FINAL: Celtics 109, Cavaliers 98 - Boston hangs on

BOSTON CELTICS (42-21) at CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (39-24)

Location: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH

Game time: 1:00 p.m.

TV: ABC

Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub

Celtics injury report:

• Baylor Scheierman - AVAILABLE (left thumb fracture)

• John Tonje - OUT (G League, two-way)

• Nikola Vucevic - OUT (right ring finger fracture)

Cavaliers injury report:

• Jarrett Allen - OUT (right knee tendonitis)

• Keon Ellis - AVAILABLE (left index finger fracture)

• James Harden - AVAILABLE (right thumb fracture)

• Riley Minix - AVAILABLE (G League, two-way)

• Donovan Mitchell - AVAILABLE (right groin strain)

• Tyrese Proctor - OUT (right quadricep strain)

• Olivier Sarr - OUT (G League, two-way)

• Max Strus - OUT (left foot surgery - Jones fracture)

• Jaylon Tyson - AVAILABLE (neck strain)

• Dean Wade - AVAILABLE (right ankle sprain)

What to watch for: For the second straight game this season, Jayson Tatum is healthy. He was never listed on the injury report. Not once.

When he was hurt, Tatum said that he didn't want to come back as a role player. He wanted to come back as Tatum. Part of being Tatum is being an iron man.

He may not play every game down the stretch, but don't expect him to be sitting out too often.

Tale of the tape: This will be the third time the Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers have squared off this season. Boston is 2-0 so far.

The first was a blowout, 125-105, win at the end of October. Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, and Sam Hauser had 21 off the bench.

The second was a much closer affair, but still, the Celtics picked up a win. They took home a 117-115 victory on November 30 behind 42 points from Payton Pritchard.

Last game: In Tatum's first game of the season, a 120-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, he looked solid. He put up 15 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists.

After a shaky start, likely due to the Celtics trying to get Tatum in the flow of things, Boston looked like a well-oiled machine, especially on the defensive end.

Standings check-in: The Detroit Pistons blew a 23-point lead to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night, so the Celtics are now just 3.5 games back of first place in the East. Simultaneously, they are still 1.5 games ahead of the New York Knicks, who are in third.

Cavaliers check-in: The Cavaliers are 7-3 in their last 10 games. They've been playing great since the Harden trade.

Since joining the team, Harden has averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 7.9 assists.

Donovan Mitchell has averaged 25.7 points in his last six games.

Cleveland is 17-5 in its last 22 games.