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Cavaliers-Celtics Preview

Feb 25, 2010 - 6:09 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Cleveland (44-14) at Boston (36-19), 8:00 p.m. EDT

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost three straight games after acquiring Antawn Jamison, so no one was more relieved than the two-time All Star to help the NBA's best team end its longest slide in more than two years.

It's been even longer since Jamison's new club has won in Boston.

The Cavaliers look to avoid losing their 10th straight visit to TD Garden on Thursday night, but the Celtics won't have Paul Pierce as two of the Eastern Conference's elite meet for the first time since opening night.

Cleveland (44-14) had won 13 straight games when it traded for Jamison on Feb. 17, but it lost its next three games - one before the former Wizard suited up, and two more while trying to work Jamison into coach Mike Brown's rotation.

The Cavaliers got back on track Tuesday night against New Orleans - avoiding their longest slide since a six-game skid from Nov. 28-Dec. 8, 2007 - but still struggled on the defensive end. Hornets rookie Marcus Thornton scored 23 second-quarter points, yet Cleveland bounced back from a three-point halftime deficit to win 105-95.

"There's 82 games in the regular season. You'll have ups and downs," said LeBron James, who had 20 points and 13 assists. "We've had way more ups than downs. We have the best record in the Eastern Conference and one of the best records in the league. You can go two or three games where you don't win a game. That's not our worries."

Shaquille O'Neal had 20 points and Jamison added 18, but the Cavaliers' main problem since the All-Star break has been their defense. Cleveland went into the break leading the league in field-goal percentage defense (43.4) and tied for second in points allowed (94.2 per game), but it has allowed opponents to shoot 50.0 percent while averaging 106.0 points over the past four games.

"We're definitely not where we want to be (defensively) right now," Brown said. "Everybody feels it and we've got to fight through it."

The Cavaliers now go to Boston, where they haven't won since Jan. 3, 2007. The Celtics (36-19) have won five straight during the regular season against Cleveland and all four meetings at TD Garden in the 2008 East semifinals.

Boston has held Cleveland to 84.2 points per game during the streak while James has shot 35.3 percent.

The home team had won 16 consecutive contests in the series before the Celtics won 95-89 at Quicken Loans Arena on Oct. 27. James had 38 points as O'Neal played his first game as a Cavalier, while Pierce had 23 points and 11 rebounds.

Pierce, though, likely won't play Thursday due to a sore thumb. Coach Doc Rivers held Pierce out of practice Wednesday, but stopped short of ruling him out of this game.

If Pierce cannot go, Marquis Daniels would start in his place but he's questionable with the flu, meaning Tony Allen could get the nod.

Boston allows an NBA-low 93.8 points per game but won Tuesday without Pierce or its typically stingy defense. Ray Allen scored a team-high 24 points and Rondo chipped in 15 points and 16 assists in a 110-106 win over the New York Knicks.

It was the third straight game Allen, the subject of trade rumors leading up to last Thursday's deadline, has shot 9 of 14 from the floor.

"I think since all the (trade) talk and everything sort of died down, it certainly tends to be a lot more relaxed," Kevin Garnett told the NBA's official Web site. "At this point Ray Allen is letting a lot of things come to him."

Allen, however, is averaging 11.8 points on 35.1 percent shooting in his last five games against Cleveland.

Jamison, meanwhile, has averaged 18.5 points in his last two games since an 0-for-12 debut with the Cavaliers. His last game against Boston with Washington was equally forgettable - Jamison went 2 for 17 in the Wizards' 99-88 loss on Feb. 1.