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Sometimes the stars align and they make everyone happy. That’s the case Tuesday night in the NBA, when the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers take on the defending champion Boston Celtics at TD Garden (7pm ET, TNT).

Every box is checked and every itch is scratched. Although there are five other Emirates NBA Cup Group Play matches on the schedule, including TNT’s nightcap of Oklahoma City in San Antonio (9:30 PM ET), one game will claim the eyes.

Game of the Week — Cavs vs. Celtics (November 19)

Even some of the sport’s most time-honored clichés – don’t skip steps, play by play – were cast aside heading into this clash.

The Cavaliers (1-0 in Group C) have been asked about it since their excellent 15-0 start to the season reached ten. The Celtics (0-1 in Group C) have played just once since Wednesday’s game and, needing overtime to beat Toronto on Saturday, also appeared to be looking ahead.

After all, it’s been almost 29 years since the NBA’s reigning champions faced an opponent with a winning streak of 15 games or more. In January 1996, Chicago increased its run to 16 by beating the Rockets in Houston.

There were only two previous occurrences. In 1972, the LA Lakers put their 33-game winning streak on the line in Milwaukee and lost. Two years earlier, the Bucks had a 16-gamer taken at home by the Knicks.

When you realize the players involved in these three – Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Willis Reed and Walt Frazier – you can’t help but notice the status of and expectations for this match tonight at Causeway St.

“It’s great for the NBA, right?,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said Sunday. ‘I think everyone will be watching. I know our guys are anxious, I know they remember last year.”

Boston defeated the Cavaliers in five Eastern Conference semifinal games last spring, winning the last three.

Atkinson said: “We’re doing well, they’re doing well. Boston Garden, what’s better than that? It’s just great for the league, great for our franchise. We are enthusiastic about it.”

For the Cavaliers, this is an opportunity for both payback and history. They are currently tied for the longest undefeated start to a season, so 16-0 would put them second behind Golden State’s 24-0 mark in 2015-16.

For the Celtics, it’s a chance to go from hunted to hunter. And they’re already a little grumpy about a 4-2 home record after going 37-4 at TD Garden last season.

The matchup is elite: Cleveland and Boston rank first and second in offensive rankings, with the Cavs sixth defensively and the Celtics ninth. The May playoff series was decided in the trenches, with Boston grabbing a 221-177 rebounding advantage while getting and making 30 more free throws.

The NBA, meanwhile, gets a compelling cup tie, with the focus remaining on the second season tournament, thanks to both clubs ending up in the East C group.

What’s at stake in the East this week?

Here’s an overview of each group’s upcoming week.

East A

Orlando Magic (2-0)

Two games later, the Magic are +37 in the points differential tiebreaker should they need it. They will conclude the group play on the road, in Brooklyn on November 29 and in New York on December 3.

New York Knicks (2-0)

One of five teams to start 2-0, giving it an edge in the hunt for East’s wild-card spot. No cup matches this week either.

Brooklyn Nets (0-1)

At home against Charlotte Tuesday, in Philadelphia Friday for back-to-back group tests.

Charlotte Hornets (0-1)

Trailing by 25 points after their Cup opener in Orlando, they hit the road again on Tuesday to take on the Nets in Brooklyn.

Philadelphia 76ers (0-2)

Already swamped with issues/injuries, the Sixers will look to pick up a win against the Nets on Friday and get out of their -24 point hole.

East B

Detroit Pistons (2-0)

Look at the Pistons, on their way to winning something – East Group B! – for the first time since they won the Central Division and two playoff series in 2008. They don’t have any Cup games until Nov. 29 at Indiana.

Milwaukee Bucks (1-0)

The Bucks host the Pacers on Friday in a renewal of the most spirited rivalry in the Cup’s inaugural season.

Miami Heat (1-1)

After splitting their road games, the Heat are at home next week for their final two group games (Milwaukee, Toronto).

