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The Boston Celtics visit the New York Knicks on Wednesday night in Game 5 of an Eastern Conference first-round series at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m., TNT). The Knicks lead the series, 3-1. Here's what to watch for:

* WINNING ON THE ROAD: Back in a hostile New York environment, the Celtics know the Knicks will be searching for an early knockout punch on their home turf. "We just have to come out ready to play," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "They are at home, they are going to try to feed off their crowd and all that. But at the end of the day, it's going to be between the lines. And it's going to be what they do, it's not going to be what anybody out in the crowd says or does. It's going to be between the lines." Echoed captain Paul Pierce: "They're going to amped up, their crowd is going to be emotionally into it. They feel like they've got an opportunity here at home, so I think that's going to be the early focus, is to withstand their early run. We know that we're going to take hits, but we've got to be able to hit back in the early stages, and we've got to maintain that through the four quarters."

* J.R. IS BACK: The Celtics took advantage of the absence of J.R. Smith during Sunday's Game 4 victory, but he's back after a one-game suspension for elbowing Jason Terry. Asked what kind of impact he expects Smith's return to have on New York, Terry said, "Hopefully none. If he comes out here and gets hot early, then it's going to be a long night for us. I'm looking forward to the challenge, as are my teammates." Smith, the league's Sixth Man of the Year, is averaging 16.3 points on 43.5 percent shooting in three games this series.

* IGNORE THE NOISE: From Smith's brash prediction that this series would be over if he had played in Game 4, to Kenyon Martin telling his teammates to wear funeral attire, Celtics center Kevin Garnett said he's tried to ignore all the noise. "I have not paid attention to none of the shenanigans," said Garnett. Pierce downplayed Martin's fashion advice, noting, "This is basketball. I'm not going to be dead after the game."

* ONE POSSESSION AT A TIME: Rivers has preached a one-game-at-a-time philosophy after his team lost the first three games. But now he's stressing an even narrower focus: One possession at a time. "Really, I think that's what you should do every game," said Rivers. "Obviously, it's easier to do in the playoffs, because you do have single-game focus. But I do think, to be really great, you have to get to not only one quarter, but one possession at a time. And play forward, and not play in reverse. I think that's where players get lost -- if they have a couple bad possessions and they are thinking about that, or thinking about the last game and the team made a run on them. You can't do that. It's hard, but you just can't. You have to play to the next possession, then the next possession, then the next possession. And that's difficult to do, but it's what you have to do."

The Boston Celtics host the New York Knicks in Game 4 of an Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday at TD Garden (1 p.m., ABC). Here's what to watch for:

* PLAYING FOR PRIDE?: Unless the Celtics are to make league history, their fate is sealed being in an 0-3 hole (no team has ever rallied out of it). The question now is whether they'll go down swinging. Coach Doc Rivers knows his team is a prideful group, but admits it also comes down to playing better than what they've shown thus far in this series. "I think, honestly, this group has a lot of pride. But we have to play better with that pride, at the end of the day," said Rivers. "Pride is great; the Knicks, I’m assuming, have pride. But we have to play better. We don’t have a big margin of error. We knew that going into it, and unfortunately we’ve made errors, and to me, at the end of the day, that’s where I go back to the X and O part. We’ve made a lot of errors... And so as a coach, you just keep pushing them to do it right. And it’s hard. Sometimes their pride is what gets in the way. Every single guy wants to win. They want to win so bad, they become an individual. I thought [Game 3] there was some of that as well."

* SPOTLIGHT: TEAM PLAY, ONE GAME: Rivers said his biggest challenge will be reminding his team that they can't win four games without winning one. He knows he has to prevent his players from trying to individually rescue the season when the only thing that would allow for a comeback is a team effort over four individual games. "If you don’t [focus on team basketball], we're going to lose. That’s pretty simple. Now, whether I’m successful at it is a whole different ball game. It’s really important. That may be the challenge for me tomorrow more than anything, because we do have the Jason Terrys on our team that want to win so bad that they may go into a game like, ‘I’m going to win this game tomorrow!’ Yeah, but it better be ‘we’ are going to win this game. That’s important, but it’s hard. That’s why players are so great, every game is a different game."

* NO EASY POINTS: The Knicks have made a lot of tough shots in this series, but they will be playing without one of their top offensive weapons (and tough-shot makers) in JR Smith (suspended for Game 4 after elbowing Jason Terry in Game 3). Rivers said it's all about making the Knicks work for their points. "There’s certain shots that guys take and make, and as a coach, you say, ‘That’s cool,’" said Rivers. "If they can make that all game, then they get to win the game. That’s how you think as a coach. It’s the shots that you don’t want them taking, when they make those, those are the ones that you don’t like. When you see a guy rolling the ball behind the 3-point line, that’s clearly not a shot we chose for them to have... When JR Smith makes a one-legged, twist-and-turn around from 30 feet and it goes in, you go pat him on the butt and say, ‘That was a great shot. Do it again.’ That’s how you think as a coach. Then that’s why the great players are great, because Carmelo [Anthony] can beat you with those, sometimes. Paul Pierce -- you can name the guys. But there’s only one percent in the league that can do that. And you live with that."

