Cavaliers rout Celtics on day for honoring Pierce
LeBron James quieted a Celtics crowd that came to celebrate Paul Pierce on Sunday, scoring 24 points with 10 assists and eight rebounds to give new-look Cleveland a 121-99 victory against Boston in an individual performance reminiscent of the rivalry’s heyday.
And this time, Pierce was sitting courtside in street clothes, unable to do anything about it.
James shook off a firstquarter leg injury to score 13 in the second quarter — eight of them during a 13-2 run that turned a one-point deficit into a double-digit lead. The Celtics made it 6455 on the first basket of the third quarter but never got within 10 again.
As the Cavaliers opened a 27-point lead midway through the fourth, the crowd began chanting “We want Paul Pierce!” But he remained in his baseline seat, awaiting the postgame ceremony that would raise his No. 34 to the TD Garden rafters — the 23rd person in the history of the NBA’s mostdecorated franchise to be so honored.
“This is just a special day,” Pierce said afterward. “If I never make the Hall of Fame or anything, to go up in the rafters as a retired number for the Celtics — that’s just enough. That’s enough for me.”
The current Celtics, who have spent much of the season in first place in the East, could have used him.
Terry Rozier scored 21 with nine assists and Kyrie Irving scored 18 against his former team before sitting out the fourth quarter as the game became a blowout. The Celtics have lost three of four to fall behind Toronto in the Eastern Conference playoff race; the Cavaliers, who have won three straight, are 5½ games behind Boston.
In their first appearances for Cleveland since being acquired at the trade deadline, Jordan Clarkson scored 17 and George Hill had 12 points.
Timeouts featured tribute videos for Pierce from former Celtics coach Doc Rivers, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and Pierce’s college coach, Roy Williams.
Thunder
Oklahoma City stars Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony were ruled out of Sunday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies with sprained ankles. Westbrook has a sprained left ankle. He also missed Oklahoma City’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. The All-Star point guard leads the Thunder with 25.5 points, 10.3 assists and 9.3 rebounds per game. Anthony sprained his right ankle early in Oklahoma City’s win over Golden State on Feb. 6, and he also sat out against the Lakers. The veteran forward ranks third on the team with 17 points per game.
Kings
Three days after being acquired at the trade deadline, Joe Johnson was waived by the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. Sacramento announced the move before their game against the Timberwolves. Johnson, 36, was acquired along with guard Iman Shumpert, a 2020 second-round draft choice, the rights to forward Dimitros Agravanis and cash in a three-team trade involving the Cavaliers and Utah Jazz. The Kings sent guard George Hill to Cleveland in the deal. In 16 NBA seasons, Johnson has averaged 16.2 points per game and been a seven time All-Star.