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Find out the scoop on the CAVS from award-winning sports writer Bob Finnan.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Game 32: Celtics at Cavs

BOSTON CELTICS (16-17) 86, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (13-19) 83
Quicken Loans Arena
Tuesday
Radio/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving outscored Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, 24-0. But it was Boston which prevailed. Rondo dished out a game-high 11 assists.

He looked like he had two weeks off instead of the last two games. Rondo served a two-game suspension for throwing a ball at a referee. He made 0 of 6 shots from the field and had five turnovers in 32 minutes.

The Celtics can use Rondo's on-the-ball defense in a how-to video. He just hawks opposing point guards and forces mistakes. But Irving was outstanding, especially in the second half when he had 19 points.

"He's terrific," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "His ballhandling skills and his moxie in the fourth quarter, I don't know if we've ever seen it (by) a rookie. It's pretty amazing what he's doing. And, he's a Dukie!"

Counting the Rising Stars Challenge, Irving has made his last 11 3-point attempts.

Cavs shooting guard Anthony Parker, who missed the previous 12 games, played major minutes down the stretch. He scored just one point and dished out five assists. It was a bit surprising that he played as much as he did and also took the last shot.

The Cavs' four-guard rotation returned to normalcy, with Ramon Sessions and Boobie Gibson off the bench.

It's time for one of the centers to stand up and be counted. Semih Erden remains in the starting lineup for now. Ryan Hollins had been coming off the bench. He never played on Tuesday. Samardo Samuels played 11 minutes and had just two rebounds.

It's time to hand the job to Tristan Thompson, who was called a "walking double-double" by Coach Byron Scott.


UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to New York at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. 

STARTERS
SF Omri Casspi (6-9, 225) vs. Paul Pearce (6-7, 235)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Brandon Bass (6-8, 250)
C Semih Erden (7-0, 240) vs. Kevin Garnett (6-11, 253)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Ray Allen (6-5, 205)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Rajon Rondo (6-1, 186) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G/F Christian Eyenga, C Anderson Varejao 
Celtics - G E'Twaun Moore, C Jermaine O'Neal

OFFICIALS


Jason Phillips, Nick Buchert, Leon Wood



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