New-look Cavs roll Kyrie & Co.

CAVALIERS 121, CELTICS 99

BOSTON» LeBron James led the new-look Cavaliers to a blowout in Boston with an individual performance reminiscent of the rivalry’s heyday.

And this time, Paul Pierce was sitting courtside in street clothes, unable to do anything about it.

With the former Celtics star waiting to see his No. 34 raised to the Boston Garden rafters, James shook off a first-quarter leg injury to post 24 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds while leading Cleveland to a 121-99 victory Sunday.

In their first appearances since being acquired at the trade deadline, Jordan Clarkson scored 17 points, Rodney Hood had 15, George Hill had 12 and Larry Nance Jr. scored five. The foursome practiced with the Cavs for the first time Saturday.

“I know the guys that are here are excited about this opportunity,” James said. “It’s my job to as the leader of this team to make sure that I acclimate the new four guys to be around a culture that’s built around winning.”

James scored 13 points in the second quarter — eight during a 13-2 run that turned a one-point deficit into a double-digit lead. The Celtics made it 64-55 on the first basket of the third quarter but never got within 10 points again.

Kyrie Irving led all Celtics starters with 18 points, and Terry Rozier scored 21 off the Boston bench.

As the Cavaliers opened a 27-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, the crowd began chanting “We want Paul Pierce!” But he stayed in his baseline seat, awaiting the postgame ceremony — the 23rd person in the history of the NBA’s most-decorated franchise to be honored with a retired jersey.

“It definitely gave me chills, especially with LeBron out there,” Pierce told reporters afterward. “I wanted to be out there.”