Indiana Pacers (0-1)

Starting Monday in Toronto, the Pacers faced six of 11 on the road, wrapping up a three-game trip in Milwaukee on Friday.

Toronto Raptors (0-2)

The Raptors were defeated by 14 points in Milwaukee and by four points against Detroit. No cup games until November 29 in Miami.

East C

Atlanta Hawks (2-0)

While the Cavaliers and Celtics battle for conference supremacy, the Hawks can take control of East C when they play Chicago on Friday.

Cleveland Cavaliers (1-0)

Cleveland put up 144 points on the Bulls in their group opener Friday, one of eight times this season that it has won by 10 points or more.

Boston Celtics (0-1)

The defending NBA champions will get two chances at a bracket win, facing the Cavs on Tuesday and the Wizards in DC on Friday.

Washington Wizards (0-1)

The Wizards are at home against East C rival Boston on Friday, only their second home game in a 7-for-9 road stretch.

Chicago Bulls (0-1)

The Bulls went 0-4 in the 2023-2024 Cup season, so they will look for their first-ever win when Atlanta plays at the United Center on Friday.

What’s at stake in the West this week?

Here’s an overview of each group’s upcoming week.

West A

Houston Rockets (1-0)

You can increase your point difference by defeating enemies or by holding on. The Rockets, +21 after one last Friday, held the Clippers to 37.8% shooting, including 10 of 40 on 3-pointers. They play at home against Portland on Friday.

Portland Trailblazers (1-0)

The Blazers beat Minnesota in their first group game, but face Houston in the middle of three road games in four nights.

Minnesota Timberwolves (1-1)

The Wolves are done with group road games. They get the Rockets and Clippers at Target Center next week.

Sacramento Kings (0-1)

The top scorer of the Cup game is De’Aaron Fox, whose 60 points vs. Minnesota’s overtime loss was for naught. They travel to LA on Friday to take on the Clippers.

LA Clippers (0-1)

The Kings game concludes a three-game homestand for the Clippers, who will next face the Wolves on Nov. 29 at the end of a four-game trip.

West B

Oklahoma City Thunder (1-0)

Like West A, West B is still wide open without a two-match winner. The Thunder denied the Suns that status on Friday, winning 99-83, and will get a chance for a second victory in San Antonio on Tuesday.

LA Lakers (1-0)

The defending Cup champions carry a five-match winning streak and an impeccable 7-0 Cup win into their home game Tuesday against Utah.

Phoenix Suns (1-1)

The Suns will not play a group game this week, with a six-game homestand including their cup games against the Lakers (November 26) and Spurs (December 3).

San Antonio Spurs (0-1)

San Antonio is another team looking for a Cup win. Last year it went 0-4 and lost by five to the Lakers on Friday.

Utah Jazz (0-1)

The fate of the Jazz’s Cup may hang in the balance Tuesday in their road test against the Lakers. They are -8 in points and close their group matches at OKC on December 3.

West C

Golden State Warriors (2-0)

The Warriors hosted their group home games last week, but still have to play in New Orleans on Friday and Denver on December 3. Their +8 differential is at the top of this group.

New Orleans Pelicans (1-0)

The Pelicans’ only win in their current 1-7 streak — and their only game this season with a team under 100 points — came Friday in group play Denver.

Dallas Mavericks (0-1)

The Mavs may be able to achieve or crush their Cup aspirations when they play the Pelicans on Tuesday in Dallas and the Nuggets on Friday in Denver.

Memphis Grizzlies (0-1)

Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, their resounding victory over Denver on Sunday did not count towards the Cup win. Two days later they face the Nuggets again, again at the FedEx Forum.

Denver Nuggets (0-1)

The Nuggets won two Cup games at home last year, but are 0-3 in two tournaments, including Friday’s loss in New Orleans.

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Steve Aschburner has been writing about the NBA since 1980. You can send him an email herefind his archive here And follow him on X.

The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Warner Bros. Discovery.