* IS THIS IT?: With the Celtics on the brink of elimination, you can't help but wonder if this will be the last time this veteran core -- Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, in particular -- take the floor together at TD Garden. A very uncertain offseason awaits this summer despite much of the team under contract for next season.

The Boston Celtics host the New York Knicks in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference first-round series on Friday night at TD Garden (8 p.m., ESPN). Here's what to watch for:

* NOBODY LOVES RAYMOND: Entering the series, Boston's defensive worry list was topped by the likes of Carmelo Anthony and JR Smith. The one player the Celtics really need to stop at the moment? Raymond Felton. From our friends at Elias Sports Bureau: The Knicks have outscored the Celtics by an average of 22.8 points per 48 minutes with Felton on the floor, but have been outscored by 45.1 points per 48 minutes with Felton on the bench. That 67.9-point swing is the largest for any NBA team with-and-without a particular player on the court in this year’s playoffs. Said Celtics coach Doc Rivers: "He’s killing us. He’s getting into the paint, he’s attacking us... And we have to do a better job on him. I wish I could make a better statement than that, except for, we have to keep him out of the paint."

* CHANGE UP THE HALFTIME SPEECH: No secret here, the Celtics have been excellent for the first 24 minutes of Games 1 and 2 in this series, but have flat out disappeared in the second halves. To hammer that home, The Celtics are shooting 54.2 percent from the field in the first half in this series -- the highest such percentage for any team in this year’s playoffs -- and 22.2 percent in the second half -- the lowest for any team in this postseason, according to Elias. Celtics coach Doc Rivers has noted the trouble doesn't lie solely on the offensive end as both sides of the floor are connected and getting stops will ease some of the offensive struggles for Boston by giving them more transition opportunities.

* COMING HOME: No one knows how Boston will respond to playing in its gym for the first time in 16 days, at least emotionally given that this is its first game in the aftermath of the marathon bombings. But the Celtics have always received a spark from playing at home and absolutely need to feed off the energy in the building. The Knicks will have confidence after winning two games in this building during the regular season. The question is can they get over the mental hurdle of having lost their last eight playoff games on the road. New York's last road win on the road? A victory in Toronto on April 29, 2001, according to Elias.

* NUMBERS NUMBERS NUMBERS: A few more of the stats and nuggets that jumped out from Elias' preview package: The Celtics have scored only 48 points in the second half during the first two games of the series. That is the fewest second-half points scored over any two-game span in NBA playoff history (previous low was 49 points by the Washington Capitols in the 1947 postseason)... In the history of the NBA playoffs, teams that have won the first two games of a best-of-seven series have gone to win the series 94 percent of the time (233 of 248)... In the history of the NBA playoffs, there have been 57 teams that have lost the first two games of a best-of-seven series against an opponent that finished with at least 13 more wins during the regular season, as the Knicks did over the Celtics in 2012-13 (54 to 41). None of those 57 teams came back to win the series.

The Boston Celtics visit the New York Knicks in Game 2 of an Eastern Conference first-round series Tuesday night. Here's what to watch for:

* MORE TOUCHES, SHOTS FOR KG: Keeping with the annual spring tradition, the Celtics have preached a desire to get Kevin Garnett more touches and better shots in the postseason (this after he had a quiet Game 1, offensively). How does Garnett get himself easier looks? "Just play basketball, man," he said. "Our sets are called and our plays are designed for, obviously, movement, opportunity. Within those opportunities, I've just got to be aggressive with those, without coming out of formality or what we've been doing since this point. When I get baskets, it's because I've taken advantage of options within the offense and I haven't overstepped or anything outside of that. So I'm going to stick with that, but obviously being more aggressive with the opportunities that I do get."

* C'S WANT BETTER PASSES: The Celtics were plagued by 21 turnovers in Saturday's Game 1 loss. What's more, many of those turnovers were what Paul Pierce dubbed "boneheaded" plays. Celtics coach Doc Rivers thinks it's as simple as making better decisions with the ball -- and decreasing the degree of difficulty on some passes. "I thought most our turnovers were forced, guys were trying to do too much with the pass," Rivers said. "The good news is they were trying to pass; the bad news is they were trying to pass. Some of the passes, really, should have just been down the sideline and to the post, instead of the guy with the ball was trying to make the pass. Again, they are correctable, but give the Knicks credit, some of those turnovers were forced by [Jason] Kidd and some by their hands."

