P.J. Tucker has become a buyout candidate for the Jazz. He had fallen out of the rotation with the Clippers and still wants to play for a contender. The Celtics could go after him in the buyout market if he is bought out. Tucker would be a veteran presence who can play some good defense.

When the Celtics were in the thick of their rebuild, with piles of assets and big dreams, they were connected to just about every big star who became available on the trade market.

When you take into account Boston's long stretch of uninspired play from Thanksgiving to January, it can be hard not to wonder.

CLEVELAND - Jayson Tatum scored 22 points, Derrick White added 20 and the Boston Celtics showed their championship makeup down the stretch with a 112-105 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night in a matchup of the Eastern Conference's top teams.

With just days until the All-Star break and a series of uneasy fourth quarters in recent games, Boston could have faltered. But it was sharp defense that carried them over the best in the East.