Celtics vs. Cavaliers 2015 final score: 3 things we learned in Cleveland’s 13-point win

Nothing the Cleveland Cavaliers could do in the regular season would silence the questions some had about Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love come playoff time. Irving and Love both had a long history of gaudy regular season numbers and had each been to the All-Star Game three times, but Sunday afternoon offered their first taste of postseason action.

It only took one half to put any concerns about playoff experience to rest.

Irving was dominant from the opening tip and Love turned in a quality second half as Cleveland rolled to a 113-100 victory over the Celtics in Game 1 of their first round playoff series at Quicken Loans Arena. Irving scored 20 in the first half on his way finishing with 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting in a decisive Cleveland victory.

The Cavs opened a 20-point lead in the third quarter, but the Celtics weren’t about to go away easily. Boston point guard Isaiah Thomas helped spearhead a 14-0 Celtics run to get the deficit down to six with 1:43 left in the period. Cleveland would answer with a 9-0 run to close the quarter, capped by a three-pointer at the buzzer from James Jones. The quick run allowed the Cavs to coast for the win in the fourth.

Cleveland owned the boards throughout the night, finishing with a 46-34 advantage on the glass. The Cavs were locked in from three-point range as well, making 13 of their 31 attempts from deep (41.9 percent) on the night.

The series continues Tuesday night in Cleveland. Here are three things we learned in the Cavaliers’ Game 1 win:

When Irving gets cooking, few players in the NBA are more electrifying. He was in the zone against Boston on Sunday, particularly in the first half.

The shot above was Irving’s backbreaking buzzer-beater at the end of the second quarter that deflated the Celtics going into the break. He looked unguardable when he was aggressive with the ball in his hands, showcasing the deep range and advanced ball handling ability that makes him one of the best one-on-one scorers in the league.

There’s only so much a defense can do when a player as quick as Irving finishes the night 5-of-9 from three-point range. The Cavs will always be LeBron’s team, but there’s times when it feels like a hot Irving is Cleveland’s most important factor.

Love’s final numbers (19 points, 12 rebounds, four assists) look promising enough, but he did the majority of his damage once Cleveland’s lead was already built. While Irving looked tremendous in his playoff debut, Love struggled initially in his.

Love finished the first half with six points on 2-of-11 shooting, but it’s a testament to the strength of the Cavs that a player this accomplished can have an off night and the team can still coast to victory. Cleveland might need to get Love more involved as the playoffs roll on, but for now he’s fine as a spot-up shooter and floor spacer.

For as much as Love struggled during the first half, he was solid in the second. With Boston having cut the lead by 10 points with just over three minutes remaining, Love’s three-pointer from the corner off a feed from James effectively iced the game.

Few expected Boston to make the playoffs at the onset of the season. When they traded arguably their two most accomplished players in Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green mid-season, a return to the draft lottery seemed even more likely. Instead, Brad Stevens found a way to win his last six regular season games to streak into the playoffs. Praise for the Celtics coach has been pouring in ever since.

There’s only one problem: even the best coaches can’t find a way to win when their team doesn’t have the horses. Cleveland unquestionably has the three best players on the floor in this series, and nothing Stevens draws up is going to change that.

The Celtics have a bright future and accomplished a lot in just getting this far. Unfortunately for Boston, that is likely to be as good as it gets this season.