Celtics-Cavaliers Preview

By JEFF BARTL
Posted Feb 27 2012 6:56PM

The Boston Celtics are going through some of their toughest times since teaming Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett with Paul Pierce prior to the 2007-08 season.

With each member of the aging trio missing time this season, the team is struggling to meet expectations.

Pierce says there's still time to recover, though, and Boston will look to begin that process while avoiding a sixth straight loss Tuesday night when it visits the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Celtics (15-17) stumbled into the All-Star break with their seventh defeat in eight games Wednesday, falling 119-104 at Oklahoma City despite 23 points each from Pierce and Garnett and 21 from Allen.

The five-game skid matches their longest since the franchise brought the three players together. They also lost five straight Jan. 6-16, but haven't dropped six in a row since a seven-game skid April 4-15, 2007 - a few months before acquiring Allen and Garnett in separate trades.

Garnett added 13 rebounds Wednesday after missing the previous two games for personal reasons. The three veteran stars have each missed at least three games this season, while Rajon Rondo has sat out 10 - including a two-game suspension before the break.

"We didn't finish off this first half like we wanted to but hopefully the second half, we can treat it like the second part of the season and come back refreshed and re-energized," Pierce said.

Boston, which has finished in the Eastern Conference's top four each of the last four seasons, sits in eighth place - just 1 1/2 games ahead of the Cavaliers.

"We've got to come together as a group and understand we still have a shot at this," Pierce said. "We have tremendous depth when people are healthy. We know we can play when we're right. We know what we can do when we're right."

A loss in Cleveland would be Boston's 17th in 23 road games - including playoffs - dating back to last season, though it won 93-90 there Jan. 31, its most recent victory away from home before five straight defeats.

Cavs rookie Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 21 points in that contest, though he's coming off perhaps his worst game as a pro.

Irving scored only six points - his fewest since his NBA debut - and shot 2 of 13 in Wednesday's 89-84 loss to lowly New Orleans. Cleveland (13-18) fell to 4-4 on its longest homestand of the season, which ends Tuesday.

"It was a rough night," Irving said. "It happens. It's part of the game."

He played much better while scoring 34 points and earning MVP honors in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday.

The No. 1 overall pick has already made an impression on the Celtics, scoring a game-high 23 points and hitting a layup in the closing seconds to give the Cavs an 88-87 victory Jan. 29 in Boston. Allen scored 22 in that game, Boston's lone loss in the last four meetings.

Cleveland has been shaky defensively, ranking 23rd in the league with 97.3 points allowed per game, but Boston is averaging only 85.2 during its skid.

The Celtics also are giving up an average of 98.2 points over the last five games compared to the 86.7 they were allowing prior to their losing streak.

Pierce is shooting 41.7 percent from the field - on pace for his worst in eight seasons - but has hit 56.3 percent in his last four against the Cavs.

Allen, Garnett lead Celtics past Cavaliers 86-83

Posted Feb 29 2012 1:12AM

CLEVELAND (AP) For a team that just snapped a five-game losing streak, the Boston Celtics weren't doing much celebrating following Tuesday night's 86-83 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In fact, cranky would best describe the Celtics' mood as they packed for a trip home to play Milwaukee on Wednesday.

"It was a win, that's all it was for us," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "It was a good way to end the losing streak, but we have to be better than that. That was awful."

Ray Allen scored 22 points and Kevin Garnett added 18 as Boston, which couldn't hold a 16-point lead in the first quarter, avoided its first six-game skid since dropping seven in a row from April 4-15, 2007. The Celtics' big lead became a five-point deficit in the third quarter, making the last 12 minutes a possession-by-possession game until Boston finally made enough plays to pull it out.

"Hopefully, this was just a little All-Star hangover," Paul Pierce said. "We're making it hard on ourselves."

Kyrie Irving returned from a bruised elbow that sidelined him late in the second quarter and led Cleveland with 24 points, 19 in the second half.

Irving hit two free throws with 1:21 remaining to give Cleveland an 81-80 lead. After Allen missed a 3-pointer, Garnett tipped Irving's pass, leading to Allen's dunk with 48.6 seconds left that put Boston ahead for good.

"I got my hand on it and I got the ball to Ray for a layup," Garnett said. "Nothing special about it."

