Celtics’ win streak is history after Cavaliers erase 22-point fourth quarter hole in Cleveland

Darius Garland was initially called for a foul on Tatum’s jumper, but it was overturned on review, leading to a jump ball at center court. The Celtics attempted to call a timeout after winning it, but time ran out.

Wade’s 23 points were a career high, with 20 coming in the final quarter as Cleveland put together a 34-11 run to finish it. Tatum led the Celtics with 26 and 13 rebounds.

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The Cavaliers were without All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell (knee), and big man Evan Mobley left the game after spraining his left ankle midway through the third quarter.

The Cavaliers took an early 9-6 lead following a few sloppy possessions by Boston. Then, things flipped quickly. Cleveland was held without a point for 4 minutes, 50 seconds as the Celtics seized control with a 14-0 run led by Tatum.

Tatum started the game by missing a running one-handed dunk, but that certainly did not spoil his opening half. He made his next seven shots, including five 3-pointers. Mobley is an elite defender, but he is most effective as a rim protector. When Tatum pulled him out to the 3-point line, he did not have much of a chance.

Tatum would lull him with a few crossover dribbles before stepping sideways or backward into an in-rhythm 3-pointer.

On the last play of the quarter, Tatum dribbled near the left arc, intending to take the final shot before he briefly lost possession. That did not stop him. He gathered the ball and poured in an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Celtics a 33-25 lead. He had 13 points in the quarter and 22 in the opening half.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla called backup center Luke Kornet one of the unsung contributors after Sunday’s win over the Warriors. In the second quarter on Tuesday, his impact was noticeable once again.

He wiped away a Mobley layup attempt before swatting Craig Porter Jr.’s reverse layup try a minute later. Then he disrupted an Isaac Okoro runner. Kornet did not take a shot during his nine-minute stint, but he played a key role in extending the lead anyway. The Celtics pushed ahead by as many as 15 points before taking a 55-45 lead to the break.

Cleveland pulled within four several times in the third period, but the Celtics kept pushing back before anything more damaging could happen. After a Jarrett Allen dunk with 3:58 left made it 71-67, the Cavaliers hit another drought, going three minutes without a point.

White played a key role in that. He sprinted to the right corner and blocked a Darius Garland 3-point attempt, then smothered Caris LeVert at the top of the key and sent back his offering. In between those two plays, he swirled through the lane and converted a 3-point play as he fell on his backside.

Once again, it was a positive stretch with Tatum on the bench. Boston outscored Cleveland, 18-9, while Tatum sat and took an 87-71 lead to the fourth quarter. Tatum did not convert his first shot of the second half until putting back his own miss with nine minutes left in the fourth. But it did not matter, as Boston extended its lead to 22 points anyway.

A 23-4 run, capped by back-to-back triples from Dean Wade, sliced the lead to 97-94 with 4:18 left. Boston called timeout, but it continued, a Georges Niang 3-pointer tying things at 99 and another from Wade putting Cleveland ahead with 2:34 to go.

Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.