The Cleveland Cavaliers are hosting the Boston Celtics after having the last four days off! I'll be live updating this page throughout the night.

The Cavs will be without Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Tyrese Proctor, and Olivier Sarr (two-way). The Celtics will not have Nikola Vucevic.

STARTERS

Celtics - White, Brown, Tatum, Hauser, Queta

Cavs - Harden, Mitchell, Merrill, Wade, Mobley

FIRST QUARTER

Cavs looking for Evan Mobley early and often. Sam Merrill's got three assists off rip and is making quick decisions. Cleveland ripped off the first seven points and is up 11-3 before Boston calls for time at 8:53.

Now, the Celtics go on a 10-2 run right back to tie it up at 13 as Kenny Atkinson signals for a timeout. Jayson Tatum has five points so far. Sam Hauser with a pair of triples.

First sub of the game for the Cavs is Jaylon Tyson. Celtics go with Payton Pritchard.

Next in were Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder, and Thomas Bryant.

Tatum had a really solid first shift. Cavs threw different guys on him, from Merrill to Wade to Mobley to Tyson and Ellis. 

Unsurprisingly, because they've done it all year, the Celtics played well when Tatum went to the bench. Good, good minutes from Brown.

END 1Q: Celtics 35, Cavs 26

BOS: Tatum 12p, 2r, 1a. Brown 7p, 3r, 2a. Hauser 6p, 2r. 

CLE: Mobley 9p. Mitchell 8p, 2r. Harden 5p, 2r, 2a. 

SECOND QUARTER

First field goal for Cavs since the 2:29 mark of the first quarter was a Mitchell to Mobley connection on the baseline. Boston's been doing a great job of keeping Cleveland from getting to its spots.

Craig Porter Jr. enters the game.

Celtics are stifling the Cavs' offensively. It's as simple as Boston not allowing Cleveland's guys get to where they want to go. And now, it's turned into the wine and gold trying to shoot and shoot and shoot some more, and they're cold as ice right now. C's up 42-28.

Cleveland is playing a heck of a defensive quarter, and there's nothing to show for it because it has three points in the period over seven minutes into it.

Cavs have to touch the paint more, but these are objectively great looks. Wide open. Stick with their game. Celtics up 48-33 with 3:29 left in the first half. 

The Cavs' bench was outscored 19-2 in that first half. Cleveland is actually outscoring the Celtics in the paint 18-16, believe it or not. But uh, 9% from three and 29% from the field for 10 second-quarter points is crazy. Sunday afternoons, I'll tell ya.

HALF: Celtics 56, Cavs 36

BOS: Tatum 14p, 2r, 1a. Brown 11p, 4r, 3a. White 6p, 6r, 4a. Pritchard 7p, 2r, 2a. Scheierman 7p, 5r. Garza 5p, 1r, 1a. 

CLE: Mobley 14p, 4r, 3blk. Mitchell 12p, 3r, blk. Harden 6p, 4r, 3a.

THIRD QUARTER

Evan Mobley is setting the tone for this quarter, but the Cavs have gotten a couple of treys to fall, and Donovan Mitchell is starting to get his rhythm down. Cleveland's cut it to a 62-50 deficit as the crowd gets back into it.

Four fouls on Wade, three fouls on Merrill. That'll sting, but it allows Ellis and Tyson to come on the floor, so.

Jaylen Brown has been so dang good today. Tough shot after tough in that mid-range area on the left side of the floor. 

The non-Mobley minutes have been dreadful this afternoon. Celtics just ripped off nine straight points in 53 seconds, two threes from the left wing by Sam Hauser. Boston up 81-55, and there are boos out.

Tyson looks like he's limping a bit after that last drive.

Cavs are chasing it the whole way, but they played a solid offensive third.

END 3Q: Celtics 86, Cavs 69

BOS: Brown 20p, 8r, 6a. Hauser 15p, 4r. Tatum 14p, 2r, 2a. Scheierman 13p, 8r, stl. Pritchard 9p, 7a, 3r, stl.

CLE: Mitchell 21p, 6r, 3a, stl. Mobley 20p, 8r, 3blk. Harden 13p, 7a, 4r.

FOURTH QUARTER

Mitchell's seamlessly come back from that groin injury, that's for sure. Him and Mobley have been really solid. The problem is the team hasn't been on the same wavelength offensively today, though it's getting better. Cavs down 91-78 about two minutes into the fourth.

Cleveland got it down to eight on a JT three from the top of the key, but Pritchard got one right back after a nice stop. Cavs down 97-86 with 5:48 to go. Thinking it'll be too little too late, but Mitchell got a nice breather there, and he's got that look.

Payton Pritchard's doing it again! These are some tough, tough shots. He and Jaylen Brown have made them look easy. 

That was a three-quarters court alley oop from Harden to Mobley. Pure insanity. 

Celtics just making the shots you have to on the road in late-game situations. This is textbook championship ball.