Irving said it was simply a good defensive play by the Celtics.

"I wasn't careless," Irving said. "They anticipated it and they stole the ball. Nothing big."

Irving drove down the lane and missed a layup with 27 seconds remaining. Garnett missed on Boston's next possession, but grabbed his own rebound and was fouled by Antawn Jamison with 3.9 seconds to go. Garnett made both shots and the Cavaliers called a timeout trailing 84-81.

Irving was fouled before he could get off a 3-point attempt and made both free throws with 3.5 seconds left. Allen hit two foul shots with 2.4 seconds remaining, and Anthony Parker's 3-pointer at the buzzer hit the front rim.

A moment of silence was observed before the game for the victims of Monday's shootings at Chardon High School, located approximately 30 miles from Cleveland. Three students were killed and two were wounded.

The Celtics lead the Cavaliers by 2 1/2 games for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Boston lost its final five games before the All-Star break, the last three by 15 or more points.

"We've got to fight through this," Garnett said. "This is going to be a true grind right here, physically and mentally."

It appeared the Celtics were headed to a blowout of their own as they dominated the first quarter, shooting 12 for 20 from the field. Their biggest lead was 28-12 on Garnett's bank shot with 19 seconds left in the period.

Irving left the game with 3:41 remaining before halftime after taking a charge from Pierce. Irving was taken to the locker room and returned to the bench with about two minutes to go, but didn't play the rest of the half. Cleveland trailed 43-38 at halftime.

"I just hit my elbow on the floor," Irving said. "Once I got back (to the locker room) I felt much better. There was nothing funny about it (hitting his funny bone). It was my first almost-injury in the NBA."

Irving returned to begin the second half and immediately made his presence felt. His 3-pointer broke a 53-all tie with 5:03 remaining in the quarter. Irving followed with a steal and a breakaway dunk to give Cleveland a five-point lead, its largest of the game.

Irving had six points in his last game before the All-Star break, tying his career low, and was 2 for 13 from the field. He scored 34 points and earned MVP honors in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday.

"He's terrific," Rivers said. "His handling skills and moxie in the fourth quarter, I don't know if we've ever seen it from a rookie."

Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo was held scoreless for the first time since March 16 last season against Indiana. He had 11 assists, but committed five turnovers.

"He was struggling," Rivers said. "I think he got down on himself because of his turnovers."

Cleveland finished its franchise record nine-game homestand with a 4-5 record.

Celtics center Jermaine O'Neal missed his second straight game with a sprained left wrist. He remained in Boston and will be examined by doctors Wednesday.

NOTES: Boston F Brandon Bass, who had missed the past six games with a sore left knee, and center Chris Wilcox, who didn't play in the final game before the All-Star break because of a strained right adductor, both returned. Bass scored 12 points, while Wilcox had five points and a season-high 11 rebounds. ... Parker returned after missing 12 games because of a lower back strain. He scored one point in 22 minutes. ... The Cavaliers play in New York on Wednesday night.

Notebook: Celtics 86, Cavaliers 83

Posted Wednesday February 29, 2012 12:10AM

By Brian Dulik, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Shooting guard Ray Allen made a pair of free throws with 2.4 seconds left, allowing the Boston Celtics to escape with an 86-83 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Allen scored 22 points to lead the Celtics, who also got 18 points and eight rebounds from center Kevin Garnett in snapping their five-game losing streak. Rookie point guard Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 24 points in 27 minutes for the Cavaliers, while rookie power forward Tristan Thompson had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Cleveland had a chance to force overtime at the buzzer, but shooting guard Anthony Parker's long 3-pointer was just off the mark.

QUOTABLE: "It was a win, that's all it was for us. It was a good way to end the losing streak and start off the second half of the season, but we have to be better than that. That was awful with the turnovers and the sloppy play."
-- Celtics coach Doc Rivers

THE STAT: There were eight lead changes and 11 ties in the second half -- and neither team held more than a three-point advantage over the final 12:21. Boston had taken a 28-12 lead late in the first quarter, but Cleveland used a 41-23 run to go up 53-51 midway through the third on a Thompson dunk. "We could have opened up the game if we'd have taken care of the basketball in the first half," Garnett said. "We've got to fight through this. This is gonna be a true grind right here -- physically and mentally -- the rest of the way. We have to be into it and just be ready to hoop."

