The Celtics focused on targeting Cavs guard Darius Garland defensively, but Garland made them pay for that decision.

Putting smaller guards, like Darius Garland, in mismatches and then getting the defense in rotation is exactly what their offense is designed to do. Instead of hiding Garland from those situations, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson wants him to embrace them.

Darius Garland didn’t back down when Boston relentlessly picked on him all night. The Celtics kept forcing switches on Garland and he was up for the challenge. “They were hunting me out every possession,