The Cavaliers opened the preseason with a 124-113 loss to the Celtics, a back-and-forth game with 13 lead changes that got away late. Jaylon Tyson and Tristan Enaruna gave Cleveland its best stretches off the bench, but nobody on either side of the roster separated themselves in a game that doesn't touch the record.
Does this preseason loss mean anything?
It's preseason, so the loss doesn't touch the record — Cleveland is still 0-0 once games that count start October 22. What it does show is a group that traded leads and ties all night, 13 lead changes, 9 ties, before Boston's reserves answered with an 8-0 run that turned a three-point game at 102-99 into 110-100.
Why did the bench outscore the starters 67-46?
That's about minutes, not matchups. Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley each played only 17 minutes, in line with typical preseason-opener loads, while reserves Jaylon Tyson, Tristan Enaruna and Meleek Thomas played more and took more shots. Read the gap as a workload split, not a verdict on the starting group.
What did Tristan Enaruna show?
He was the clearest positive flash off the bench: 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 2-of-3 from three, in 17 minutes. That's a B for the scoring punch and the touch from deep, but the plus-minus — a team-worst minus-10 — is the part that still needs cleaning up before it counts as a real takeaway.
Who graded out best and worst on the floor?
Nobody on Cleveland finished the night above zero. Meleek Thomas, Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen all finished at an even plus-minus, the best marks on the roster, while Tristan Enaruna (minus-10), Sam Merrill (minus-6) and Evan Mobley (minus-6) trailed. Boston reserve Devin Carter ran a plus-22 — the kind of swing nobody on Cleveland's side matched.
What's next for Cleveland?
Two more preseason tune-ups before it counts: Orlando at home October 11 on ESPN, then at Orlando October 13 on Peacock. The real opener is October 22 at Philadelphia, also on ESPN. Everything between now and then is about minutes, reads, and which young guys — Enaruna, Thomas, Tyson — stick in the rotation.
What was the final score of the Cavaliers-Celtics preseason game?
The Celtics won 124-113 on October 8, 2026, in Cleveland's preseason opener.
When do the Cavaliers play again?
Cleveland hosts Orlando on October 11 (ESPN) and plays at Orlando on October 13 (Peacock), with the regular-season opener set for October 22 at Philadelphia.
