Rozier scores 20, leads Celtics to win over Cavaliers

BOSTON » Terry Rozier scored 20 points in 20 minutes, stealing the spotlight from LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas in a rematch of the Eastern Conference finals and leading the Boston Celtics to a 102-88 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

Rozier scored the last eight Boston points of the first quarter to give the Celtics an 11-point lead, and had another eight in a row midway through the fourth when they expanded the lead to 21. Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum had 15 points apiece, and Irving and Al Horford each had 11 points and nine rebounds to help Boston to its fourth straight win.

James had 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Tristan Thompson had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland, which lost for the fourth time in five games. Playing on backto-back nights — the Celtics had been preparing for them since New Year’s Eve — Cleveland shot 34.8 percent.

It was the first time the teams had played since the season opener, when top Boston free-agent Gordon Hayward broke his leg and in a gruesome injury that reshuffled the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Celtics finished with the top seed last year, but lost in the conference finals to Cleveland.

And so much has happened since then.

Thomas was traded for Irving, then missed the first 36 games of the season with a hip injury before making his season debut on Tuesday night. In that time, he stewed over his departure from Boston, where he developed into an All-Star and fan favorite. HEAT 111, PISTONS 104 » Kelly Olynyk scored 25 points, including a big layup with 39 seconds left, and Goran Dragic added 24 as Miami held off Detroit.

Olynyk finished with 13 rebounds and Dragic had 13 assists for the Heat, who are three games over .500 for the first time since April 2016.

The Pistons were without center Andre Drummond, sidelined by a rib injury. That meant Marjanovic made his first start since the end of the 2015-16 season, when he was with San Antonio. ROCKETS 116, MAGIC 98 » Gerald Green scored 27 points, Clint Capela had 21 points and eight rebounds and Houstongot by without NBA scoring leader James Harden, routing Orlando.

Harden was sidelined by a strained left hamstring.

Green made his first five 3-point shots and finished 7 for 10 from behind the arc for the Rockets, who were never behind and led by as many as 28 late in the third quarter. WIZARDS 121, KNICKS 103 » Bradley Beal scored 27 points, John Wall added 25 with nine assists and Washington beat New York.

Beal followed his 39-point outburst on Sunday by hitting 11 of his 14 field goal attempts for Washington, which was won five of six.