TORONTO – It was a lot easier for the Boston Celtics with Rajon Rondo back in the lineup.

Paul Pierce scored 30 points, Ray Allen had 23 and the Celtics marked Rondo’s return with a 93-79 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night.

“With him, because he knows everything we run, we were back into running stuff we’d basically put into hibernation while he was out,” Boston Coach Doc Rivers said. “You just see how comfortable Paul and Ray were.”

The NBA’s assists leader, Rondo returned after missing seven games with a sprained left ankle. He had four points and eight assists in 34 minutes.

“Obviously I want to be out there with the team, calling the sets,” Rondo said. “I’m the most comfortable with it. I know the plays better than Doc.”

Glen Davis added 15 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as Boston won for the 10th time in 11 meetings with Toronto.

It was Davis’ third double-double of the season.

Davis said Rondo encouraged him to keep shooting after he made just one of seven shots in the first half. Davis made five of seven in the second half.

“No matter what I do out there, no matter if I mess up a play, no matter if I fumble the ball, no matter if I take a bad shot, he is always telling me to keep my head up,” Davis said. “That means so much. No matter what you do he is still going to be right there behind you.”

Pierce was disappointed with himself after scoring just 12 points and making a season-high six turnovers in Friday’s 83-81 loss to New Orleans, but made up for that by hitting 10 of 15 shots, seven of eight free throws and grabbing seven rebounds to help Boston snap a two-game losing streak.

Pierce said Rondo’s return was the key to his offensive turnaround.

“Rondo is always the difference when you’ve got him on the court,” Pierce said. “I really couldn’t tell he’d been out for seven games. He was a floor general out there, he got guys in the right spots.”

Rondo, who came in averaging an NBA-best 13.2 assists, had to be helped off the court in the fourth quarter of a victory over the New York Knicks on Dec. 15, and had not played since.

Celtics forward Kevin Garnett, who injured his right calf in Wednesday’s loss to Detroit, missed his second straight game.

“I doubt if Kevin plays this week,” Rivers said.

HAWKS 107, CLIPPERS 98: Joe Johnson scored 11 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, Josh Smith added 22 and the Hawks rallied to beat the Clippers in Los Angeles.

KNICKS 98, PACERS 92: Amare Stoudemire scored 26 points, including six of New York’s last seven points, and the Knicks won at home.

MAVERICKS 104, CAVALIERS 95: In Cleveland, Shawn Marion scored 22 points and DeShawn Stevenson added 21, helping Dallas end a three-game skid.

NOTE

Caron Butler could be out at least a couple of months because of a knee injury, a tough blow for the already ailing Dallas Mavericks. A person with direct knowledge said the initial diagnosis is a torn patellar tendon.