Inside The Celtics

Will Jrue Holiday Play? Celtics Release Final Status vs Cavs

May 13, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) drives to the basket between Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) and guard Max Strus (1) in the second quarter of game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
May 13, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) drives to the basket between Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) and guard Max Strus (1) in the second quarter of game four of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

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The Boston Celtics are set to take on the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers, for the fourth and final time this season. The Celtics will look to win the season series outright 3-1. 

This game may be the season finale between the two, but in all likelihood, it will not be the last they see of each other. These two are destined for a collision in the playoffs, likely in the Eastern Conference finals. 

That is the expectation, and anything less than that will be a disappointment for either one of them.

As for their game on Friday, the Celtics will look to inch closer to the No. 1 seed. 

However, the Celtics will be without their starting veteran guard, Jrue Holiday. Holiday, who was listed as questionable before the game, has been downgraded to out due to a right finger injury. 

The Celtics guard will miss his 13th game of the season. 

The last time Holiday was on the court, it was not pretty. In Wednesday's connects against the Detroit Pistons, Holiday tallied only four points on 2-for-10 shooting from the field, six assists, two rebounds, and three turnovers in 31 minutes of action in the loss. 

In the season, Holiday has been solid, but not having a stellar season compared to last. He is averaging 10.4 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from three in 47 games and 30.1 minutes of action. 

The Celtics are home favorites in this matchup with a -2.5 spread. 

Boston will search for its 43rd win of the season and its 19th win in front of its home fans at the TD Garden. 

Cleveland visits Boston looking to continue its six-game road winning streak.

The Celtics are 31-10 against Eastern Conference opponents. Boston ranks last in the NBA, scoring 41.5 points per game in the paint.

The Cavaliers are 32-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Cleveland has a 3-3 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

Both teams have been hot over the last 10 games. The Cavaliers are 8-2, averaging 115.0 points, 45.6 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 5.7 steals, and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the field.

As for the Celtics, they are 9-1, averaging 126.3 points, 49.9 rebounds, 28.5 assists, 7.9 steals, and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the field.

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