Celtics end Cavaliers' 15-game winning streak

MANILA, Philippines -- Down go the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers saw their 15-game win streak halted at the hands of the defending champions Boston Celtics, 120-117, Wednesday morning (Manila time) at the TD Garden in Boston.

Cleveland cut a 21-point lead to two, but the team ran out of gas down the stretch to absorb its first loss of NBA season.

Jayson Tatum spearheaded the Celtics with 33 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Al Horford provided the spark with 20 markers and seven boards, while Derrick White had 19 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Boston broke the game open in the middle quarters, turning a 34-30 lead to a 65-48 advantage at the half after a Jayson Tatum 3-pointer.

The lead hiked to 21 points, 71-50, early on in the third quarter after a triple by Jrue Holiday.

The Cavaliers, however, sprang back and unleashed a 34-15 run in the next nine minutes to nip the deficit to just two, 84-86, with 1:19 left in the third frame after a dunk by Jarrett Allen.

Cleveland then played catch-up the rest of the way but could not inch closer than two points.

A Craig Porter Jr. 3-pointer with 7:12 left cut the lead to two anew for Cleveland, 100-102, but the Celtics retaliated with a 8-2 blitz to grab a 110-102 lead with 4:23 remaining after a White trey.

The Cavaliers were able to cut a nine-point lead to three late, 115-118, with 14 ticks to go, but an Al Horford dunk iced the game, 120-115.

Donovan Mitchell paced Cleveland with 35 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Evan Mobley added 22 markers, 11 boards and six dimes.

The Celtics rose to 12-3 in the season, as they won their third straight game.