NEW ORLEANS -- It was the final night of a grueling five-game road trip, but the intensity and dominance the Boston Celtics displayed in stifling the New Orleans Pelicans 111-93 Monday night to finish with a 3-2 record had coach Brad Stevens about as happy as he's been all season.

Point guard Isaiah Thomas scored a game-high 22 points, making all four of his 3-point attempts, and the stifling Celtics defense held New Orleans' five starters to a combined 27 points and, overall, 41.1 percent shooting.

Even more statistically glaring was one of the rarest stat lines in recent NBA history: Boston's starting backcourt of Thomas and Avery Bradley (11 points) outscored the Pelicans starting guards, Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans, 33-0.

"Zero? Man, that's very dominant," Thomas said with a wide smile. "I didn't know that. We played a pretty good game, I guess."

Stevens said the Celtics (12-9) came out determined to close the road trip on a winning note.

"I thought our guys played really hard, really focused, stayed the course when things didn't go quite as well in the second quarter," Stevens said. "We were very active, very good, very alert to Ryan Anderson, very solid on Anthony Davis and very active otherwise. This was a good way to end the trip, and we've got a bear (of a schedule) coming up."

Davis picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter and was never really a factor. He hit his first two shots and then went 6 of 19 the rest of the way, finishing with 16 points and six rebounds.

Davis was the only New Orleans starter in double figures. Forward Alonzo Gee had eight points, with five coming in garbage time when the Pelicans trailed by as many as 22 points. Center Omer Asik had three points.

After the game, New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry, normally placid and affable, looked visibly upset. The Pelicans (5-16) played their most complete game of the season in a 114-108 overtime victory over Cleveland on Sunday night, but they played like dead men walking Monday night.

"I am just really disappointed," Gentry said. "We keep taking a step forward and a step back. We have no excuses. We have all of our players back besides Quincy (Pondexter), and we must do a better job if we want to be a competitive team."

Gentry said before the game that he wanted to solidify his starting line, which had been in transition because of early-season injuries, but now he was not so certain.

"I'm going to put the guys out there that play the hardest," Gentry said. "I'm going to play the guys that compete. I don't care about the name on the back of the jersey; I'm going to play people who play hard. That's what we've got to do. My message is you've got to compete."

The Celtics broke open a tie game to lead 53-44 at halftime, extended their lead to 81-67 at the end of three quarters and led by as many as 22 in the fourth quarter. Reserve forward Kelly Olynyk had season-high 21 points and forward Jae Crowder added 17 for the Celtics.

Center Jared Sullinger compiled a rare double-double -- 11 points and a career-high 20 rebounds.

"I think the ball just kind of found me," Sullinger said. "The basketball gods were saying, 'Hey, today you're not going to make a lot of shots. Do something else.' And sure enough, the ball just kind of found my hands on rebounds."

Olynyk said Thomas' offense and Sullinger's board work were inspiring.

"I looked up at the scoreboard and it said Isaiah had every point and Sully had every rebound," Olynyk said. "I was like, 'Get them all, man.'"

New Orleans was led by reserve forward Ryan Anderson with 18 points.

After the game, Evans seemed a bit dazed by the Pelicans' offensive struggles. He was 0 of 5 from the field and committed five turnovers in 17:33.

"It's frustrating," Evans said. "I just think I didn't come with the right game plan. Coach told me to swing the ball, so my mind set was to try get guys involved instead of just seeing what the defense gives me and playing my game, attacking and taking the gaps. It's a bad gamer all around for us. We didn't match their energy."

NOTES: Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he likes going with a small lineup for short periods but not as a steady diet. "The small lineup spaces the floor and gives you multiple drivers and shooters," Stevens said. "It gives you the ability to switch. The difference between us and some others when they go small is we're really small." ... Boston F David Lee, who missed the Saturday game with a right heel bruise, and G R.J. Hunter (hip flexor) both sat out Monday. "David got through the stretching and just didn't feel right," Stevens said. "R.J. got through the initial drills and just didn't feel 100 percent." ... New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry is amazed at the perfect start posted by the Warriors, his former team. "The most intriguing thing about Golden State this year is that every single guy on that team came back a better player, which is hard to do," Gentry said.