Celtics at Cavaliers
The Boston Celtics continue to insist nothing is wrong with the team despite some lackluster results of late. The Celtics will try to avoid a fifth consecutive setback and stay in the race for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
Boston was outscored 30-5 in the final eight minutes of a 124-117 loss at Charlotte on Saturday and struggled to keep the game close in a 115-96 loss to San Antonio at home the next day. "We've just got to take a deep breath and calm down," Celtics guard Marcus Smart told reporters. "We're anxious. We want to get some wins and we want to get back on the track of winning, but we really got to take a deep breath and get back to the team that really got us the reputation that we upheld into this season. Just being dogs on the court, making nobody want to play against us. Right now, teams just feel like they can do whatever they want against us." Cleveland dropped a 127-105 decision at Milwaukee on Sunday but won four of its last five home games, with each of those games played against a team battling for playoff position. The Cavaliers hit the road for five straight after Tuesday's matchup before finishing the regular season with a pair of home games.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Boston, FS Ohio (Cleveland)
ABOUT THE CELTICS (43-31): The recent slide pushed Boston two games behind the Indiana Pacers in the race for the No. 4 spot in the East and 4 1/2 behind the third-place Philadelphia 76ers entering play on Monday. All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving won a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and is trying to find a way to pass that experience on to his teammates. "I'm used to gearing up for something bigger than myself around this time," Irving told reporters, "and what it takes, and I have to do a better job of communicating that to my teammates and being a better listener and kind of figuring out how to best communicate with those guys that point. ... This challenge is happening for a reason, and I've got to believe that."
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (19-55): Cleveland is still trying to win games and former All-Star power forward Kevin Love is doing his part to help. The UCLA product recorded 20 points and 19 rebounds on Sunday and owns seven double-doubles in 15 games since returning from a foot injury that cost him over three months. Rookie point guard Collin Sexton is enjoying a strong finish to the season as well and scored 18 points on Sunday, snapping a season-best streak of eight consecutive games scoring 20 or more points.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Celtics C Al Horford (knee), PF Jayson Tatum (back) and C Robert Williams (back) all sat out Sunday and are day-to-day.
2. Cavaliers PG Brandon Knight totaled nine points on 4-of-16 shooting in the last two games.
3. Boston took the first three meetings by an average of 20 points.