* BENCH WARMING? The Celtics watched a three-guard reserve unit of Courtney Lee, Jordan Crawford and Jason Terry combine for zero field goals and a measly four points in Saturday's Game 1. Rivers takes some of the blame for not playing his reserves more but said he simply needs more from whoever is on the floor for Boston in Game 2. "The bench didn’t play a lot, so I don’t overdo that [low point total]," Rivers said. "If our bench had of played and we only had four points, then I would have been like, 'We have to get more points from our bench.' We do have to get more production from our bench, but I didn’t play them a lot. Our starters played a lot of minutes. So if you’re going to do that, you’re going to have to get more production from your starters."

* LET'S PLAY SOME BASKETBALL: The Celtics and Knicks essentially had three full days off between Games 1 and 2. Storylines from Game 1 have been picked clean, and it's clear both teams are ready to get back on the floor. It will be interesting to see how both sides respond to the extended rest. New York undoubtedly likes the downtime for its veteran legs, but both teams likely are a bit antsy. The question is whether there will be any lingering rust for teams that have played just one game in nearly a week's span.

The Boston Celtics visit the New York Knicks in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference first-round series on Saturday at Madison Square Garden (3 p.m., ABC). Here's what to watch for:

* THE NITTY GRITTY: Setting the table with some help from our friends at ESPN Stats & Info: This is the 14th time the Celtics and Knicks will meet in a playoff series, second most in NBA history (Celtics-76ers have met 19 times). Boston won seven of the previous 13 series, including a four-game sweep the last time the teams met back in the opening round of the 2011 playoffs. New York won three of four games against Boston during the regular season, but the Celtics were without Kevin Garnett in two of those games (both of which were Knicks wins late in the year). Carmelo Anthony averaged 25.3 points in four games against the Celtics this season, but shot just 35 percent from the field.

* CELTICS ARE UNDERDOGS? Since Garnett arrived, the Celtics have never been an underdog entering the first round of the playoffs (they opened the playoffs on the road last season in Atlanta, but were the higher seed). While some Celtics have brushed off the underdog chatter, Garnett hasn't shied away from it. "The Knicks are the better team. They deserve it, they've earned it, and rightfully so. I think [Carmelo Anthony is] playing unbelievable, I think J.R. [Smith], just the whole team, they're playing with a lot of confidence, and that's what you want going into the playoffs." Paul Pierce just laughed at the underdog question and offered, "I don't want to get into that. That's for [the media] to do. You pick the underdogs, I'll play."

* NOW OR NEVER FOR ANTHONY? Being a heavy favorite might only add more pressure for Anthony, whose teams have posted a .315 win percentage in his playoff career, the worst percentage by any player in NBA history to have played a minimum of 15 playoff games and have a career regular-season scoring average of 20-plus points, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Anthony is 1-8 in playoff games in his Knicks career. His teams have been eliminated in the first round eight of nine times in his career.

* NEW FOCUS FOR NEW CORE: Of the players that step on the floor for Boston Saturday, only two remain from both the 2008 title team and the 2010 squad that went to the NBA Finals in Pierce and Garnett. Heck, only one other player (Brandon Bass) was on the floor during last year's conference finals (Jeff Green, Avery Bradley and Chris Wilcox all missed that series last year). Jason Terry, a newcomer himself but with championship experience, said this new young core is ready for what lies ahead. "Guys have been really tuned in to what we're trying to do, especially in these meetings and film sessions, and the practices have been intense," said Terry. "So I feel they're ready as they're going to be and we've got tremendous confidence in them. They've made tremendous strides over the year. You talk about Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, these guys are prepared and ready for the challenge."

The Boston Celtics (41-39, 14-26 away) visit the Toronto Raptors (33-48, 20-20 home) to wrap up the 2012-13 regular season on Wednesday night (8 p.m., CSN). Here's what to watch for:

* BACK TO BASKETBALL: The NBA cancelled Tuesday's Celtics-Pacers matchup at TD Garden in the aftermath of Monday's tragic events at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. After a bit of a somber practice Tuesday, the Celtics get back on the floor in Toronto. Boston players talked about potentially being a bit of a diversion from Monday's bombings, hoping sports can bring some joy back to a region left rattled by the Marathon tragedy. It will be interesting to see how the Celtics respond after the incident in their own backyard and whether it gives them any sort of jolt considering what they represent as a Boston team.

