14-of-26 overall to earn the game's Most Valuable Player award. "It's an honor," the eight-time NBA All-Star said. "I've been here a few times so to be able to have this kind of accomplishment is special." East captain Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 2021 All-Star Game MVP who had 23 points, knew his Bucks teammate Lillard was set for a big night. "I knew he was going for it," said Antetokounmpo. "When he has that twitch in his eye, when he's locked in, you've got to pass him the ball and just get out of his way." It was a night of spectacular slam dunks, astounding passes and amazing shotmaking by elite players from around the world in a relaxed atmosphere, delighting a sellout crowd at Indianapolis. "Everybody played hard. We had fun," Antetokounmpo said. "The ball was moving. We made a lot of threes. We scored a lot of points. I'm happy." Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns came off the West bench to score a game-high 50 points, 31 of them in the fourth quarter, while Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 in a losing cause. The 397 combined points shattered the old mark by 23. The East shot 83 of 146 (56.8%) from the floor and made a record 42 3-pointers, six over the old mark by Team LeBron in 2019, in 97 attempts (43.3%). Lillard hit a jaw-dropping mid-court shot with 6:54 remaining in the third quarter and the East closed the period on a 16-4 run to seize a 160-136 advantage entering the fourth. Haliburton, who made 10 3-pointers in 14 attempts and shot 11-of-15 overall, sank a 3-pointer to lift the East to the milestone 200 points with 87 seconds to play. A 13-0 East run brought a 70-51 lead early in the second quarter on the way to a 104-89 half-time edge. The East took a 53-47 lead after the first quarter as Haliburton scored 15 points on five 3-pointers in a 92-second span, putting the East ahead 20-14. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, was selected to a record 20th All-Star appearance at age 39. But he was hampered by a left ankle injury and scored only eight points in 14 minutes and did not play in the second half. Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid of Philadelphia and New York's Julius Randle were out for the East with injuries, replaced by Atlanta's Trae Young and Toronto's Scottie Barnes.

All Star Game 2024: East thrash West 211-186 in record win

NBA star and Milwaukee Bucks' ace player Giannis Antetokounmpo is not sure yet of signing a contract extension with the franchise when he becomes eligible for the same next month. The Greek Freak had signed a five-year $228 million supermax extension with the Bucks couple of seasons back and this season he'd be entering his third year of the deal.

Milwaukee, after Giannis becomes eligible for an extension on September 22, can offer him a maximum of three-year, $173 million deal. In an interview with the New York Times, the two-time MVP, however, said that the organisation still has something to prove before he signs an extension.&nbsp;

"Next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don't know," said Antetokounmpo in the interview. "I would not be the best version of myself if I don't know that everybody's on the same page, everybody's going for a championship, everybody's going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do. And if I don't feel that, I'm not signing."

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Antetokounmpo's current deal also includes a player option after 2024-25 season. The player, meanwhile, has said that 'numbers-wise it doesn't make sense' to sign an extension as of now.

"At the end of the day, I feel like all my teammates know and the organization knows that I want to win a championship," he told The NYT. "As long as we're on the same page with that and you show me and we go together to win a championship, I'm all for it. The moment I feel like, 'Oh, yeah, we're trying to rebuild' ... there will never be hard feelings with the Milwaukee Bucks."

Notably, after winning the NBA Championship in 2021, the Bucks had exited in Round 1 in last season's playoffs despite being number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Following their exit, they fired head coach Mike Budenholzer and hired former Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin as a replacement.

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NBA star and Milwaukee Bucks' ace player Giannis Antetokounmpo is not sure yet of signing a contract extension with the franchise when he becomes eligible for the same next month.

NBA star and Milwaukee Bucks' ace player Giannis Antetokounmpo is not sure yet of signing a contract extension with the franchise when he becomes eligible for the same next month. The Greek Freak had signed a five-year $228 million supermax extension with the Bucks couple of seasons back and this season he'd be entering his third year of the deal. Milwaukee, after Giannis becomes eligible for an extension on September 22, can offer him a maximum of three-year, $173 million deal. In an interview with the New York Times, the two-time MVP, however, said that the organisation still has something to prove before he signs an extension. "Next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don't know," said Antetokounmpo in the interview. "I would not be the best version of myself if I don't know that everybody's on the same page, everybody's going for a championship, everybody's going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do. And if I don't feel that, I'm not signing." Also Read: LeBron James son Bronny James suffered cardiac arrest due to congenital heart defect, confirms family Antetokounmpo's current deal also includes a player option after 2024-25 season. The player, meanwhile, has said that 'numbers-wise it doesn't make sense' to sign an extension as of now. "At the end of the day, I feel like all my teammates know and the organization knows that I want to win a championship," he told The NYT. "As long as we're on the same page with that and you show me and we go together to win a championship, I'm all for it. The moment I feel like, 'Oh, yeah, we're trying to rebuild' ... there will never be hard feelings with the Milwaukee Bucks." Notably, after winning the NBA Championship in 2021, the Bucks had exited in Round 1 in last season's playoffs despite being number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Following their exit, they fired head coach Mike Budenholzer and hired former Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin as a replacement. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo ‘not sure’ about signing extension with Milwaukee