It was all about defense Tuesday night at the Troy Parks and Recreation gym as the 12-and-under rec. basketball teams took the court.

In the first game, the Cavilers and the Celtics met and after a hot first quarter it looked like the Cavilers would be the team on top.

However, the height and the size of the Celtics proved too much as the team in green would win easily, 36-16.

“This team really listens well,” Celtics head coach Vernon Williams said after the game.

“They work well together – they are very disciplined.

“This was a good win for us,” Williams added.

Slade Price led the way for the Celtics with nine points while Elisha Rouse led the way for the Cavilers, finishing with five points.

The Cavs were able to grab a 9-7 lead after one quarter of play, but when the second quarter came around the Celtics were able to hold the Cavs scoreless.

The Celtics were able to put 13 points on the score board in the quarter, jumping out to a 20-9 led, which would prove to be enough as the team cruised to the 20-point win.

The win improved the team to 4-1 on the season, with its only loss coming to the undefeated Lakers.

The Cavs dropped to 0-5 on the young season.

As for the team that beat the Celtics, the Lakers took the court next as it prepared for the Nuggets.

The Lakers were able to jump out to a double-digit lead, at 16-6, in the first quarter thanks to a defense that forced turnover after turnover.

However, in the second quarter, the Nuggets gave the Lakers a taste of their own medicine, as the team played hard defense – and by the half, what was once a 10-point Lakers’ lead and been reduced to just five points at 19-14. That lead would stay the same as both the teams traded baskets in the third quarter, yet in the fourth quarter, the Lakers were able to take control of the game thanks to its defense. The Nuggets would score just one basket, as the Lakers would score four more times, cruising to a 32-21 win.

“I thought we played pretty sloppy,” Lakers’ head coach Matt Brown said afterwards. “But we never gave up.”

“We missed some layups that we usually make but I was proud of the team’s effort. We were able to build a lead up and when [the Nuggets] came back we kept working,” the coach added.

The win keeps the Lakers perfect at 5-0, while the loss drops the Nuggets to 2-2.