The Boston Celtics rode stout defense to a 109-98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.
Boston held Cleveland to 41 percent shooting, and the Cavs entered halftime down 56-36 after scoring just 10 points in the second quarter. The victory created a notable distinction for the Celtics.
As pointed out by Celtics insider Taylor Snow, Boston has now held opponents to 100 points or fewer in an NBA-leading 19 games this season. The Oklahoma City Thunder are second with 18, followed by the Charlotte Hornets (17) and New York Knicks (16).
The Celtics have kept the opposition under 100 in six of their last seven wins and 11 times since Jan. 30, a span in which they’ve gone 14-3. They’ve allowed 98.0 points per game during that streak.
Boston has now yielded an NBA-low 106.9 points per game this season. Joe Mazzulla’s squad entered Sunday with the Eastern Conference’s best opposing field-goal percentage (44.0), but they’re not only grinding out low-scoring triumphs.
The Celtics also rank second in offensive rating while scoring 114.5 points per game. They’ve fallen short of 100 points just eight times, including two victories.
As they flourish on both ends of the court, the Celtics are emerging as a legitimate title contender. They’ll face two steep road tests in potential NBA Finals previews against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.
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