Recap: Celtics 106, Cavs 87

This will be short and sweet. Not a whole lot to say about a one-sided game for three quarters.

Mo Williams couldn't defend Rajon Rondo in the playoffs last season. To the surprise of no one, he still can't. Rondo is quickly climbing the ranks of point guards in the league. Byron Scott put Chris Paul and Deron Williams at the top of the list and Rondo in the next tier down.

He entered averaging better than 14 assists per game and left with a season high in points (23). Shaq playfully calls him "FedEx" and it's easy to see why: He always delivers.

The fact the Celtics scored 60 points in the paint is appalling. The fact they did it in their last game doesn't lessen the sting any, because that game was against the Toronto Raptors. The Cavs don't really want to be in that company, but reality shows they're much closer to the Raptors and the bottom of the conference than the Celtics and the top.

None of that will matter for the next couple of days. The players have dodged the topic for a few days now, but there's no longer any way to get around it. LeBron James is coming back, and he'll be here in a few hours.

Players have, for the most part, kept quiet regarding their true feelings about James. Interviews tomorrow likely won't be any different. Boobie Gibson is the closest of the current Cavs to James, and from all accounts is the only player to have fairly constant contact with him over the last few months.

Thursday will be memorable. It will be the fans' chance to finally voice their opinion, to vent, to perhaps walk away feeling a little bit better. Of course, that likely only applies if the Cavaliers win.

Stats
Cavs
Anderson Varejao 16 points, 12 rebounds
Daniel Gibson 16 points
Ramon Sessions 14 points, 4 assists
Mo Williams 13 points, 4 assists
Anthony Parker 13 points, 3 assists
J.J. Hickson 1 point, 11 rebounds
Celtics
Rajon Rondo 23 points, 12 assists
Glen Davis 17 points, 11 rebounds
Marquis Daniels 16 points
Kevin Garnett 11 points, 10 rebounds

Turning point]
Rajon Rondo scored 13 consecutive Celtics points at the end of the first quarter and the start of the second. That sparked a 35-point second quarter for the Celtics and ended the Cavs' night early. Very early.

He said it
"In the second quarter, they decided to play a little bit. It's almost like a boxing match when you get punched in the face. You want to see how you're going to react. I thought we staggered, but I didn't think we threw a punch back."

Key stat
The Celtics scored 60 points in the paint against the Cavs. Sixty. 6-0. The Cavs had 65 points in all after three quarters. You get the idea.

Notes
* Anderson Varejao had double-digits in rebounds for the second straight game and eighth time this season. Varejao (1,823) is seven defensive rebounds shy of tying Tyrone Hill (1,830) for eighth all-time in team history.

* J.J. Hickson's 11 rebounds were a season high. Of course, he only had one point. Which brings to mind Harry Doyle in the movie Major League: "That's all we got? One g--d--- hit?"

* Daniel Gibson hit a 3-pointer tonight. Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal. But he hadn't hit one since injuring his shoulder last week crashing into a screen against the Milwaukee Bucks. But he hit one Tuesday, so all is right with the world again.