Oct 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jordan Walsh (27) goes to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Peyton Watson (8)during there first half of a preseason game at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images
Oct 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jordan Walsh (27) goes to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Peyton Watson (8)during there first half of a preseason game at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images
The Eastern Conference is as stacked as ever, with as many as 10 teams expected to compete for the top six spots in the standings. As it stands, both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics are counted among that group, and we saw our first real glimpse of what they have to offer this season.
In their first official preseason meeting, the Cavaliers and Celtics faced off at Rocket Arena, though it hardly came on equal footing. Despite running it back with mostly the same roster as recent seasons, the Cavaliers played most of their starters tonight, including newcomer Peyton Watson. James Harden was the only starter out of action.
The Celtics, meanwhile, decided not to play their hand just yet. Joe Mazzulla, favoring caution, sat out most of his regular rotation, including Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Derrick White, Mitchell Robinson, Nemmias Queta, Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, and Ron Harper Jr. Of course, being heavily depleted did not stop the Celtics from somehow winning the game (124-113), marking a somewhat shaky start for the Cavaliers.
At center, Luka Garza had a standout performance with a game-high 22 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and three blocks on 6/17 shooting from the field. Off the bench, Devin Carter put up 17 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals on 5/9 shooting. For the Cavaliers, Jaylon Tyson led the way with 14 points, three rebounds, and two assists on 6/8 shooting from the field. The star of the show, Donovan Mitchell, finished with just 11 points and three assists on 4/8 shooting from the field in 16 minutes.
Ultimately, while preseason games amount to nothing in the end, they can often tell us a lot about individual teams and what problems may or may not arise during the season. For this particular showdown, there are at least three takeaways to gather, starting with the shaky showing from the second unit.
1. Cavaliers’ Bench Needs Serious Help
The modern-day Cavaliers have always been rather top-heavy, spending more on their starting five than most teams would dare. They spent even more to add Peyton Watson to the mix, but it cost them what little depth they had with the losses of Dennis Schroder, Max Strus, and Dean Wade. They also lost Larry Nance Jr. and Keon Ellis. As much as they tried to convince fans that Mario Hezonja could fill the void, he didn’t look like it tonight.
In 16 minutes, Hezonja scored just five points on 2/7 shooting. He was practically invisible on the floor and not nearly as aggressive as fans were hoping he’d be off the bench. The bigger problem for the Cavaliers is that there’s no obvious go-to option for them in the second unit. This game was seemingly just a showcase of that fatal flaw, as just two out of 12 Cavs reserves who played tonight reached double figures (Tristan Enaruna and Meleek Thomas).
2. Still Waiting On Evan Mobley’s Leap
Going into his sixth NBA season, you’d think that now would be the time for Evan Mobley to ascend into full superstardom. At 25, he has certainly made a name for himself in the NBA, but he hasn’t quite lived up to the hype as a former third overall pick. In a game like this, it would be easy for Mobley to come out and make a statement, or at least show some signs of growth that you’d expect for someone with his amazing talent. He wouldn’t have to go super hard, but his game would show enough in 16 minutes to reflect some kind of development.
Instead, it looked like the same old Mobley we’ve seen for years now. With a stat line of eight points, one rebound, and one assist on 3/5 shooting, he delivered to his usual standards without anything new. It wasn’t a bad showing from Mobley, especially in a preseason game where he won’t put his body at risk, but the Cavaliers will need more from him this season if they want to keep up with the Knicks, 76ers, and Celtics in the East.
3. Expect A Smooth Start For Peyton Watson
The Cavaliers’ big addition this summer was Peyton Watson, who will fill that wing position alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. As expected, he got the start tonight and had plenty of opportunities in the offense, giving the fans one glimmer of hope in an otherwise forgettable game. He looked like a good fit overall and was very comfortable with his new teammates. The only problem is that he struggled to knock anything down, finishing with seven points, four rebounds, four assists, and two blocks on 2/5 shooting from the field (1/4 shooting from three).
Fortunately, Watson made himself useful in other ways by staying active on the glass and playing consistent defense on the wing. Against a Celtics team that was bullying them all night long (won the rebound battle 56-39), Peyton provided some of that toughness and physicality the Cavaliers have sorely lacked in recent years. Ultimately, Watson’s play was about the only good thing the Cavaliers had tonight, even if his box score wasn’t all that impressive.