Celtics one step closer to playoffs with victory over Cavaliers
After Cleveland announced it would rest four starters against Boston, everyone knew Sunday's match would be brutal.
But no one foresaw the Celtics pummeling the Cavaliers by 39 points, Boston's biggest margin of victory on the season, in a 117-78 win.
Boston relished the opportunity for a victory with so much of Cleveland's star power missing from the court. The Celtics came within one steal of breaking the club record, recording 20 against the Cavs. Seven Celtics players posted double-digit points, led by Isaiah Thomas with 17. Evan Turner added 15 points and Avery Bradley contributed 12.
The Cavs have already clinched the No. 2 postseason spot in the Eastern Conference and were without LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, and Kevin Love, but they didn't go down without some fight. James Jones, who racked up 14 points and went a perfect 5-of-5 from the line, made a jumper from 19 feet out with .33 seconds left in the first quarter. That allowed the Cavs to finish the frame with a one-point lead - their only lead of the entire game. Tristan Thompson added 14 points and five rebounds.
Sunday wasn't a bad day for Cavs shooting guard Iman Shumpert either, as he had an opportunity to show off his skills. Shumpert put the team on his back, posting a double-double - 15 points and 10 rebounds - but only managing to sink 1-of-5 from beyond the arc.
With this victory, the Celtics can clinch a playoff spot Sunday night if the Indiana Pacers lose to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
When Celtics coach Brad Stevens was asked whether he'd tune into the Pacers game because of the playoff implications, Stevens kept his answer simple.
"I'll have it on. I watch it anyway. I like sports."