Anything can happen in the playoffs, but in all likelihood, the Celtics and Cavaliers are two-plus months away from meeting in the Eastern Conference Finals.
First, they’ll battle one final time in the regular season Friday night at 7:30 p.m. at TD Garden.
Here are three things to look for as two of the best teams in the NBA go head-to-head.
Can the Celtics send a message?
Each of the three previous meetings has been decided by single digits, with the Celtics winning 120-117 at home in November, the Cavaliers winning 115-111 at home in December and Boston winning 112-105 on the road in early February.
That last game sent a message, but this one has a chance to have an even greater ripple effect. The Cavaliers are a confident team right now, and a blowout Celtics win could pay dividends for Boston come May.
Any type of win would help, but one of those signature Celtics massacres could instill a dose of fear into a team that’s currently riding high. The Celtics have a chance to remind the Cavaliers that while, yes, they’re legit, it’s Boston’s Eastern Conference until further notice.
Can Derrick White keep it rolling?
The Celtics are at their most dangerous when Derrick White is in attack mode and playing without thinking.
White is shooting 49.6 percent from the floor and 47.1 percent from 3-point range in February and has been one of the Celtics’ most consistent and dynamic players of late.
He’ll have his hands full with Donovan Mitchell, but it’s a challenge he’ll embrace without any questions asked.
Can they avoid losing back-to-back games?
The Celtics are 15-1 following a loss this season. The only time they’ve lost back-to-back games was in late December against Orlando and Philadelphia.
After the other 15 losses, they’ve won by 15, 4, 25, 19, 24, 25, 37, 54, 12, 1, 27, 40, 15, 22 and 27. That’s an average margin of victory of 23.1 points.
This is a team that absolutely hates losing. You’ve got to respect it. Something tells me they’ll be ready for this one. Just a hunch.
