Cavs miss eight players, stumble in Boston to snap win streak at six

Depleted Cavs end impressive win streak

The Cleveland Cavaliers ended their streak of six straight double-digit wins after stumbling against the Boston Celtics on the road. The Cavs surrendered a 111-101 loss after being unable to overcome losing eight players to the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

In a reversal of fortunes, it was the suddenly shorthanded Cavaliers who found themselves trailing for nearly the entire game. By the halftime break, the makeshift Cleveland team was already behind by 15 points and firmly in the rearview mirror.

With nearly the entire starting lineup missing, it was up to Darius Garland to steer the wayward ship in troubled waters, continuing to build his All-Star credentials with 28 points, six assists, and three steals in the loss.

While super subs Kevin Love and Cedi Osman combined for 31 points and 18 boards off the bench for the Cavs, they simply did not have enough to keep up with a similarly depleted–yet much more rounded Celtics team.

Cavs remain very afloat but will need lifebuoys

Having barely enough players to even field a team, Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff had to start a quirky combo of Darius Garland, Lauri Markkanen, Ricky Rubio, Dean Wade, and two-way player Tacko Fall.

Not having either one of their star frontcourt duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley appeared to be too much to overcome as Markkanen remained inconsistent while Rubio struggled in a starting role. Both players shot a horrid 16.7 percent from the field against the Celtics, with Garland being the only starter to finish in double-figures.

The Cavaliers’ pair of ace defenders in Isaac Okoro and Lamar Stevens were also terribly missed in a night where they couldn’t find any answers against Boston’s Jaylen Brown, who erupted for 34 points off terrific shooting splits.

Now 19-13, Cleveland remains very much alive in the hunt for a playoff spot but is treading dangerous waters in a tightly congested Eastern Conference. Having the regular rotation guys back in the roster would definitely be crucial going forward.

Fortunately, the Cavs will get a few more days to recuperate for the holidays before hosting the Toronto Raptors at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 26.