The Cleveland Cavaliers had a rough day against the Boston Celtics. When you start the day down 20 heading into the second half, that's to be expected. The Cavaliers started the third quarter with a score of 56-36. They eventually closed the gap but would still lose 109-98. While there were positives to take away from the loss, the game as a whole was a disaster to watch. James Harden shot just 37.5% from the floor and had a box plus-minus of -12, the worst among starters. The bench wasn't much better, with Jaylon Tyson, Keon Ellis, and Thomas Bryant equally as ineffective. All of whom posted a box plus-minus of -8 or worse, and missed plenty of threes.
In fact, the whole team shot just 29% from three. If that wans't bad enough, when the Cavs were drawing fouls, they shot just 71% from the free-throw line. They blew a solid defensive outing with bad shots and poor offensive play.
The Celtics, to their credit, made most of their shots, which allowed them to finish with five guys who finished with at least 15 points. Jayson Tatum was among those five, scoring 20 points in just the second game since returning from his Achellies injury. His return definitely helped the Celtics topple the Cavs, who continue to flex their new roster against the top teams in the East.
Since the trade deadline, each game against a top East team is a brand new test. The past results almost have to be thrown out and ignored, considering the seismic changes the Cavs underwent at the NBA Trade Deadline. Landing guys like Harden, Ellis and Dennis Schroeder has effectively made this a brand new team. So due to these massive moves, they're trying to figure out what they need to still work on against these top teams in the East. Each time they throw down with a group like the Celtics, the results become all the more telling.
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So what three things did we discover this time around against the Celtics?
1. The Boston Celtics just own the Cleveland Cavaliers
It doesn't matter who's on the team; it seems the Celtics just seem to have the Cavaliers' number. Boston has gone 3-0 against the Cavs this season, despite the Cavs shaking up their roster so much. Now with Tatum back, the Celtics are just going to get harder and harder as the season continues. It may make the most sense to do what you have to do to avoid them in the playoffs.
2. James Harden has got to be better on defense
Harden's never been called a defensive dynamo, but part of the reason why so many were excited about his arrival is his size. He's larger than Darius Garland, a player many thought was too small to play solid defense. An issue Harden shouldn't have. You'd think he'd provide a minor upgrade on defense, but against the Celtics, he got picked on a lot. Which isn't a bad thing if he's hitting his shots. If he's not hitting his shots, which he wasn't against Boston on Sunday, then he's gotta be more aggressive on defense. Harden was tepid on defense at best. So tepid that he didn't even commit one foul. A sign that he was playing soft against Boston. Each player has six fouls to give, and Harden should've used some of them if he couldn't hit his shot.
3. The Cavaliers need Jarrett Allen to beat the Celtics
Cleveland has lost to the Celtics twice now when the team's center, Jarrett Allen, has missed the game. He's an incredible defender, and with the arrival of Harden, has been a bit unlocked offensively. He's a true force in the low-post, and if the Cavs are going to have any hope of beating a team like Boston four times in a row in the playoffs, they'll need a healthy Allen who can add another wrinkle to the team's offense, while playing high-end defender.
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