INDEPENDENCE: As is common for most underdogs, the Cavaliers are feeling a little bit unappreciated.

After cutting the Boston Celtics' lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series to 2-1, the Cavs felt emboldened enough Sunday to point out a few things, especially on defense.

So much attention has been given to LeBron James' sagging offense and the Celtics' stout defense. Both are true. James is mired in the worst postseason slump of his career and much of it is because of the Celtics, who were the NBA's best defensive team in the regular season and their numbers are backing them up in the postseason.

But the Cavs, who pride themselves on being one of the league's better defensive teams, have been strong as well. Their rotations and schemes to slow some of the Celtics' offensive stars have been just as successful.

''You hear a lot about how we can't score and the Celtics defense is great, which it is,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ''Our guys are doing a decent job. You are not going to stop a team like the Celtics. You just want them to work as hard as possible.''

The Cavs have held the Celtics to just 41 percent shooting in the three games and have yet to allow them to crack 90 points. In fact, the Cavs have held the Wizards and the Celtics below 90 points in seven of their nine playoff games thus far. Last year, that was a huge factor in the team winning the Eastern Conference title. The Cavs gave up an NBA-low 86.7 points per game in the postseason.

The Celtics lead all playoff teams in field
goal percentage defense and fewest points allowed, but the Cavs are third in both categories thus far, giving up 89 points and allowing just 42 percent shooting per game.

While James' 22 percent shooting has been a sore spot, Celtics All-Stars Ray Allen and Paul Pierce have experienced almost as much trouble. Because of the use of taller defenders and some creative and aggressive rotations, neither has been able to find much room to operate.

Pierce is shooting just 34 percent and averaging just 12.3 points in the three games. Allen, who ended the Hawks series in a shooting slump, is well off his game. He's shooting just 31 percent and is 1-of-11 on 3-pointers.

Kevin Garnett has been fantastic, shooting 59 percent, but the Cavs have made it tougher on him after his 28 points in Game 1, especially when Ben Wallace is on him.

''We've had three pretty good defensive games against them,'' Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas said. ''We're doing a good job, too.''

One of the Cavs' scheme changes is to cheat off weak shooting point guard Rajon Rondo, who is hitting just 33 percent, and the offensively limited Kendrick Perkins to bring help to other defenders and plug driving lanes. Point guard Delonte West has been most effective in the package because of his quickness. At times, he's been acting like a free safety in football, roaming to the side of the court that the ball is on to provide help on defense.

''I'm just trying to clog things up and be a wild card out there,'' West said. ''We have to hang our hat on our defense. We need to play well if we are going to keep advancing.''

Point Z?

Ilgauskas had a career-playoff-high six assists in Saturday's Game 3 victory. Part of the reason is the Cavs employed some fresh high post offensive sets that enabled Ilgauskas to distribute. It has been an option in the team's scheme all season, but with the Celtics bringing extra bodies to James and Ilgauskas, moving them away from the basket to the high post created some space for others.

Joe Smith, who had 17 points, also benefited from some of the sets.

''After I shot the ball well the first two games, they are pre-rotating to me and trying to take away my catch and shoot,'' Ilgauskas said. ''We don't want things to come to a standstill, so I've got to fake and get them off their feet or get rid of the ball.''

Dribbles

Anderson Varejao suffered a bruised right knee in the first half of Game 3. The Cavs are listing him as questionable for Game 4. . . . Celtics forward James Posey on being booed in his hometown after he committed a flagrant foul on James: ''Oh, well, I guess there's only so much hometown love and LeBron is the hometown guy.'' . . . Wally Szczerbiak is averaging 17 points over the last four games. . . . The Cavs have seven straight victories over the Celtics at home. . . . The NBA announced Wednesday's Game 5 in Boston will start at 8 p.m. and will be on TNT.