* LINEUP BALANCE: Celtics coach Doc Rivers had previously planned to run most of his starters on Tuesday night, then rest them in Toronto. That plan has likely been altered a bit and it will be interesting to see if Boston elects to play some of its starters early, then let the bench carry the load later. The Celtics open the playoffs this weekend in New York and, after three days off, must balance getting their players some final on-court action (otherwise they'd be on as much as a full week of rest) with not risking health at this point of the regular season.

* LET THE KIDS PLAY: River said earlier this week that Boston's playoff rotation is set and that no one is really auditioning for spots tonight. "No, we pretty much know [the rotation]," said Rivers. "There are teams that we’ve had where there are nine guys and they separated themselves and that’s your rotation... That’s not this team. Use whatever rotation your guys want, but by Game 3 [of the playoffs], I can guarantee you right now, it won’t be the same rotation. Unfortunately or fortunately, I’ll let you know in a month or so which one is better, but I guess from a coaching standpoint, you’d rather know your nine guys and know that’s how it’s always going to be. But I don’t think that’s this team at all. I think there will be guys that will play. And a couple guys struggling, you throw in someone else, and you won’t hesitate to do that with this group." With that in mind, the Celtics ought to lean heavy on some players that might need a final confidence jolt. Players like Courtney Lee, Jordan Crawford, and Chris Wilcox have all taken advantage of extended playing time in recent games.

* PLAYOFF SCHEDULE FOLLOWS: The Celtics will get a little more clarity on their first-round schedule after tonight's game. The team planned to stay over in Toronto after the game, will have an offday Thursday, and practice in New York on Friday. With Madison Square Garden booked Sunday for the New York Rangers, the Celtics are likely to play Game 1 on Saturday, but the rest of the schedule will be unveiled after all regular-season action is completed on Wednesday.

The Boston Celtics (40-39, 13-26 away) visit the Orlando Magic (20-59, 12-27 home) on Saturday night at the Amway Center (7 p.m., CSN). Here's what to watch for:

* TERRIBLE OPPONENT?: Celtics guard Jason Terry blistered the Magic after Friday's loss in Miami, saying, "I don’t want to give them any fuel but, they’re terrible." The Magic own the second-worst record in both the Eastern Conference and the NBA (two games better than Charlotte). Boston has dominated the series lately, winning the last seven meetings (including two victories this season, even if it took overtime to win the last trip to Orlando). With the Celtics stumbling a bit to the regular-season finish line but set to lock up the seventh seed in the East with a victory, Terry called it a "must-win."

* C'S BRING REINFORCEMENTS: Boston is expected to have veterans Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett back on the floor after they sat out Friday's loss in Miami. With only three regular-season games remaining and Boston likely to find more rest for their starters, this could be one of the final opportunities to work on both individual and team goals, including fostering chemistry with that new-look first unit (assuming guys like Jeff Green, who suffered a bruised left elbow on Friday night, suit up on the second night of a back-to-back).

* SYNERGY SNAPSHOT: The Magic rank 23rd in the league averaging 0.897 points per play, offensively, according to Synergy Sports data. The deadline deal that moved J.J. Redick stripped Orlando of its most efficient offensive player, but Tobias Harris, one of the assets acquired from Milwaukee, has shown real promise (putting up 30 points and 19 rebounds in a win over his former team earlier this week). Defensively, the Magic rank 25th in allowing 0.956 points per play. Orlando is middle-of-the-pack in defending spot-up shooting but struggles against most other top play types. Old friend Big Baby had been the team's defensive conscience, but no remaining player ranks better than the 59th percentile in overall defense.

* WHAT THEY DO WELL: The Magic rank seventh in the league in defensive rebound rate and Harris provides a nice complement to center Nikola Vucevic (who also had a monster game versus Milwaukee, finishing with 30 points and 20 rebounds). Orlando takes decent care of the ball (10th in turnover rate), and if they get hot with their shooting they can make opponents work. Nothing has come easy for Boston on the road this season, but this could help restore a little confidence -- despite Orlando's lackluster record -- by finding a way to post a victory with Pierce and Garnett back on the court.

The Boston Celtics (40-38, 13-25 away) visit the Miami Heat (62-16, 34-4 home) on Friday night at AmericanAirlines Arena (7:30 p.m., CSN). Here's what to watch for:

* EXHIBITION SEASON?: With their seventh-seeded fate all but sealed and playing the first night of a back-to-back, the Celtics will err on the side of caution and rest both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce due to ankle soreness. After missing Miami's last six games (and eight of 10), Dwyane Wade is expected to return for the Heat, but LeBron James and Chris Bosh remain game-time decisions [Update: At shootaround, the Heat confirmed that James and Wade will play, while Shane Battier and Udonis Haslem will get the night off). Even still, the Celtics-Heat rivalry will lack the usual pizazz on Friday night. For Boston, the absence of veterans leaves extended playing time for younger players looking to make late-season cases for playoff playing time. The Celtics won't be focused on the end result, but getting individual players going instead.

