Emirates NBA Cup: Cavs vs. The Celtics showdown tips a decisive week

On November 20, 2024By Littum

The Cavaliers look to remain undefeated against the defending NBA champion Celtics tonight (7 p.m. ET, TNT)

Sometimes the stars align and make everyone happy. Such is the case on Tuesday night in the NBA, when the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers meet the defending champion Boston Celtics at TD Garden (7 p.m. ET, TNT).

Every box gets checked and every itch gets scratched with this one. While there are five other Emirates NBA Cup Group Play games on the schedule, including TNT’s nightcap of Oklahoma City in San Antonio (9:30 p.m. ET), a game is going to demand the eyeballs.

Game of the Week — Cavs vs. Celtics (November 19)

Even some of the sport’s most time-honoured clichés – don’t skip steps, one play at a time – were swept aside heading into this clash.

The Cavaliers (1-0 in Group C) have been asked that since their outstanding 15-0 start to the season hit a dozen. The Celtics (0-1 in Group C) have played just once since Wednesday’s game, and when they needed overtime to beat Toronto on Saturday, it looked like they might have looked ahead, too.

After all, it’s been nearly 29 years since the NBA’s reigning champions took on an opponent riding a 15-game winning streak or more. In January 1996, Chicago extended its streak to 16 by beating the Rockets in Houston.

There were only two previous incidents. In 1972, the LA Lakers ended their 33-game winning streak in Milwaukee and lost. Two years earlier, the Bucks had a 16-player interception at home by the Knicks.

When you discover which players are involved in these three – Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Willis Reed and Walt Frazier – it can’t help but elevate the status of and expectations for this match tonight at Causeway St.

“It’s great for the NBA, right?” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said Sunday. “I think everybody will be watching. I know our guys are anxious, I know they remember last year.”

Boston bounced the Cavaliers from the Eastern Conference semifinals in five games last spring, sweeping the final three.

Atkinson said, “We’re doing well, they’re doing well. Boston Garden, what’s better than that? It’s just great for the league, great for our franchise. We’re excited about it.”

For the Cavaliers, this is a chance for both payback and history — they’re currently tied for the longest unbeaten start to a season, so 16-0 would tie them for second only to Golden State’s 24-0 mark in 2015-16.

For the Celtics, it’s an opportunity to go from the hunted to the hunter. And they’re already a little sour about a 4-2 home record, after going 37-4 at TD Garden last season.

The battle is elite: Cleveland and Boston rank No. 1 and 2 in offensive rating, with the Cavs sixth defensively and the Celtics ninth. The playoff series in May was decided in the trenches, with Boston grabbing a 221-177 rebounding edge while making and making 30 more free throws.

The NBA, meanwhile, gets a compelling Cup game that keeps the focus on its second tournament of the season thanks to both clubs landing in the East C group.

What’s at stake this week in the East

Here is an overview of each group’s upcoming week.

East A

Orlando Magic (2-0)

After two games, the Magic are +37 in the point differential tiebreaker should they need it. They close group play on the road, in Brooklyn on November 29 and in New York on December 3.

New York Knicks (2-0)

One of five teams to start 2-0, giving them a leg up in the hunt for the East’s wild-card spot. No cup games this week either.

Brooklyn Nets (0-1)

Home against Charlotte on Tuesday, in Philadelphia on Friday for back-to-back bracket tests.

Charlotte Hornets (0-1)

Trailing by 25 points after their Cup opener in Orlando, they hit the court again Tuesday to face the Nets in Brooklyn.

Philadelphia 76ers (0-2)

Already riddled with issues/injuries, the Sixers will look to pick up a win Friday against the Nets and dig out of their -24 point hole.

East B

Detroit Pistons (2-0)

Look at the stamps, on their way to winning something – East Group B! – for the first time since winning the Central Division and two playoff series in 2008. They have no bowl games until Nov. 29 at Indiana.

Milwaukee Bucks (1-0)

The Bucks host the Pacers Friday in a renewal of the spiciest rivalry of the Cup’s inaugural season.

