The Boston Celtics came up with a huge win in Game 3 against the Cavs on Sunday night, just when it looked like they were dead in the water. Jonas Jerebko was a major factor off the bench in that victory as he put up 10 points and five rebounds on perfect 4-of-4 shooting from the field overall, including 2-of-2 from downtown.
Beyond that, Jerebko brought some sorely-needed blue-collar toughness for the C’s, setting hard screens and jawing with various Cavs players. At one point late in the third quarter, he got mixed up with Kevin Love as they were battling for position and ended up tossing him to the floor. Jerebko clearly thought Love was overselling it and immediately hovered over him and let him know about it.
And he wasn’t finished. After the game, he went in on Love again for his acting job. Via Brooks Sutherland of Green Street:
“I thought he flopped,” he said. “I don’t like people flopping. I don’t flop. So I just had to tell him. He kind of laughed. He knew he flopped. He knew he did it. He’s a great player, you know, but, stand up, don’t flop. That’s my motto at least.”
Jerebko brought exactly the type of energy and effort the Celtics were sorely lacking in Games 1 and 2, and they’ll need that and so much more going forward if they want to actually make this a series. Boston has a chance to even the series when Game 4 tips off back in Cleveland on Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. ET on TNT.