* GET GREEN BACK ON TRACK: Jeff Green exploded for 43 points when Miami visited Boston last month, helping to fuel his monster month of March. He's slipped into a mini funk the last two games, missing 18 of the 25 shots he's put up (while settling for perimeter shots instead of attacking the basket). Without Garnett and Pierce, Green will be called upon to shoulder the scoring load and will get a chance to get himself back on track.

* CAN HEAT SPARK TERRY?: Jason Terry has often noted how the mere sight of Miami's colors gets his competitive juices flowing. Maybe more than any other player, the Celtics need Terry to pick up his play in the postseason and give the bench a sustained offensive spark now that Green is running with the first unit. Terry hasn't reached double figures in scoring his last three games and seemed particularly frustrated with himself after Wednesday's loss to Brooklyn in which he was 1-for-7 shooting with four points over 25 minutes. Terry can make people forget about his regular-season inconsistencies with a strong postseason, but ramping up a bit at the finish line would likely aid that cause.

* WHICH GUARD WILL STEP UP?: The recent return of Garnett has brought out the best in both Shavlik Randolph and Chris Wilcox, both big men playing well in shorter minutes. But the Celtics are still waiting for one of their guards to make a case for a potential larger playoff role. Whether it's Courtney Lee, Jordan Crawford, or Terrence Williams, there's additional guard minutes available if one of those players wants to snatch them up with their play over the final four games of the regular season.

The Boston Celtics (40-37, 27-12 home) host the Brooklyn Nets (45-32, 21-17 away) on Wednesday night at TD Garden (8 p.m., ESPN). Here's what to watch for:

* LET'S GET CHIPPY!: The Nets pushed Boston around twice in early-season play (leading Celtics coach Doc Rivers to call his team "soft."). Boston responded with a Christmas Day win in Brooklyn, but the Celtics are expecting a firm test on Wednesday. "Brooklyn's one of the better teams in the East. I really expect this to be a playoff-type atmosphere," said captain Paul Pierce. "The way they've been playing, they're one of the top four teams in the East. Deron Williams is playing his best basketball right now, and you kind of feel some sort of chippiness between the two teams, to be honest with you, when we match up against Brooklyn. So it's definitely a good test for a lot of us and a lot of the new guys also."

* GO BIG OR GO HOME: The Celtics are expected to trot out their new-look starting 5 -- a bigger group with only one pure guard in Avery Bradley -- but the Nets counter with a frontcourt that features Brook Lopez and rebound machine Reggie Evans. Said Rivers of Brooklyn, "They're big. They're a big basketball team. Lopez is a monster. So that's the challenge. And they're physical, they're tough, they're veterans, they match us in that. So those are usually the type of games that are fun. I don't call them chippy, I call them fun." Evans hauled in 24 boards in Brooklyn's 104-83 win over Philadelphia on Tuesday. Added Rivers: "[Evans is] a smart player. I think guys who are specialty players are pretty smart players, especially the rebounders. I don’t think they get enough credit for their basketball IQ. To be able to do that, you have to think the game at a really high level, and he’s done that.”

* SYNERGY SNAPSHOT: The Nets rank 14th in the league offensively, averaging 0.928 points per play, according to Synergy Sports data. Brooklyn has been extremely effective in isolation situations (looking at you, Joe Johnson; the former Celtic accounts for 30 percent of Brooklyn's ISO action and averages a solid 0.905 points per play in those situations). It's Lopez, however, who is the team's most efficient scorer, ranking in the 91st percentile while averaging 1.031 points per play overall. Defensively, the Nets rank 16th overall allowing 0.933 points per play. Lopez again anchors that unit, but teams have actually found some success going at Brooklyn in the post (the big bodies simply discourage opponents as only 7.5 percent of plays have come in the post).

* NO SECOND CHANCES: The Nets rank second in the league in offensive rebound percentage (and second in total rebound percentage). While they don't smother opponents with second-chance points (11th overall), they do an under-the-radar job of preventing second-chance opportunities and won't put opponents on the foul line (second in opponent free-throw rate). Brooklyn will be attempting to win the season series for the first time since 2006. Boston simply hasn't matched up well against the Nets this season, but the two teams are likely to avoid each other in the postseason (as the fourth seed, Brooklyn couldn't cross paths with Boston until the East finals and both teams have plenty of obstacles to navigate to get to that point).

The Boston Celtics (39-37, 26-12 home) host the Washington Wizards (29-47, 7-30 away) on Sunday night at TD Garden (6 p.m., CSN). Here's what to watch for:

* A DANGEROUS OPPONENT: Despite their overall record, the Wizards have played solid basketball since the start of February. Washington is 18-12 over its last 30 games (by comparison, playoff-bound Boston is 16-14 in that same span). The Wizards have won three of their last four with triumphs over both playoff-bound Chicago and Indiana in that span. Washington does struggle on the road (losing its last four there, and has dropped five straight in Boston).

