Terry Rozier leads balanced attack as Celtics drub listless Cavaliers

10:38 PM ET

BOSTON -- For a while, Wednesday's Celtics-Cavaliers game looked like it might be a delicious midseason matchup. There was potential for Isaiah Thomas to make a revenge-seeking return to TD Garden, plus the new LeBron James-Kyrie Irving rivalry adding a chapter.

But Thomas not only didn't play but apparently buried the hatchet with Celtics GM Danny Ainge; the two texted before the game and then embraced in the hallway between the locker rooms before the opening tip. At Thomas' request, the Celtics held off on showing a tribute video until the Cavs come back to town, but he was shown on the scoreboard coming out of a timeout in the first half and received a standing ovation.

Any venom lingering between James and Irving was wasted as the disinterested and perhaps fatigued Cavs continued to look as if they'd been transported back to October.

As is their norm, the Celtics were engaged defensively and they didn't meet the type of resistance they usually get from Cleveland as they cruised to a 102-88 victory.

The Cavs had been 14-3 against Boston dating to the 2015 playoffs, but they've been mired in an offensive slump since Christmas. The Celtics' defense was on its game, getting into passing lanes and forcing the Cavs out of their sets, not that there was much resistance as the Cavs were lethargic and didn't match the energy. Certainly not of Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart, the Celtics' reserve guards, who were explosive off the bench as they combined for 35 points.

Cleveland has lost four of five and is shooting a miserable 38 percent in the losses and averaging just 94 points. Kevin Love shot 1-of-11, Dwyane Wade was 2-of-10, Jeff Green was 3-of-11, to name a few.

Kyrie Irving whips a bounce pass down low to Al Horford who gets his defender in the air before jamming with two hands.

The Cavs' only only reprieve was Tuesday when they got a jolt from Thomas in his season debut -- which resulted in him skipping this one -- when his 17 points off the bench ignited the offense in a win over Portland.

It was Boston's 41st game of the season, the most in the NBA as they head toward a scheduling quirk next week when they play just one game in nine days around a trip to London. So they aren't used to having the rest advantage they did on the Cavs, who were playing on a back-to-back. It showed early and often.

There wasn't much action between James and Irving, who ended up matched up with each other a few times but without any fireworks. James had 19 points, sitting down the stretch, and Irving had just 11, missing all five of his 3-pointers. There's a possibility these teams could play up to eight more times this season if they end up as playoff opponents, but this one wasn't memorable.

The Cavs made just eight 3-pointers, snapping their streak of 26 straight games with at least 10 triples, which was tied for the third-longest streak in NBA history.

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