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Rondo's season-high leads Celtics over Cavs

Dec 1, 2010 - 5:09 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Rajon Rondo scored a season-high 23 points to go with 12 assists, and the Boston Celtics used their inside presence to rout the Cleveland Cavaliers, 106-87, at Quicken Loans Arena.

Marquis Daniels added a season-high 16 points off the bench for the Celtics, who outscored the Cavs in the paint, 60-26. Glen Davis provided 17 points and 11 boards in the resounding victory.

Ray Allen scored 12, while Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett each had 11 for Boston, which lost in Cleveland earlier this season.

"Last time we played here, I totally think we underestimated this team," Garnett said. "It's the post-LeBron era, so, honestly, you didn't know how they were going to play. Tonight, we knew what to look forward to, that they are a hard-working team for all 48 minutes."

Shaquille O'Neal grabbed seven rebounds to become the 13th player in NBA history to surpass 13,000 rebounds. He now has 13,005.

Daniel Gibson and Anderson Varejao both scored 16 for the Cavaliers, who are set to host LeBron James and the Miami Heat on Thursday in what is one of the most anticipated moments of this NBA season. Ramon Sessions added 14 points, and Mo Williams and Anthony Parkers each had 13 in defeat.

Cleveland held a 23-21 lead after one quarter, but Boston took control in the second.

With the game tied at 36, the Celtics went on an 18-4 burst to take the lead for good. Daniels began the surge with a three-point play, and Pierce and Allen accounted for the final nine points for a 54-40 advantage with two minutes left in the second quarter.

It was 56-45 at halftime.

"They decided to come out and be a little bit more aggressive on both ends of the floor," Cleveland coach Byron Scott said about the Celtics play in the second quarter. "It's kind of like that boxing match where you get punched in the face and you want to see how you're going to react. I thought we staggered but we never really threw a punch back and that was pretty much the difference."

The Cavs never got closer than nine in the second half; their last nine-point deficit came after Williams drilled a three for a 68-59 difference with five minutes left in the third quarter, but Boston responded with three consecutive baskets.

Davis' short jumper pushed Boston's lead back to 15, and that was the Celtics' lead heading to the fourth, 80-65.

The difference reached as high as 20 in the final 12 minutes of play.

Game Notes

Boston shot 30-for-45 (66.7 percent) from the painted area and 50.6 percent overall...Garnett grabbed 10 rebounds...Cleveland shot 39.0 percent from the field...Rondo shot 11-for-17...Boston has won four straight.