* WALL OF FAME: Since returning in mid-January, John Wall has averaged 18 points, 7.6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals over 32.2 minutes per game (and the Wizards are 24-19 in that 43-game span). Over his last 20 games since the start of March, Wall's numbers hop up to 23 points, 7.8 assists, 5 rebounds and 1.6 steals over 35.9 minutes per game. Wall is coming off a 37-point outburst against defensive-minded Indiana. Remember, too, his little rivalry with Avery Bradley (Bradley was a higher-ranked prospect in high school). If Bradley can play through his collarbone bruise, this will be a highly entertaining matchup.

* NO PLAYOFFS, NO PROBLEM: Allow Celtics coach Doc Rivers to explain why teams not headed to the postseason may be the most dangerous at this time of year. "They are free. They are not playing for anything except for themselves," he said. "It’s serious for everyone. The guys on Washington, the guys on Cleveland, they are playing for their careers. I’ve always laughed when people think the non-playoff teams don't play hard, these guys, most of them are free agents, and every night is an audition. They are auditioning for [the Celtics] when they are on the other team. So it’s hard."

* WIZ KIDS PLAY D: Don't sleep on Washington's defense. The Wizards own the fifth best defensive rating (99.9 points allowed per 100 possessions), better even than Boston (7th, 100.0). Washington is also fifth in defensive rebound percentage (74.8), limiting second-chance opportunities for opponents. Synergy Sports data ranks Washington at seventh in the league allowing 0.904 points per play and the Wizards grade out well against most top play types, but are most susceptible to pick-and-roll ball-handlers (18th overall, 0.802 points per play).

The Boston Celtics (39-36, 26-11 home) host the Cleveland Cavaliers (22-52, 9-28 away) on Friday night at TD Garden (7:30 p.m., CSN). Here's what to watch for:

* KYRIE ELEISON: When these two teams met late last month in Cleveland, the Celtics didn't have to deal with Kyrie Irving (and still needed a Jeff Green buzzer-beater to escape). Irving, back after missing eight games due to a shoulder injury, will be a primary focus for Boston's guards. Think Avery Bradley will need any motivation? Irving attacked Rajon Rondo (and Bradley, too, to a lesser degree) while putting up 40 points in a January win in Cleveland and, in the aftermath, Bradley promised no opponent would do that against him without a particularly high shot volume.

* MOMENTUM AWAITS: Even with Irving's recent return, the Cavaliers have lost 10 straight and, as with most lottery-bound teams, they can only aid their chances at a top pick by losing. That's not to say they will roll over, but Boston ought to be far more inspired to build some late-season moment than the visitors. The Celtics will potentially be without both Kevin Garnett (left ankle inflammation) and Paul Pierce (sore right ankle), and that means role players will need to elevate their play. Boston didn't fare particularly well in Minnesota on Monday when both Garnett and Pierce were out.

* SPOTLIGHT ON GLASS: The Cavaliers are not a particularly efficient rebounding team, especially since Anderson Varejao was lost for the season. Even still, the battle of the boards will be in the spotlight on Friday because Boston gave up 25 offensive rebounds (and somehow lived to talk about it) in a win over the Pistons on Wednesday. The Cavaliers rank 12th in the league in offensive rebound percentage and have the sort of athletic bigs that could give Boston headaches if they don't stick to the fundamentals.

* TIGHTEN UP THE DEFENSE: Sure, Garnett's absence is causing a natural downturn in Boston's defensive play, but the Celtics can't use that as the only excuse for their slippage at that end of the court. Coach Doc Rivers had said the team would focus heavily on defense this week, especially in getting the team's newer faces up to speed, with additional practice time. After getting an initial session on Thursday, it will be interesting to see if Boston can tighten things up a bit against a team that ranks 21st in the league in offensive rating.

The Boston Celtics (38-36, 25-11 home) host the Detroit Pistons (25-50, 10-27 away) on Wednesday night at TD Garden (7:30 p.m., CSN). Here's what to watch for:

* A CHANCE FOR MOMENTUM: The Celtics have lost seven of their last nine and still haven't clinched a playoff berth with eight games to go in the regular season. That could change in a hurry as Boston opens a four-game homestand that starts with three lottery-bound teams in Detroit, Cleveland (Friday), and Washington (Sunday). Boston's magic number is two and it can clinch a playoff spot with a win Wednesday coupled with a Philadelphia loss. The more pressing issue would seem to be fending off Milwaukee, which is just 1½ games back. The Celtics need to take advantage of their schedule and cement their playoff position, even while waiting for Kevin Garnett to return to the lineup.

