The Celtics opened their four-game homestand the right way Monday night, taking care of business with a 102-94 win over the Trail Blazers at TD Garden.

Boston jumped on Portland early, weathered a mid-game lull, and never truly allowed the outcome to feel in doubt.

The win pushed the Celtics to 29-17 on the season, while Portland slipped to 23-24.

It wasn’t a particularly pretty night for either side, but it was one of those games where Boston showed it can win even without everything clicking.

Here are four takeaways from the Celtics’ victory over the Blazers:

This was a grind.

The Celtics didn’t shoot especially well, coughed the ball up 17 times, and went through long stretches where the offense stalled out. On most nights, that can get you into trouble - but Portland simply didn’t have enough juice to fully capitalize.

Without Deni Avdija, who’s in the midst of a breakout season, the Blazers struggled to generate consistent offense. They shot just 41% from the field and 25% from three, and while they made a push to get the game back into single digits late, it never felt like Boston lost control.

The Celtics built a massive cushion early, holding Portland to just 11 points in the first quarter and stretching the lead to as many as 23 in the first half.

That buffer mattered on a night when execution wavered, and it allowed Boston to survive an otherwise sluggish performance.

With Luka Garza ruled out before tip due to illness and Neemias Queta also not at full strength, the door opened for two-way big Amari Williams - and he took advantage.

Williams logged 26 minutes and finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds, looking comfortable and composed throughout. This wasn’t a surprise cameo like his late appearance in the double-overtime win over Brooklyn last week. This was a real, rotation-level run, and Williams didn’t look overwhelmed.

He rebounded, defended, and stayed within himself offensively.

For a Celtics team that’s constantly evaluating its frontcourt depth, nights like this matter - whether Williams’ future is in Boston or as a potential asset elsewhere.

Monday night also doubled as a reunion.

Jrue Holiday made his return to TD Garden, drawing cheers during pregame introductions and receiving a welcome-back video after the first quarter.

Holiday finished with 14 points in 24 minutes, continuing to look like a player Boston would gladly welcome back into the fold.

Robert Williams III also returned to the Garden floor, finally healthy enough to face his former team. He posted 6 points and 2 rebounds in 19 minutes, flashing the energy and rim presence Celtics fans know well - even if his body has too often betrayed him.

It was a reminder of just how much this roster has evolved, and how calculated Boston’s decisions were in moving on from both players.

The Celtics now have six of their next eight games at home heading into the All-Star break, and only two of those matchups come against teams currently in playoff position (Houston and New York).

Boston has hovered near the top of the East for weeks, but the margin for error remains slim.

This stretch presents an opportunity to stack wins, build rhythm, and sharpen things offensively before the schedule tightens again.

The Celtics weren’t at their best Monday, and that’s exactly why the win mattered.

Boston is back in action Wednesday night against Atlanta (23-25) at TD Garden.

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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.