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A year ago, the Boston Celtics struggled mightily with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Boston jumped out to a 13-3 record, but two of those three losses were to the Cavs. The Celtics dropped three of four games to the up-and-coming Cavs last season.
This year, the new-look Celtics are fresh of back-to-back home victories over Cleveland. Those wins have the Celtics tied for the best record in the NBA at 18-5. Next up, consecutive home games against the Orlando Magic, another team that’s given them fits the past two seasons.
The Boston Celtics Remain Undefeated at Home at 12-0
The 116-107 victory over the Cavs on Thursday, December 14, marked Boston’s 12th straight win at home this season. The Celtics are the lone NBA team with an unblemished mark at home.
Two days earlier, the Celtics rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second quarter to pull out a 120-113 victory.
The Celtics are a much more balanced team offensively this year, with the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Adding Derrick White to the starting lineup also gives the Celtics five scorers capable of leading the offensive attack.
“I think it’s always good to protect home court,” Holiday said after Thursday’s win.
Holiday said he felt like the Celtics were “locked in” during their two games with the Cavs, even though they got off to a slow start in their first meeting.
“I think we’re locked in,” he said. “I know the start of the first game isn’t what we wanted, but then we made some great plays. Obviously, we fought back. This game, we kind of controlled the game from the beginning to the end. We withstood their punches and was able to get some plays down the stretch.”
Once again, it was a balanced scoring night as all five Celtics starters had at least 14 points. Jayson Tatum led the way with 27 and was followed by Jaylen Brown (22), Porzingis (18), Holiday (15), and White (14).
Next up, the Orlando Magic
The Celtics passed one test in knocking off one team that gave them fits a year ago, and now comes another challenge.
The Magic, a young team with plenty of promise, heads to TD Garden for consecutive games on Friday, December 15, and Sunday, December 17. Like the Cavs, the Magic won three out of four against Boston in the 2022-23 season. Two of those wins came on back-to-back games in Boston last December.
The Magic are also responsible for one of Boston’s five losses this season. That came during the NBA In-Season Tournament when Orlando cruised to a 113-96 victory in Florida.
Tatum knows the Magic are a team that seems to have Boston’s number.
“They have gotten the best of us the last couple of games, last couple of matchups,” Tatum said against Thursday’s win over the Cavs. “It’s going to be a big test for us tomorrow off a back-to-back. Gotta get some rest and get ready for tomorrow.”
The Magic are two games behind the Celtics in the standings at 16-7. Led by young stars Paola Banchero and Franz Wagner, Orlando has won 11 of its last 13 games. Their win over the Celtics came during a nine-game win streak.
The Celtics are a different team this year, and they need to show it during these next two games against the Magic.
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