* SYNERGY SNAPSHOT: Offensively, the Pistons rank 24th in the league averaging 0.894 points per play, according to Synergy Sports data. One thing Detroit does well is utilize the roll man in pick-and-rolls (10th in the league at 1.026 points per play). Boston has struggled with pick-and-roll at times throughout this season and it will be interesting to see how they fare with Jose Calderon dishing to bigs like Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond (both of whom torched Boston the last meeting in Detroit). Defensively, the Pistons also rank 24th allowing 0.952 points per play. They actually defend both isolation (9th in the league) and spot-up shooting well (11th), but their individual numbers are not particularly glossy (Jason Maxiell is the only player that ranks above the 69th percentile among all league players, allowing a team-best 0.802 points per play, which stands in the 78th percentile).

* EYES ON THE GLASS: With athletic bigs like Monroe and Drummond, it's no surprise that rebounding will be a key for Boston. The Pistons rank 10th in the NBA in offensive rebound percentage and Boston has really struggled to deny second-chance opportunities without Garnett. The Pistons also rank 14th overall in total rebound rate.

* WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: The Pistons rank 26th in the league in turnover percentage and have a propensity to give the ball away. What's more, they don't force many giveaways, ranking 25th in opponent turnover percentage. Ball security has to be a focus moving forward and into the postseason.

The Boston Celtics (38-35, 13-24 away) visit the Minnesota Timberwolves (26-46, 17-19 home) on Monday night at the Target Center (8 p.m., CSN). Here's what to watch for:

* STARLESS NIGHT?: Celtics coach Doc Rivers hinted strongly that he'll sit Paul Pierce on Monday night due a sore right ankle, while Kevin Garnett, while along for this brief two-game road trip, remains on a two-week rest plan due to left ankle inflammation. On the second night of a back-to-back, that could mean some mix-and-match lineups in Minnesota, where the likes of Terrence Williams and DJ White could see extended action. For the Wolves, Nikola Pekovic was questionable with his own ankle woes. The Celtics will get a look at Ricky Rubio, who missed the first meeting in Boston, but is coming off a near triple-double effort against Memphis (23 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists).

* SYNERGY SNAPSHOT: The Timberwolves rank 26th in the league, offensively, averaging 0.888 points per play, according to Synergy Sports data. Minnesota ranks 27th in spot-up shooting and is the worst catch-and-shoot team in the league. Pekovic is the team's most efficient scorer (1.003 ppp, 83rd percentile), but the team spreads out its offensive touches with Kevin Love lost for the season. Defensively, the Timberwolves are middle of the pack at 15th overall allowing 0.931 points per play. They are fifth in the league against spot-up shooting, but injuries have left them susceptible in the post. Jose Juan Barea is the most efficient defender among the top rotation players, allowing 0.782 points per play (84th percentile).

* STIEMSMA IN FOCUS: With many of the stars sidelined, the most intriguing matchup of the night could be old friend Greg Stiemsma jousting with Shavlik Randolph (after Friday's breakout game, Randolph had a tough night in New York) in a battle of backup bigs. Stiemsma, who the Wolves lured away from Boston with their financial flexibility, is averaging 3.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks over 15 minutes per game in 67 appearances (16 starts). His rebounding numbers are down (when the Wolves are healthy, there's more bodies to compete with up there) and his defensive numbers have suffered outside of Boston's system. Stiemsma actually ranked in the 93rd percentile last season, allowing 0.711 points per play (opponents shot just 34.7 percent against him) as he thrived late in the year while often sharing the floor with Garnett. This season in Minnesota? Stiemsma is allowing 0.872 points per play, ranking in the 46th percentile.

* CRUISING TO THE FINISH LINE: Of Boston's nine remaining games, this is first of six against teams currently under .500. In fact, the Celtics' schedule really eases up here and a four-game homestand looms starting with Wednesday's visit from the Detroit Pistons. Even as Boston gets players like Pierce and Garnett some additional rest, these are winnable games that should help the Celtics stand firm at the No. 7 spot (now 2½ games back of Atlanta, which also has a softer remaining schedule, it's going to be tough for Boston to shimmy up).

