2026-10-08 · 6:00 PM CT · Preseason
Boston Celtics56-26
Cleveland Cavaliers52-30ESPN standings data retrieved October 6, 2026. NBA comparisons use the completed 2025–26 regular season. Each upcoming fixture labels preseason or regular-season status.
Boston Celtics2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 114.9 | 19 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 46.4 | 3 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 24.6 | 27 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 11.5 | 1 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 7.1 | 28 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 5.0 | 11 / 30 |
| FG% | 46.7% | 16 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 36.7% | 8 / 30 |
| FT% | 80.7% | 7 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 55.3% | 11 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 10.5% | 1 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.207 | 30 / 30 |
Cleveland Cavaliers2025–26 regular season
| Measure | Season average | League rank |
|---|---|---|
| STANDARD STATS | ||
| Points / game | 119.5 | 4 / 30 |
| Rebounds / game | 44.4 | 11 / 30 |
| Assists / game | 28.3 | 8 / 30 |
| Turnovers / game | 13.3 | 9 / 30 |
| Steals / game | 8.5 | 16 / 30 |
| Blocks / game | 5.0 | 13 / 30 |
| FG% | 48.2% | 8 / 30 |
| 3PT% | 36.0% | 13 / 30 |
| FT% | 77.6% | 19 / 30 |
| THE LAB MEASURES | ||
| eFG% | 56.1% | 5 / 30 |
| Turnover rate | 11.7% | 11 / 30 |
| Offensive rebound rate | — | — |
| Free-throw pressure | 0.265 | 15 / 30 |
ESPN team totals and game box scores checked October 6. NBA season averages and ranks use 2025–26; preseason game results are shown separately. Ranks are within the league, with ties sharing a rank; a lower turnover rate is better. Season offensive rebound rate needs opponent defensive-rebound totals, which this feed does not supply. A dash means unavailable. This game’s offensive rebound rate uses the opponent’s actual rebounds.
eFG% gives a made three its extra value. Turnover rate estimates the share of plays lost before a shot. Offensive rebound rate is the share of available offensive rebounds collected. Free-throw pressure is FTA/FGA. The calculations are (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM)/FGA; TOV/(FGA + 0.44 × FTA + TOV); OREB/(OREB + opponent DREB); and FTA/FGA.
This is preseason. Use the team numbers as background and watch how the new lineups play together. No spread or Lab win probability is published for this game.
Last season 56-26 | 2nd in the East | Lost in First Round
2025-26 efficiency 120.0 offense | 111.7 defense | +8.3 net per 100 possessions
Boston finished second at 56-26 and lost to Philadelphia in the first round. A 120.0 offensive rating and plus-8.3 net rating confirmed that Joe Mazzulla still had a strong regular-season team while Jayson Tatum missed most of the schedule. The playoff failure exposed a familiar limitation when the outside shots stopped falling.
Brad Stevens traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George and draft compensation, added Mitchell Robinson and brought in Mike Conley. A full season of Tatum is the largest potential improvement. Robinson supplies offensive rebounds, interior defense and a finishing target. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard give the offense continuity around a substantially altered wing rotation.
The front office repaired some interior depth without fully changing the shot profile. Boston took only 41 percent of its attempts in the paint and again ranked last in free-throw rate. George is another comfortable jump shooter, so replacing Brown with him does not automatically produce more rim pressure. George and Robinson also introduce availability questions. Stevens has built a plausible regular-season contender, but the alternative when the threes fail still needs to become more convincing.
Projected finish is second in the East. Tatum's return, established ball security and Mazzulla's regular-season structure support another strong finish. We place New York slightly ahead because its core requires less integration. Boston can finish first without proving that its new roster has solved the playoff weakness. Those are separate tests.
Last season 52-30 | 4th in the East | Lost in Eastern Conference Finals
2025-26 efficiency 118.3 offense | 114.1 defense | +4.1 net per 100 possessions
Cleveland finished fourth at 52-30, won two seven-game series and was swept by New York in the conference finals. A 118.3 offensive rating supported regular-season success, but the postseason run contained repeated slow starts. The Cavaliers trailed by at least ten points in 12 of their 18 playoff games, an uncomfortable foundation for a team hoping to take one more step.
Koby Altman retained Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen still anchoring the frontcourt. Peyton Watson arrives to supply the athletic wing defense and spot-up shooting the roster has needed. Harden gets a full camp after joining at the previous deadline. That continuity should make the regular-season offense easier to organize.
The front office addressed the wing opening while leaving a thin margin behind the starters. Watson's larger role is a reasonable bet, but his best shooting stretch should not be treated as guaranteed production. Harden's age increases the importance of competent reserve creation. Mobley also needs enough offensive growth to help when the guards face pressure. Cleveland has improved the intended starting five without establishing equal certainty throughout the rotation.
Projected finish is third in the East. Mitchell, Harden and the returning frontcourt can win consistently, and Watson addresses a specific need. We keep the forecast just behind the teams with stronger recent efficiency or more settled chemistry. A healthier first-half offense would be better evidence of progress than another series of impressive recoveries from deficits.
A matching published game video is not available in the verified archive yet.
