Cavs rest James, three other starters against C's

Share

BOSTON – The odds of the Boston Celtics winning Sunday and potentially clinching a playoff berth improved with the news that Cleveland would be sitting most of its starters.

Cavs coach and Framingham native David Blatt said LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith – all starters – would not be in the lineup today.

For weeks, the Cavaliers have talked about finding that balance between resting players without losing their rhythm.

Their focus along those lines increased after they locked up the No. 2 seed.

Boston knocked off Cleveland 99-90 Friday, in part because of Blatt’s decision to sit James and Love for the entire fourth quarter. Irving (sore hip) did not play.

There’s no way to ignore that Blatt’s decision to sit core players this late in the season benefits his team from a health standpoint.

But it also helps out the Celtics who, with a win today and a loss by Indiana to Oklahoma City, could secure a playoff berth for the Celtics.

“The Celtics are doing pretty good on their own,” Blatt said. “They don’t need (help from) a Framingham guy.”

Regardless of who suits up for the Cavaliers, ultimately Boston’s success will come down to how they perform.

“As I told the guys, we have to play better today than we did on Friday,” Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said prior to today’s game. “We have to play great over the next three games to ultimately accomplish that (getting to the playoffs). I don’t see any of the teams that are still involved, slowing down with the way they’re playing.”

Stevens added, “We have to play well, bottom line. If we play well, we have a chance. If we don’t, we’re out.”

Contact Us