Cavaliers Coming in 'Guns Blazing' to Take Down Celtics

The Celtics have a target on their backs from the Cleveland Cavaliers and they are not afraid.

Feb 4, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) defends Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) in the fourth quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics have had a target on their back all season long. After winning the NBA championship last year, they are at the top of the mountain.

Every other team in the league is trying to knock them off of the mountain. Despite this, they still have one of the best starting lineups in the league when they are healthy.

Boston has been the second-best team in the Eastern Conference for most of the season. They have been behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have been on a mission to take down the Celtics this year.

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The Cavaliers are not afraid of Boston, and they have proven that all year long. Their primary goal is to take down the Celtics and become the kings of the NBA.

According to The Athletic, the Cavs know they have to give Boston everything they have in order to win. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson knows what it's going to take to beat them.

“We still have to prove we can beat them, beat them at their place,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said of Friday’s Celtics game. “I think we go in there, kind of guns blazing, go for the win, whatever it takes, throw everything at them. And then after that game, we can kind of step back and say, ‘Hey, what can we do in the playoffs?’”

Beating the Celtics in Boston is not an easy thing to do, although the Cavs have been much better at home than the Celtics have been. Boston is just 18-10 at home so far this season. Meanwhile, the Cavs have lost just four games in Cleveland.

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The only teams to beat the Cavs in Cleveland are Atlanta, Houston, Indiana, and Boston. Meanwhile, the Cavs have yet to beat the Celtics in Boston this season.

Boston still believes that the only team that can beat them in the playoffs is themselves. Health is the only problem that they deem can stop them from repeating as NBA champs.

The Celtics will host the Cavs on Friday in what could be an Eastern Conference Finals preview.

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For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.