ESPN Confirm Trade: Boston Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla Has Announced The Coming Of Elite Signing….
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The Celtics have claimed a tier of their own in the Eastern Conference, holding a firm lead on the top seed with no suggestion that they will fall off over the remainder of the season. It’s been the opposite for the Cavs, who haven’t been able to recreate their successful surge since the All-Star break.
When the Cavs were able to have success during a six-week stretch without Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, they leaned on role players to step up each night against lesser competition. Now, a similar test poses itself as Donovan Mitchell will miss at least the next three games after getting a Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injection to treat a left knee bone bruise that has sidelined him for the previous two games. But this battle against injuries will take place as the Cavs face playoff contenders and potential postseason matchups without their star player.
The Cavs have the opportunity to show pride against the Celtics after suffering a disappointing defeat on their home turf on Sunday to the same team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year in the New York Knicks.
With the Celtics’ big man Kristaps Porziņģis listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game, the Cavs can showcase the interior presence that they lacked against the Knicks in another matchup that should prove promising with their two 7-footers.
But the Cavs’ performance will be not only up to their mentality on the court, but who steps up as a leader as Max Strus, who is the lead-by-example type player for the Cavs, will miss his first game of the season against the Celtics. It’s a tall task for the Cavs against one of the best teams in the NBA, but the challenge is indicative of the entire month ahead.