Miami Heat (1-1)

After splitting their road games, the Heat are at home for their final two group games (Milwaukee, Toronto) next week.

Indiana Pacers (0-1)

Beginning Monday in Toronto, the Pacers faced six of 11 on the road and wrapped up a three-game trip in Milwaukee on Friday.

Toronto Raptors (0-2)

The Raptors were outscored by 14 in Milwaukee and by four against Detroit. No cup games until November 29 in Miami.

East C

Atlanta Hawks (2-0)

As the Cavaliers and Celtics battle for conference supremacy, the Hawks can take control of the East C when they play in Chicago on Friday.

Cleveland Cavaliers (1-0)

Cleveland piled up 144 points on the Bulls in its group opener Friday, one of eight times this season it has won by 10 points or more.

Boston Celtics (0-1)

The defending NBA champions get two shots at a group win, against the Cavs on Tuesday and the Wizards in DC on Friday.

Washington Wizards (0-1)

The Wizards are at home against East C rival Boston on Friday, just their second home game of a 7-of-9 stretch on the road.

Chicago Bulls (0-1)

The Bulls went 0-4 in the 2023-24 postseason, so they’ll be looking for their first-ever win when Atlanta plays at the United Center on Friday.

What’s at stake this week in the West

Here is an overview of each group’s upcoming week.

West A

Houston Rockets (1-0)

You can increase your point difference by outplaying enemies or by pinning down. The Rockets, +21 after one did it last Friday, holding the Clippers to 37.8% shooting, including 10-of-40 on 3-pointers. They are at home against Portland on Friday.

Portland Trail Blazers (1-0)

The Blazers beat Minnesota in their first group game, but face Houston in the middle of three road games in four nights.

Minnesota Timberwolves (1-1)

The Wolves are done with group games on the road. They get the Rockets and Clippers at Target Center next week.

Sacramento Kings (0-1)

The leading scorer in the Cup game is De’Aaron Fox, whose 60 points vs. Minnesota came up short in the overtime loss. They travel to LA to face the Clippers on Friday.

LA Clippers (0-1)

The Kings game ends a three-game homestand for the Clippers, who will then face the Wolves on Nov. 29 at the end of a four-game road trip.

West B

Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0)

Like West A, West B is still open without a winner of two games. The Thunder denied the Suns that status Friday, winning 99-83, and will get their chance for another win Tuesday in San Antonio.

LA Lakers (1-0)

The defending Cup champions take a combined five-game winning streak and an unblemished 7-0 Cup mark into their home game Tuesday against Utah.

Phoenix Suns (1-1)

The Suns face no group stage this week, with a six-game homestand that will include their Cup games against the Lakers (Nov. 26) and Spurs (Dec. 3).

San Antonio Spurs (0-1)

San Antonio is another team in search of a Cup win, going 0-4 last year and losing by five to the Lakers on Friday.

Utah Jazz (0-1)

The Jazz’s Cup fate may be on the line in their road test against the Lakers on Tuesday. They are -8 in points and finish their group stage at OKC on December 3rd.

West C

Golden State Warriors (2-0)

The Warriors took care of their group home games last week, but still have games at New Orleans on Friday and at Denver on Dec. 3. Their +8 differential tops this group.

New Orleans Pelicans (1-0)

The Pelicans’ lone win in their current 1-7 stretch — and their only game this season with a team under 100 points — came over Denver in group play on Friday.

Dallas Mavericks (0-1)

The Mavs could possibly make or break their Cup aspirations when they face the Pelicans in Dallas on Tuesday and the Nuggets in Denver on Friday.

Memphis Grizzlies (0-1)

Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, their resounding victory over Denver on Sunday did not count for Cup credit. They face the Nuggets again two days later, again at the FedEx Forum.

Denver Nuggets (0-1)

The Nuggets won two Cup games at home last year, but are 0-3 on the road in two contests, including Friday’s loss at New Orleans.

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Steve Aschburner has been writing about the NBA since 1980. You can email him herefind his archive here and follow him on X.

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