NBA playoffs: Celtics take 3-1 series lead over Cavs, who were missing Donovan Mitchell

Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and Jaylen Brown added 27, leading the Boston Celtics to a 109-102 victory over the undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of their second-round NBA playoff matchup. With the win, the Celtics take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and have a chance to close out play on Wednesday in Boston.

Cleveland faced a major uptick without Donovan Mitchell, who was sidelined with a calf strain. Mitchell averaged 29.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists in Cleveland's first 10 games this postseason, effectively representing a one-man offense. The question heading into Game 4 was whether others could match that production.

Cleveland was also without Jarrett Allen, who has missed seven straight games with a bruised right rib. The Celtics had Kristaps Porzingis sidelined for the fifth straight game with a calf injury, but the team is encouraged that he is capable Do some light work on the field before Game 4.

The Cavs performed an admirable group effort to compensate for the absence of their star. Darius Garland had his best game of the series, scoring 30 points and seven assists for the Cavs. Evan Mobley finished the game with 19 points and nine rebounds, Caris LeVert also scored 19 and Max Strus added 15. Strus also collected seven rebounds and seven assists, but was fouled with 1:15 to play.

Cleveland rallied and took a 65-64 lead in the third quarter. But a team that struggled to score even with Mitchell on the floor and little depth in the lineup (the bench contributed 17 points) ultimately faltered.

Jrue Holiday scored 17 points (4 for 8 from 3) while Payton Pritchard added 11 off the bench (3 for 4 3-pointers) for the Celtics.

Cavs finally hit the 3-point breakthrough

Outside shooting was a problem for Cleveland during the playoffs. But with Mitchell out and the goals having to come from other sources, those long-range shots started falling in the first quarter. Strus went 2 for 2 and Sam Merrill shot 2 for 3, while Mobley and Georges Niang scored their individual tries.

As a result, the Cavaliers scored 30 points in the quarter and stayed within seven points of Boston. But Garland continued his inconsistent postseason, going scoreless in his first season.

Strus stayed hot in the second quarter, finishing the first half 5-for-6 on 3-pointers. At the start of the series he was hitting 27% (5 for 18) on his attempts. Garland also joined the group and fired two shots from distance.

The Cavs' sharp shooting and aggressive defense helped them keep the game close, trailing 62-57 at halftime. But Boston did just enough to keep Cleveland at bay.

Mitchell suffered a strained calf towards the end of game 3said Cleveland head coach JB Bickerstaff. He may have had to sit out Monday night when he missed the morning shootaround and was listed as questionable for the game. Mitchell also battled a left knee injury during the playoffs. Without him, it's hard to imagine the Cavs being able to force a Game 6 in Cleveland on Friday.

Game 5 of the Cavaliers-Celtics series is scheduled for Wednesday in Boston. The premiere date is at 7:00 p.m. ET, broadcasting on TNT.