While Joe Mazzulla embraced the adversity that came from the Celtics’ dismal loss to the Lakers – who were without both LeBron James and Anthony Davis – he also acknowledged they needed to respond to it.

Mazzulla was excited about the opportunity. Saturday’s rare practice day allowed the Celtics to take a “deep breath,” he said, after a hectic schedule. Little did he know, his team had the chance to right the ship under similar circumstances from their last setback.

The Grizzlies were absurdly shorthanded on Sunday. Already down Ja Morant and Marcus Smart, they were also missing stars Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. That wasn’t even half the list. They had 13 players out, and only eight players available, including several players on two-way contracts. The Celtics, like on Thursday, could have relaxed even more than they did then as a 19.5-point favorites.

Ultimately, though, their talent and firepower was too much. Unlike Thursday, they took care of business. Led by 34 points from Jayson Tatum and 26 from Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics got back on track with a dominant 131-91 victory over the Grizzlies on an emotional night at TD Garden, where Smart made his return to Boston.

Sunday’s win will be remembered for Smart’s return and the several deserving ovations he received throughout this win. The former and beloved Celtics point guard didn’t play as he recovers from a finger injury, but his presence on the floor likely would have hardly mattered in this one alongside a Memphis team that was led by Luke Kennard, G.G. Jackson and several other players who have barely logged any NBA time.

While the final score didn’t suggest it, the Celtics had trouble putting away the Grizzlies early. They led by double digits early in the second quarter before the Grizzlies went on a run that included 3-pointers from Kennard and Jacob Gilyard, who cut their deficit to 40-38 and still trailed by two with 4:55 left in the half after a layup from Jackson. But the C’s responded with a 24-6 run led by Tatum, Porzingis and Derrick White.

The Celtics led by 20 at halftime and never let their advantage get trimmed by less than 16 the rest of the way. Four of the five Celtics starters were able to rest for the entirety of the fourth quarter except for Jrue Holiday, who soon followed them to the bench early in the final period when it was clear the game was out of reach.

The lopsided score allowed rookie Jordan Walsh to check into the game with 8:33 remaining in the fourth. He scored his first career points soon after after Oshae Brissett found him for an emphatic dunk in transition.