Quietly riding a four-game winning streak, the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers are home to take on a familiar rival: the Boston Celtics. Last time out, the Cavs steamrolled the Dallas Mavericks 144-101, with none of Cleveland's starters logging more than 20 minutes. The Celtics, meanwhile, recently stormed back from a 26-point deficit to stun the Philadelphia 76ers on the road 118-110.
This is the third of four matchups between the Cavs and the Celtics, and the final matchup will be at the end of February in Cleveland. The season series is tied at 1-1 between either team. So, either side will look to get an edge against the other in this game. Unfortunately, the Cavs and Celtics are dealing with injuries, so health will play a factor in this game.
Who is on the injury report for the Celtics against Cleveland?
The Celtics will only be without JD Davison (NBA G League assignment) and Anton Watson (NBA G League assignment). Right now, neither Davison nor Watson gets serious minutes with the Celtics. However, since both are viewed as integral pieces for the team down the line, they need on-court opportunities to develop. That's why instead of being available against the Cavs, the Boston duo will instead be with the Maine Celtics, the Celtics' NBA G League affiliate.
Otherwise, Boston will have all hands on deck when taking on the Cavs in Cleveland. The defending champions continue to find ways to win despite some hiccups lately. Much of that can be attributed to Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum putting the team on his back. So, heading into the matchup, defending Tatum will be the top priority for the Cavs.
Unfortunately, Cleveland will be without their top Tatum defender in this matchup, further complicating things.
For Cleveland, the Cavs will be without Luke Travers, Emoni Bates, and JT Thor. Cleveland's two-way players are all on assignment with the Cleveland Charge, the NBA G League affiliate of the Cavs. Like Davison and Watson, Travers, Bates, and Thor all need on-court opportunities to grow and develop, something they don't regularly get with the Cavs.
The more worrisome injuries are those that will make Dean Wade (knee) and Isaac Okoro (shoulder) unavailable for Cleveland. Not having Okoro available hurts Cleveland's defense, especially when it comes to defending Tatum. However, not having Wade makes things even worse. Wade has emerged as a critical lynchpin for the Cavs on either end of the floor.
Wade has showcased an ability to defend multiple positions. He's also hurt opposing defenses at the rim or on the perimeter. The Cavs recently announced that Wade would be sidelined indefinitely, making it a harder pill for Cleveland to swallow.
More impressively, he's been a key player in slowing down Tatum, which is something the Cavs will miss against the Celtics. Hopefully, the Cavs will be able to handle things without Wade. Unfortunately, he's likely out until after the All-Star break. So, until he returns, Cleveland must continue digging deep to maintain their winning streak.
