National Basketball Association

Celtics close preseason by clocking Cavs

Published Oct. 22, 2009 7:07 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Boston Celtics rested two-thirds of their Big Three. Everybody else was up to the task.

Eddie House scored 21 points as the Celtics rolled to a 96-82 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in a preseason game Wednesday night.

"We got a win. We closed the preseason out right," said House, who hit 8 of 14 shots from the field including three 3-pointers.

Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen didn't play for the Celtics, coach Doc Rivers saying before the game that he had also asked Paul Pierce to rest. Pierce, however, started and played just over 13 minutes and scored 11 points.

"I was just trying to stay sharp," Pierce said. "We've got five, six days before we play again. I thought it was good for me to go out there."

The two teams meet again in the season opener on Tuesday in Cleveland.

"I don't care where it is when you play the Cavs," Pierce said. "They're a team that we probably are going to have to go through in the Eastern Conference. They're going to be right up there at the top if they stay healthy. It'd be great to get a win in that building."

Marquis Daniels scored 17 points, Kendrick Perkins 13 and Rasheed Wallace 10 for the Celtics (6-2). They were on top 32-22 after a quarter and never trailed again, leading by as many as 21 points in the third quarter.

House said the Celtics bench showed how good it can be.

"We've got a great combination of guys," he said. "Rasheed can go on the block or stretch out the defense, shooting some 3s. Marquis is a guy who can slash, rebound, bring the ball up. I just think we have a great dynamic on the second unit."

LeBron James scored 18 points, Shaquille O'Neal 16 and Anderson Varejao had 10 for the Cavaliers (3-4).