CLEVELAND -- Rajon Rondo struggled early in the game for the second straight contest. He is clearly having trouble getting by Delonte West, a guard he went up against in practice during his rookie season a year ago. Rondo played better in the second half but finished with no assists and seven points.

“You have to look yourself in the mirror. It starts with the point guard so I’m going to take a lot of credit for this loss and come back and be more aggressive, especially defensively,” Rondo said.

Boston’s slow start let the Cavaliers race off to a 32-13 first quarter lead. The defense allowed the Cavs to shoot 65 percent from the field.

“It started with ourselves,” Rondo said. “We settled for a lot of jump shots and we didn’t make them and that’s when they took their lead. They beat us to a lot of loose balls and their role players stepped up and made a lot of shots. They hurt us tonight.”

-KEVIN McNAMARA