The Cleveland Cavaliers and their 15-game win streak is shipping up to Boston, to clash with the Celtics on their World famous Parquet. The two teams played a five-game series in May of last year. While the Cavs personnel hasn’t changed much since then, they will look to prove to themselves and the nation that this is not the same team who looked outmatched during that series. The Cavaliers’ new HC has given the team the boost they needed in the early season and people might forget that the Core Four wasn’t intact during that Celtics series. Jarrett Allen did not appear in the series with broken ribs and the Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell did not play in game four or five of the series. While many Cavs have gone with the cliches of “just another game” during the hot start to the season, many players admitted that this game on National TV Tuesday night is not being downplayed as just another game.
“I think everybody’s going to be watching. I know our guys are anxious. They remember last year and we’re going well, and they’re going well. You know, Boston Garden, what’s better than that? It’s great for the league. Great for our franchise. We’re excited about it.” Said Kenny Atkinson in his post-game press conference after Sunday night’s victory. While some of the national media seemed to ignore Cleveland’s hot start to the season, it seems the Cavs will finally be in the spotlight of the NBA on Tuesday night on TNT (only their second national TV game of the season). It’s only November and while the Cavs’ 15-game streak to start has already proven that they are the biggest challengers to Boston in the East, beating them on their court will only offer more proof.
When looking at the first two seeds currently in the East, there are obviously some similarities. Both teams shoot the three ball well, the Cavs boast the best three-point shooting percentage in the NBA while the Celtics are in the top half in that stat as well as boasting the ugly stat of shooting the most threes in the NBA. The Cavs are ranked first in offensive rating while the Celtics are right on their tails at two, but the way the two teams have gotten there is very different. The Cavaliers play sound basketball and do not rely on their stars every night to win. Meanwhile, Boston tends to play a lot of hero ball and chuck up threes every chance they get. While the new-age analytical Basketball mind may say that is the new age of the league, it sure is gross to watch.
Maybe the biggest difference in the teams is their benches and the use of their rotation. While the Cavs have used a 10-man rotation in almost every game this season, Boston sticks to mostly an eight-man rotation. Kenny feels he can use any player on their roster to win and he has been proven to be correct. As the Cavs bench has made huge impacts in many of the Cavaliers’ wins in the early season, the Celtics are not nearly as deep and certainly cannot win if their stars aren’t performing, but the Cavs have proven they can. While the Cavaliers have mostly blown out teams during their win streak, the Celtics have already lost three games and they’ve barely squeaked out wins against some of the league’s worst teams. Look no further than the Celtics’ last game against the Raptors as an example. Jayson Tatum traveled (according to the NBA’s two-minute report) as time ran down before throwing up the buzzer-beater to beat the two-win Raptors. Even Shaquille O’Neal the “Inside the NBA” talking head who played for both the Celtics and the Cavs in the later stages of his career, has lamented about how ugly the NBA and the Celtics’ style of ball is “ruining the league” if the Cavs play how they’ve started the season, Shaq will be pleased with the product the Cavs put on the court.
Rooting on a 15-0 team is extremely easy to do, but the Cavs being so likable and their togetherness as a team has made it even more enjoyable. Whether it’s the big men Mobley and Allen choosing to do their post-game press conference together after Sunday night’s win, veteran players Niang and Thompson joining the broadcast to break down the games after every home win, or Donovan praising Darius’ start to the season every chance he gets, it’s extremely easy to see just how much this team likes each other. When you add the undefeated street singer (15-0…..15-0) and the frog, everyone is enjoying this streak. In comparison, the Celtics two stars of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown according to many Boston insiders are not the biggest fans of one another and are constantly fighting for the recognition of being the #1 on the team. Look at Tatum supposedly being jealous that he was not chosen as the Finals MVP last year, or Brown throwing a temper tantrum online after Team USA chose his Celtics teammate Derrick White instead of him to be the injury replacement in last summer’s Paris Olympics, it’s not hard to spot differences in these two teams with their play and temperament.
One thing to be concerned with going into the match-up for Cavs fans would be teams that seem to have given the Cavs problems are teams who play the more ugly style of the ball like the Celtics. The Bulls and Hornets both have recently shown some flaws in the Cavs’ defense, and both of the aforementioned teams play a similar, three-point shooting style to the Celtics. Another would be that the Cavs come into Tuesday with many players banged up. Garland was able to return in the game with the same clutch buckets late in the fourth he’s shown throughout the streak, after sitting out the majority of the second half with a back issue. It was a different case for both Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade, as they were both unable to return to the game with ankle injuries. Levert, Merrill, and Okoro will all be game-time decisions, while Dean Wade has been ruled out for Tuesday.
Win or Loss on Tuesday the Cavaliers know they belong with the best in the NBA and a game on TNT will help showcase it to the rest of the league and NBA fans across the country. If / when the Cavs win on Tuesday and become only the second team in NBA history to start a season 16-0, Cleveland will be sure to hear the excuses as to why the game “doesn’t count” from Boston fans. Kristaps Porziņģis has not played so far this season and won’t again on Tuesday. Considering the injuries the Cavaliers faced last playoffs, Cleveland doesn’t want to hear any of that.
The Cavaliers visit the Celtics on TNT at 7:00 Tuesday night with the great insight of Kenny, Shaq, Charles, and Earnie starting 30 minutes prior to tip. If you think the majority of the pregame coverage will cover the Cavaliers’ scorching start, you’re probably right!
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