The Cavaliers are the favorites to finish atop the Eastern Conference standings this season. Most prognosticators view the depleted Celtics as a fringe playoff team at best.

Despite those radically different expectations, Boston was the better team Wednesday night at TD Garden, trucking a shorthanded Cleveland squad 125-105.

Jaylen Brown scored 30 points to lead the Celtics, who had eight players reach double figures in the lopsided win. One of those was fourth-year pro Josh Minott, who posted an 11-point, 14-rebound double-double with three steals and a block in his second career start.

Neemias Queta also recorded a double-double in his fifth game as Boston’s starting center (10 points, 13 rebounds, three steals) and was a game-best plus-25 in his 26 minutes. Derrick White added 19 poi

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