The Boston Celtics will try to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second straight time in two days on Sunday – live on SuperSport – and seek to remain firmly in the race for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Boston (37-42), who will play at home, and the Brooklyn Nets (37-42) are currently tied in the the seventh-place of the East standings, with three regular-season remaining, making the match-up against the Cavaliers (51-28), a must-win contest for the “Greens”.
On Saturday morning Isaiah Thomas, the Celtics leading scorer, finished with 17 points off the bench, powering Boston to a 99-90 victory over the Cavaliers, which played without injured Kyrie Irving.
MVP candidate LeBron James and All-Star Kevin Love, a key pair for the Cavaliers, sat out the entire the fourth quarter, and the Celtics capitalised from their absence.
“Obviously, they didn’t play Love or LeBron in the fourth quarter, but we took a pretty good punch from them in the third,” Boston coach Brad Stevens said.
The Celtics have emerged from out of nowhere in the past two months, building a 21-12 record.
If the regular-season finished today, Cavaliers, the No 2 team in the East, would have taken on the Celtics.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers lead the regular-season series 2-1.
Should Boston upset Cleveland again, the result would boost their postseason chances, and put some pressure on both Miami and Indiana – the two 2013-14 Eastern Conference finalists last year – in the race for a playoff spot.
Miami and Indiana currently sit out of the playoff places, although they have as many chances of advancing t to the playoffs as the Celtics and Nets.
For first-year coach David Batt, the regular-season is done for the Cavaliers. It is now time to get ready ready for the post season regardless of their opponent.
“Our guys lived up to the challenge that I felt we should finish in second, but whoever we draw in the playoffs, that’s not something we’re planning for or trying to arrange,” Batt said.
It’s not clear whether Love and James return on Sunday.