The Boston Celtics (38-34, 13-23 away) visit the New York Knicks (45-26, 26-10 home) on Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m., CSN). Here's what to watch for:

* PLAYOFF PREVIEW?: With Kevin Garnett sidelined due to left ankle inflammation, these two late-season Celtics-Knicks battles are not nearly as intriguing. But this might not be the last time the Atlantic Division foes cross paths. The Knicks could land seeds No. 2 or 3, while Boston is likely to land at No. 6 or 7, which could set up a first-round matchup. Winners of seven straight, including Tuesday's game in Boston, the Knicks have essentially cemented themselves as division champs (ending the Celtics' five-year reign), but Boston has played some of its best basketball at Madison Square Garden and surely wouldn't be overwhelmed by a playoff meeting. That said, the Celtics need a better effort than what they displayed on Tuesday night or the Knicks would have a tremendous amount of confidence heading into a postseason series.

* VALUE THE BALL: Ball security is a familiar topic in this space, but against a team like New York it simply has to be stressed again. Part of what has allowed the Knicks and their 3-point-heavy offense to thrive this season is that they take insanely good care of the ball, turning it over an NBA-low 13.2 percent of the time (the next closest team is Philly at 14 percent). The Celtics, who are tied for 11th in turnover percentage (15.3 percent), have been prone to fits of giveaways, but can't get careless against a Knicks team that is unlikely to do the same. Avery Bradley had some troubles with pressure from the likes of Pablo Prigioni (though Boston can negate that, defensively, by getting stops and limiting New York's ability to pressure after makes).

* REBOUNDS, REBOUNDS, REBOUNDS: The Celtics were competitive on the glass overall during Tuesday's game in Boston, but New York annihilated them with offensive boards and second-chance points. The Knicks had 15 offensive rebounds, which helped them put up a staggering 90 shots -- 21 more than Boston attempted. The Celtics need to limit second-chance opportunities and this is the sort of night they really need all their players committed to the glass. The strong recent play of Shavlik Randolph could earn him extended time in hopes of giving Boston a needed boost on the glass.

* WHO'S GOT JR?: Knicks reserve guard JR Smith posted 32 points on 13-of-24 shooting on Tuesday night, easily outscoring Boston's entire bench (19 points on 7-of-16 shooting). The Celtics did a decent job on Carmelo Anthony (29 points on 10-of-30 shooting), but can't allow Smith to go off like that, particularly when his output included just one 3-pointer. Boston did have a solid effort defending the 3-point stripe overall on Tuesday (8 of 28, 28.6 percent), but that's only effective when you eliminate the offensive rebounds.

The Boston Celtics (37-34, 24-11 home) host the Atlanta Hawks (40-32, 18-19 away) on Friday night at TD Garden (7:30 p.m., CSN). Here's what to watch for:

* JOCKEYING FOR POSITION: The Hawks own a 2½-game lead over Boston entering Friday's game and their remaining schedule will make it tough for the injury-riddled Celtics to make a push for the No. 6 seed. Of Atlanta's final nine games, six are against teams under .500 and five of those are at home. A Celtics win Friday wouldn't just pull them a game closer, it would give them the head-to-head tiebreaker as the Celtics enter with a 2-1 mark against the Hawks (the only loss being the double overtime debacle in Atlanta where Rajon Rondo tore his ACL in late January).

* SYNERGY SNAPSHOT: The Hawks rank ninth in the league, offensively, averaging 0.944 points per play, according to Synergy Sports data. The Hawks are an excellent team on the run, ranking third in the league in fastbreak points (17.6 per game) and fifth in transition offense (1.181 points per play). As usual, the Celtics will have to put a heavy focus on Kyle Korver, who averages 1.151 points per play, ranking third among all players with at least 350 offensive possessions this season (only Steve Novak and Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks have been more efficient). Defensively, the Hawks rank 12th at 0.915 points per play. The frontcourt tandem of Al Horford and Josh Smith has posted solid individual defensive numbers, but opponents attack guard Jeff Teague (0.929 ppp, 21st percentile).

* BACK TO SMALL BALL? The Celtics went big in Cleveland, moving Chris Wilcox into the starting lineup in a frontcourt that included Jeff Green and Brandon Bass. Boston might be inclined to go small again -- particularly if Courtney Lee's ankle is healthy enough to get him back on the floor. The Hawks rank 26th in total rebound percentage and don't attack the offensive glass very hard (27th in offensive rebound rate). Then again, Boston went small against the Knicks, who were 20th in the league in offensive rebound rate, and paid the price on Tuesday at TD Garden. Shavlik Randolph deserves a longer look, even if it's just in one-big-man lineups, given his activity recently on the glass.

* GET A LEAD, KEEP A LEAD: The Hawks have made a habit of rallying against Boston this season. Atlanta was down 27 to the visiting Celtics before coming back to win in double overtime back on Jan. 25. Earlier this month in Boston, the Hawks overcame a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit to force an extra session before the Celtics emerged. Boston has been playing from behind a lot lately and, battling injuries, would benefit from not having to make a charge from yet another double-digit deficit (as the Celtics did in rallying from 14 down in Cleveland on Wednesday).