Cavs travel to Boston to take on a surprisingly good offensive Celtics team

To quote the great Gil-Scott Heron, home apparently is where the hate is, at least for those who put the Cavs on the road for five of their first seven games. After not playing any of the first four road games on the East Coast, their fifth road game lands them in Beantown to take on the Boston Celtics. Before the ball is tipped, let's take a look at this year's Celtics team and preview tonight's game:

Boston Celtics

Record: 3-4, ninth in the Eastern Conference

Offense: 109.9 offensive rating (seventh in the NBA)

Defense: 111.8 defensive rating (27th)

The Good

- From an offensive standpoint, the Celtics rank as one of the top teams in the league. Their offensive rating of 109.9 ranks seventh in the NBA, just two spots behind the Cavs. Second-year head coach Brad Stevens has put in a system that involves pushing the ball and creating an up-tempo pace. Their pace factor, an estimate of how many possessions a team has per 48 minutes, ranks fifth in the league.

- The man in charge of this high-powered offense is Rajon Rondo, who is off to one the best starts in the league. He leads the NBA in assists, avergaing 11.3 per game, while also averaging 8.2 rebounds per game, which ranks 28th in the league. He is one of the better all-around players in the game, making him tough to stop for any defense, let alone a Cavs defense that is 28th in defensive rating.

- With the help of Rondo, the Celtics are a team that does a very good job of sharing the wealth. They currently lead the league in assists per game and points created by assist per game. Their ball movement should cause some troubles for Cleveland, as they have given up the second highest assists per game in the league.

The Bad

- If there is one thing that this team doesn't do well on either end, it resolves behind the line that stands 23-feet, 9-inches from the the basket. The Celtics are last in the NBA in three-point percentage at 30.1 percent, and second-to-last in opponent's three-point percentage at 40.6 percent. Facing a Cavs team that ranks 10th in the NBA in three-point percentage, it will be tough for them to win if they can't defend behind the arc.

- With a bad three-point shooting team, you would expect them to get to the free throw line at an above-average rate, right? Wrong. The Celtics rank last in free throw attempts, 15 shots lower than the next closest team. While their 79.8 percent clip from the free throw line, they are the only team in the league not to hit 100 free throws on the season. The Cavs are the best in the league at limiting their opponents chances at the line, allowing only 117 free throw attempts this entire season.

- For as good as their offense is, their defense is the complete opposite. Their defensive rating is the fourth worst in the league, six points higher than the league average. Their opponent's effective field goal percentage just as bad, the fifth worse in the league. Despite possessing two of the better defensive guards in the league, the rest of their team involves a multitude of turnstiles on the defensive end.

The Matchup to Watch

Kyrie Irving vs. Rajon Rondo

If there were any two point guards that . One can score at will and is one of the better shooting guards in the league, yet "struggles" to involve his teammates at a high rate, while the other has more joy in letting other scores than himself, yet is one of the worst shooting guards in the league. If there is one thing they have in common, it's their play in big games. Expect each of these guys to bring their best performances tonight.

The Hair

CAVS: Sideshow Bob

CELTICS: Legolas

The Prediction

Cavs 116, Celtics 109

In a battle of two high-powered offenses (and two atrocious defenses), this game should be a high-scoring affair, with the Cavs coming out on top. LeBron LOVES playing the Celtics, while Irving and Kevin Love will have a field day from behind the arc. Expect Rondo to get his, but it will not be enough against a Cavs team finding their stride on offense.