Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers Starting Lineups and Depth Charts for March 5 | 2023-24 NBA Season

The Boston Celtics will look to secure their 11th straight win when they take on the shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Tuesday. The Celtics have a 2-0 season series advantage over the Cavs. The contest isn't expected to pose a threat to the C's streak, with Donovan Mitchell sidelined.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers will look to put up a solid fight with Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley available. The size on the Cavs could help them cause an upset, albeit a long shot.

Cleveland was not a hot streak before its slump, winning 15 of 16 games. The Cavs can get going on the day, and they will hope that it's the case on Tuesday.

---

Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Reports for March 5

Boston Celtics injury report

The Celtics injury report includes six players, including three injured. Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis are questionable with knee and quad contusions, while Neemias Queta is out with a right knee hyperextension.

Meanwhile, Jordan Walsh, JD Davison and Drew Peterson will be on G-League duties.

Cleveland Cavaliers injury report

The Cavaliers injury report includes seven names, with five injured players. Donovan Mitchell (knee), Ty Jerome (ankle) and Max Strus (knee) are out.

Meanwhile, Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro (both elbow) are questionable. Isiah Mobley is out on G-League commitment, while Tristan Thompson is serving a league suspension.

---

Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Starting Lineups and Depth Charts for March 5

Boston Celtics starting lineup and depth chart

The Celtics will deploy their usual starting lineup provided Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis are available. The former will be the small forward, while Porzingis will start at the five.

Jrue Holiday and Derrick White will retain their places as the point guard and shooting guard, while Jayson Tatum will start at the four. Sam Hauser and Al Horford could be the likely starters if Brown and Porzingis are unavailable.

Point guards	Jrue Holiday	Payon Pritchard	Jaden Springer
Shooting guards	Derrick White	Sam Hauser
Small forwards	Jaylen Brown*	Svi Mykhailiuk
Power forwards	Jayson Tatum	Al Horford	Oshae Brissett
Centers	Kristaps Porzingis*	Xavier Tillman	Luke Kornet

Cleveland Cavaliers starting lineup and depth chart

The Cavaliers starting lineup will likely include Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. The two spots left vacant by Donovan Mitchell and Max Strus could be up for grabs.

Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert are the likely candidates if they are available. If Okoro and LeVert are on the sidelines, Dean Wade and Sam Merrill could get the starting nod.

Point guards	Darius Garland	Craig Porter	Sharife Cooper
Shooting guards	Caris LeVert*	Sam Merrill
Small forwards	Isaac Okoro*	Dean Wade
Power forwards	Evan Mobley	Georges Niang
Centers	Jarrett Allen	Damian Jones

---

Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers key matchups

The Cavaliers will have to focus on winning key player matchups to cause an upset against the mighty Celtics. The biggest key to the game would be to limit Jayson Tatum's contribution as much as possible.

The onus will be on Evan Mobley or Isaac Okoro to guard the Celtics star for most of the game. Throwing him off his rhythm and taking the ball out of his hands as much as possible could take the Cavs a long way.

Another matchup to focus on is Darius Garland vs. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. Garland will have to take the responsibility of being a threat from the perimeter with Donovan Mitchell out. However, he will be up against two of the best, if not the best, defensive guards in the NBA.

If Garland keeps his production and efficiency intact, the Cavs could have a shot of winning.