TURNING POINT: The Cavaliers led 81-80 with 52 seconds left when Garnett picked off Irving's cross-court pass and fed a streaking Allen for a dunk. "I wasn't careless," Irving said. "They just anticipated it and stole the ball." On Cleveland's subsequent possession, Irving missed a driving layup, which Garnett corralled and eventually turned into two free throws that gave Boston an 84-81 advantage with 3.9 ticks remaining. "Looking back, there were a couple of other things I could have done there, including pass," Irving said. "But I've made much tougher layups than that."

QUOTABLE II: "That was a tough one to lose. I thought our guys really competed and played hard. I loved the effort, and as I told them after the game, we have to continue to play that hard if not harder."
-- Cavaliers coach Byron Scott

HOT: Irving scored 19 points in 17 second-half minutes after bruising his right elbow late in the second quarter while taking a charge from Celtics small forward Paul Pierce. The top overall pick in the NBA Draft had 13 points and was 3-for-3 on 3-pointers in the third quarter. "I thought I had to get my hand amputated when it happened," Irving joked. "There was nothing funny about hitting my funny bone on the floor." ... Thompson recorded his second straight double-double. ... Boston power forward Brandon Bass made his first five shots, all on mid-range jumpers. ... Celtics center Chris Wilcox had a game-high 11 rebounds off the bench.

NOT: Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo had the second-worst shooting performance of his six-year NBA career, going scoreless on 0-for-6 field goals with a game-high 11 assists and five turnovers. He went 0-for-7 in a zero-point performance at Dallas on March 20, 2008. ... Pierce committed six of Boston's 18 turnovers. ... Cavaliers shooting guards Parker and Daniel Gibson combined to shoot 1-for-11 from the floor, while power forward Samardo Samuels failed to score in 11 minutes off the bench. ... Cleveland small forward Omri Casspi lofted a floater that hit the side of the backboard, and later airballed a 3-pointer.

QUOTABLE III: "Kyrie is terrific, I'll tell you. His (ball) handling skills and moxie in the fourth quarter, I don't know if we've ever seen it from a rookie. It's pretty amazing what he's doing."
-- Celtics coach Doc Rivers

GOOD MOVE: With Rondo struggling mightily after dishing out six assists in the opening quarter, Rivers used backup point guard Avery Bradley for 10 minutes in the second half. The second-year pro from Texas responded with six points and two assists without making a turnover. "Avery has turned into a real good backup to Rondo," Pierce said. "He's developed a good all-around game." For his part, Rondo accepted all of the blame for Boston's sloppy ballhandling, saying, "I'm the point guard, and it starts with me."

BAD MOVE: Scott opted against committing a quick foul to send the Celtics to the line after Irving's missed layup with 27 seconds left -- despite the Cavaliers only trailing 82-81. Boston ran the shot clock down before Garnett fired up a jumper, then grabbed his own miss and was fouled with 3.9 seconds left, where he extended the lead to 84-81. "You're still down one possession, so really all you're trying to do is get a stop," Scott explained. "I think there was still a 3-4 second differential, so I wasn't thinking about (fouling) at that time."

NOTABLE: The Celtics extended their lead over the Cavaliers to 2 1/2 games in the battle for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. "I don't know all the (specifics), but I know there are a bunch of teams within a game or two of us, so we had to get a win tonight," Rondo said. ... Boston avoided its first six-game losing streak since April 2007. ... Cleveland went 4-5 during its franchise-record nine-game homestand. It equaled the third-longest such stay in NBA history. ... Cavaliers shooting guard Manny Harris made his season debut, playing six seconds. ... Irving was the MVP of the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star weekend, but finished last in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge.

UP NEXT: For the Celtics, Wednesday vs. Milwaukee, Friday vs. New Jersey, Sunday vs. New York. For the Cavaliers, Wednesday @ New York, Friday vs. Chicago, Saturday @ Washington.

• Celtics: Moore, O'Neal
• Cavaliers: Eyenga, Varejao

• Celtics: --
• Cavaliers: --

• Lead Changes: 9
• Times Tied: 11

• Arena: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
• Officials: #23 Jason Phillips, #40 Leon Wood, #54 Nick Buchert
• Attendance: 15971
• Duration: 2:16