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Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown put on a magnificent show, 83 points between them that showcased everything they can do on the court. What should never get lost in the middle of the meltdown was the performance of the best tandem in the NBA, who scored their most points together since forming the core of this iteration of the franchise, when Tatum followed Brown as the team’s first-round draft pick in 2017. As they try to steer the club toward a record 19th NBA championship and its first back-to-back titles since 1968-69, they continue to remind the rest of the league just how difficult it will be to go through them.

The message began with Tatum, who turned in perhaps the best first half of his career, 30 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists earned on sharp 3-point shooting, smart mid-range jumpers, bruising drives to the basket, wise reads to open teammates and his usual ability to take advantage of any defensive mismatch. In finishing just one assist short of what would have been his third triple-double of the season (46 points, 16 rebounds, 9 assists), Tatum left Cavs’ coach Kenny Atkinson with his mouth agape.

“Jayson Tatum, that’s one of the most incredible shot-making games I’ve seen in the league. Just incredible,” Atkinson gushed after the game. “He’s a great, great player. The league, we all better appreciate him. And he carries himself with class and dignity. Real hats off to him.”

Jayson Tatum added 16 rebounds to his haul Friday night.Barry Chin/Globe StaffWhat Tatum started, Brown continued, complementing Tatum’s 46 with 37 points of his own. If not for a questionable second-half offensive foul, his fourth of the game, Brown might have had more. And might have helped stave off the second of Cleveland’s two big comebacks. Regardless of the outcome, what he did while still dealing with a thigh contusion that kept him out of Wednesday’s loss in Detroit is the light amid the darkness. His comments afterward speak to just how much the Celtics are focusing on the postseason.

“You get ready for later in the season when you don’t always feel your best either. You just got to come out and do what you got to do for your team,” Brown said.

The Celtics might well end up facing the Cavs for the right to go to the NBA Finals, and after splitting their regular-season series, 2-2, after the intensity and high-level play Friday, after watching Mitchell explode with 41 points of his own, it sure seems as if it would be a barn burner of an Eastern Conference finals. But there are other important undercurrents to remember that tilt the odds in Boston’s favor. The absence of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, and the on-the-ball defense and shot-blocking abilities that come with them. The reluctance by coach Joe Mazzulla to reveal too many matchup adjustments Friday knowing he might need them down the line.

And the presence of the Jays. The best duo in the NBA.

“Tremendous game by both of those guys,” Al Horford said. “This is essentially three [games] in four nights for us and JT, just so impressed with his energy, with his poise and everything that he did. And JB as well, answering the call, making tough plays, hitting tough shots. Defensively, can’t ask for more from those guys. Those guys were really putting it out there.

“Obviously we have to look at film and see how we can get better, but I mean, those guys were phenomenal, both of them. When they’re going like that, we just have to kind of rally behind them. And they almost took us home tonight with the win.”

And the best part about them? They would have traded any of those 83 points for that win.

“I think we both came out very intentional, under control for the most part, got some easy looks, tough shots, attacking mismatches,” Tatum said. “We played well. But if you ask both of us we’d much rather have won the game. You can’t win them all. But regardless of a stat line, win or a loss, you can always watch film and see areas you can improve on, especially when you lose.

“There are things that we both could have done to help put the team in a better position. You learn from it, and get ready for Sunday [against Denver]. It should be another fun one.”