Dealing with a two-game losing streak, Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers hope to right the ship at home when they host Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics. Last time out, the Cavs lost to the Atlanta Hawks 117-101. The Celtics, meanwhile, are on a seven-game winning streak, last beating the Chicago Bulls on the road 138-129.
This will be the second of four meetings between Cleveland and Boston this year. The first time both sides met was in Boston, with the Celtics winning 120-117 despite a spirited second-half effort from the Cavs. Because of the loss, Cleveland will seek revenge against Boston while the Cavs defend home court. Here’s what will make the difference so Cleveland can maintain control of the game from wire to wire and get their first win against Boston this season.
The Cavs must re-find their defensive foothold
Cleveland has been struggling on defense lately. The Cavs currently have the 12th-ranked defense with a 112.0 defensive rating. That ranking is trending in the wrong direction, as they’ve been 20th overall in defense since the beginning of November.
Cleveland’s defensive issues were displayed in its back-to-back losses to the Atlanta Hawks. Due to Atlanta’s steady mix of wing depth, the Hawks exploited how the Cavs frequently switched on defense. In the first matchup, Atlanta connected on 20 of their 42 attempts from beyond the arc and went 25 of 48 in the paint. In their second-straight win over the Cavs, the Hawks generated clean looks at the rim, going 26-43 in the paint, and from beyond the arc, going 14-34 from three.
The way they defended Atlanta is another instance of the flaws in Cleveland’s current defensive scheme. More often than not, the Cavs are too willing to collapse the paint to protect the rim, leaving them unable to rotate back out to open shooters. This was an issue in Cleveland’s loss to Boston, another wing-heavy team. Unfortunately, with Cavs forward Dean Wade still sidelined with a nagging ankle injury, it will continue to be a struggle.
Cleveland’s key to success against Boston is re-discovering its greatest strength: its defense. While that doesn’t mean they need to ditch their constant switching, they might want to rely more on playing man-to-man or zone-based schemes. The Celtics lead the league in offensive rating, scoring 121.5 points per 100 possessions. It’s hard to slow down Boston, no matter what an opposing defense tries. However, if the Cavs leave no stone unturned, it might not feel like they’re going to have a bad time.
Could Darius Garland be the comeback kid for Cleveland?
The last time both teams squared off, the Celtics showed Darius Garland a drop coverage while defending him. Typically, that’s something that Garland thrives against, hitting opponents with Smoove moths. However, against Boston, Garland struggled to find a rhythm against the opposing drop coverage, keeping him off-kilter throughout the game.
In 31 minutes, Garland finished with eight points on 14.3% shooting (3-21), seven assists, and two turnovers. While Garland’s playmaking led to 15 points for the Cavs, how the Celtics defended him kept him ineffective scoring-wise. Garland’s shooting percentage is tied for the third worst in his career. He went 1-9 (11.1%) from the floor against the Sacramento Kings in 2021 and 0-10 (0.0%) against the Indiana Pacers in 2019.
So, although his effort against the Celtics wasn’t great, it wasn’t the worst night of Garland’s career. However, despite those dreadful numbers, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson was encouraged by Garland’s aggressiveness, telling the media that it was admirable that Garland went down swinging against the Celtics.
“We texted after the game,” Atkinson said. “I said, ‘I was proud of you for keep being aggressive.’ He texted me back and said, ‘Yeah, last year I probably wouldn’t have done that. I would’ve kind of been shy.’”
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Hopefully, Garland won’t fall for easy bait against Boston’s drop scheme and find much more efficient shooting numbers – especially if Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, both game-time decisions for the Celtics, are unavailable.
How will the Cavs respond to adversity?
Although it’s early into the season, losing remains a foreign concept for Cleveland. The Cavs started the season 17-1, something only a handful of teams have done, but are currently on a two-game slide after frustrating losses to the Atlanta Hawks.
This game presents a high-stakes opportunity for the Cavs to prove they can adjust and respond to the adversity they’re currently facing. Sure, not having Dean Wade, their top wing defender, for the sixth straight game due to an ankle injury only adds to the challenge. It also doesn’t help that Boston’s relentless ball movement with an emphasis on perimeter shooting is something the Cavs have struggled, at times, to defend.
Regardless, a win would showcase the Cavs’ ability to adapt, learn from adversity, and reestablish their standing as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. It won’t be easy for Cleveland. But with how talented this Cavs team is, they have to play like they have nothing to lose against the Celtics.
