Cavs (5-21) at Celtics (12-12) - Game #27

Published Dec. 19, 2012 1:03 a.m. ET

foxsports

OPENING TIP

A home game against Toronto is supposed to be the basketball pill that cures everything. Instead, the Cavs looked about as bad as they ever have in the Kyrie Irving era, dropping a 113-99 decision to a Raptors team that had lost 11 straight on the road. The Celtics have been no great shakes lately, either. They’ve lost three in a row. That’s probably worse news for the Cavs as far as tonight is concerned.

Venue: TD Bank Garden, Boston

TV/Radio: 7 p.m. FOX Sports Ohio/WTAM

All-time series: Celtics lead, 115-69.

STARTING LINEUPS

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (5-21)
C Anderson Varejao
PF Tristan Thompson
SF Alonzo Gee
SG Dion Waiters
PG Kyrie Irving

BOSTON CELTICS (12-12)
C Kevin Garnett
PF Brandon Bass
SF Paul Pierce
SG Courtney Lee
PG Rajon Rondo

Pregame notes:

• Varejao and Daniel Gibson were both injured in the Cavs' loss Tuesday. Varejao hurt his knee in the first half but returned to finish the game. Gibson sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter. He said he's unsure if he'll play vs. the Celtics.

• Byron Scott isn't real sure if Varejao will play, either. "Even though he played (Tuesday) ... we've got a flight, we've got another game tomorrow," Scott said. "We'll see how he feels."

• This is the teams’ first meeting this season. The Celtics won the series last year, 2-1. Neither team won at home in any of the three. Both flew to Boston shortly after their games last night.

• The Cavs have a tendency to play their best against name opponents. In the past week, they beat the L.A. Lakers at home and lost to New York by one point on the road.

• Waiters (ankle) scored eight points, highlighted by a pair of monster jams, in his return game Tuesday. “Rusty,” was how Byron Scott described Waiters’ performance.

• Rondo lead all guards in field-goal percentage (51 percent) entering Tuesday night.

Twitter: @samamicofso