What To Expect In First Cleveland Cavaliers-Boston Celtics Matchup

Last night, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ three-game winning streak came to an end in a 104-94 defeat to the Orlando Magic.

Tonight, the Wine and Gold will play the first of two consecutive road games against the Boston Celtics.

Here are four things to expect in the first matchup this season between Cleveland and Boston.

1. LeVert Back In The Lineup

According to the NBA’s 7:30 p.m. ET Injury Report, after missing the Cavaliers’ last four games due to left knee soreness, swingman Caris LeVert is available for tonight’s contest.

Last season, the 29-year-old had one of his premier performances in Boston, scoring a season-high 41 points for Cleveland in a 132-123 overtime victory on October 28, 2022.

2. A Difficult Task At Hand

The Celtics currently own the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 16-5 record, which is the second-best overall record in the NBA.

The Cavaliers will also look to hand Boston its first home loss of the season, as it is the last remaining NBA team with an unbeaten home record at 10-0.

3. A Bonafide Boston Bunch

After falling one win short of a second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, the Celtics traded for two key players.

With the additions of Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday, Boston has five players on its roster who have been an NBA All-Star at least once in their career.

4. A Stingy Celtics Defense

The Celtics’ defense ranks top-five in the NBA in points allowed per game (108.8, third) and opponent field-goal percentage (44.3%, fourth).

It is also a very disciplined group, as its 17.8 opponent fouls drawn per game rank 28th in the NBA.