Clippers put a hurting on the Celtics

And finally, an easy Clippers victory.

They’ve often seemed incapable of routing an opponent in a disappointing season to this point, but even the Clippers were too much for the short-handed Boston Celtics on Wednesday night in a 100-77 victory in front of 17,706 at Staples Center.

Playing without injured All-Star forward Paul Pierce, among others, the Celtics were in trouble from the start against the Clippers, who led by 16 in the first quarter, 12 at halftime and 27 in the fourth.

Eleven of the 12 Clippers who played scored.

Tim Thomas scored a season-high 25 points and Elton Brand contributed 25 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots to help the Clippers (12-16) end a four-game losing streak on their home court.

The Celtics (10-17) lost their fourth in a row. Point guard Sebastian Telfair led Boston with 18 points and forward Gerald Green scored 17 points, making five of eight three-point shots.The Clippers were aggressive on defense, setting the tone with 11 blocks, 11 steals and scoring 28 points off turnovers. They also limited the Celtics to 31.9% shooting from the field and 34 points in the second half.

The Clippers delivered a strong defensive performance in a good start on a key three-game homestand before they begin a six-game, 10-day Eastern trip on Jan. 1.

The Clippers face the Sacramento Kings on Friday and the New York Knicks on Sunday in what some in the organization described as two more must-win games for a team that aspires to return to .500 soon and get back into the playoff mix before the All-Star break.

“This game was a must-win game,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “We played a team with major injury problems that we knew would play hard and with a lot of energy.

“Defensively, we were very active. We got a lot of touches on the ball and guys rotated well.”

In his second solid outing in as many games, backup point guard Daniel Ewing scored six points and had two steals in 27 minutes.

The second-year player, who has appeared in 19 of the team’s 28 games, has been thrust into the role behind starter Shaun Livingston because Sam Cassell is sidelined indefinitely after suffering a heel injury.

Cassell tried to play through the pain but decided last week to take an extended break in an attempt to heal.

Although the Clippers have officially listed the 14-year veteran as day to day, Cassell is not expected to return to the lineup soon.

Livingston and Ewing are the only other point guards on the roster, and Livingston occasionally needs a break, so Dunleavy has turned to Ewing out of necessity.

“It’s that old adage about in an 82-game season, you’re going to get a shot, so you better be ready to play,” Dunleavy said. “When you first get into a game, the most important thing is to play solid defense, move the basketball, take good shots and don’t hurt your team.”

That’s his plan, Ewing said.

“When you’re not playing a lot, you just wonder when your turn is going to come,” Ewing said. “You wonder when you’re going to get your chance to help the team. You sit there thinking, ‘What can I do to help?’

“We need Sam, but this is an opportunity for me, so I have to do what I can with it. I have to make the most of it.”

Cassell, who has mentored Livingston and Ewing since last season, said he’s not worried about Ewing.

“My young fella, Daniel Ewing, he’ll be fine,” Cassell said. “He knows what he has to do for this basketball team.”

jason.reid@latimes.com