Brad Stevens Has Simple Message For Celtics Before Cavaliers Matchup

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics have a chance to extend their win streak to five against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night at TD Garden, but they’ll need to do it without Al Horford (rest) and Kyrie Irving (flu-like symptoms).

The C’s have been shorthanded this season a number of times due to injuries. And while the Cavs are in the midst of an abysmal slump, losing 16 of their last 17 games, head coach Brad Stevens isn’t taking Cleveland lightly. Speaking before Wednesday’s tip-off, Stevens shared what his message was to his team.

“I think the biggest thing in this league is you have to play great every night to win,” he said. “And I think the most important part of that is understanding you’re not playing with what a team does normally, you’re playing a team’s capability. And we got smoked by these guys in preseason twice because their guards went off on us.

“And one of the things we need to do is have great presence,” Stevens added. “We need to make sure that … we’re making people earn everything and offensively we’re a lot more disciplined, a lot more together than we were at that time. The last game we played a little bit better here, but even then its 50/50 … we’re gonna have to play well to win.”

Boston hopes to make it two straight against Cleveland in the regular season before the two clubs meet twice more.