Celtics 103, Cavaliers 91: Paul Pierce went 13-of-16 from the floor and scored 25 of his season-high 40 points in the second half as Boston held off Cleveland to extend its home winning streak to five games.

Rajon Rondo added 20 points and eight assists and Jason Terry scored 15 for the Celtics, who were making their return home after being swept on a three-game road trip.

Kyrie Irving led the way with 22 points and rookie Tyler Zeller scored 20 for the Cavaliers, who dropped their fifth straight.

Pierce conducted his own 12-2 run through the middle of the third quarter, stretching the lead to 75-57 when his second consecutive 3-pointer splashed through with 4:54 left in the period. Boston led by as many as 19 points in the third before Cleveland stormed back, bridging the third and fourth with a 15-0 run that chopped the lead to 82-80 with 9:03 remaining.

The Celtics never surrendered the advantage and got eight more points from Pierce during a 16-5 burst. Terry’s 3-pointer with 2:48 to play pushed the lead to 101-87 and sealed the win.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Boston had allowed at least 100 points and failed to score 90 during the three-game slide. … Cleveland was without C Anderson Varejao (knee). Varejao, who leads the NBA in rebounding (14.4), is day-to-day. … Rondo has failed to reach double figures in assists in three straight games. He had a streak of 37 straight games with double-digit assists come to an end earlier this season.