BOSTON — Wednesday night was Terry Rozier’s night at TD Garden.
The Celtics guard started in place of Kyrie Irving (flu-like symptoms) and made every minute count, dropping a game-high 26 points in Boston’s 123-103 shellacking of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Rozier scored the first eight points for the Green and 11 of their first 16.
To make things even more impressive for the 24-year-old, he shot a perfect 100 percent from the field in the first half. Rozier went 8-for-8 from the field while going 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Head coach Brad Stevens had plenty of praise for his guard after the win.
“He was good. First half I thought he kept us in the game. In the first quarter, I don’t know what he scored in the first quarter but it felt like half our points,” he said. “I thought that he, when everybody else was struggling to get it going, he really played well. He was good on both ends, and it was encouraging to see him and Jaylen (Brown) and Gordon (Hayward) all have good games and all do a lot of good things. But I thought Terry really jumpstarted us.”
Stevens also pointed out having players like Rozier gives Boston “a chance to stay at a good level” when others are out.
“I think ultimately Terry played not only well tonight but he’s had, the better part of the last few games, he’s been very good,” Stevens said. “We’re really encouraged by him. He’s a great guy, as we’ve all talked with his work ethic, his desire to get better, never says a word about the days he doesn’t start, he just comes in and tries to play his hardest.”
As for Rozier, it doesn’t matter whether he’s starting or coming off the bench, he just wants to make a difference in the game.
“I wouldn’t say it’s different,” Rozier said when asked if his mental approach differed when he starts, “but obviously I know that I am going out there right away … It is kind of different but at the same time I am trying to be effective either way.”
Here are some other notes from Wednesday’s Celtics-Cavaliers game:
— Rozier became the first Celtics shooter to score at least 20 points on 100 percent shooting in a single half since Paul Pierce did so against the Chicago Bulls in 2009.
— This is Boston’s 10th consecutive win at home. It will welcome the back-to-back NBA champion Golden State Warriors to TD Garden on Saturday night.
So what’s it going to take to make it 11 straight at home?
“Just protecting home court,” Brown said. “We have some awesome fans here in Boston that come out and give us energy every time we play here. So, we try and give that back in return.”
— Boston had six players in double figures, including Brad Wanamaker with 11.
“Every time I’ve played him in a regular rotation I think he’s added positive, productive minutes,” Stevens said. “As Danny (Ainge) said from the moment we signed him. he’s a pro’s pro, he will always be ready.”
— The Celtics were trailing 36-33 with just over eight minutes left in the second quarter, but went on a 32-14 run and never trailed again after that.
