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Final Score: Atlanta 65 - Boston 99

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Paul Pierce scored 22 points and pulled down eight rebounds as Boston routed Atlanta, 99-65, in the decisive Game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

The top-seeded Celtics won the best-of-seven series by a 4-3 margin and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2002-03. The home team won each game in the series.

Kevin Garnett added 18 points and 11 boards for the Celtics, who now move on to face the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers starting on Tuesday in Boston.

"We were at home and this is how we play at home," Garnett said. "When we are consistent with our defense, it is hard to win here. We have to learn how to win on the road. We're going to enjoy this and get ready for Cleveland."

Joe Johnson had 16 points but was just 5-of-17 from the field for the Hawks, who have not won a Game 7 since 1961 when the team called St. Louis home, and are now 0-4 versus Boston in Game 7s.

"We missed some very good shots early in the first. We missed four layups," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "We didn't get back on defense and that hurt us."

Salim Stoudamire added 10 points off the bench, while Al Horford finished with eight points and 12 rebounds.

The Celtics came out of the gates with a lot of energy and broke open a a close game with a 14-5 run midway through the opening quarter. Pierce fueled the run with consecutive buckets and Ray Allen finished it with a driving layup to give Boston a double-digit cushion, 20-10.

Johnson stemmed the tide momentarily with a three but Pierce finished the quarter with a fadeaway and a three of his own to give the Celtics a 27-16 lead after the opening 12 minutes.

Boston continued pulling away in the second quarter. Garnett's pull-up jumper put the Celtics on top 36-20 with just over seven minutes remaining until intermission.

Moments later, Garnett connected on consecutive buckets to give Boston its largest lead of the half, 42-23, with just over four minutes remaining.

The Celtics continued to hold Atlanta at arm's length for the rest of the frame and took a 44-26 lead into the locker room.

The game turned into a laugher in the third quarter and emotions boiled over when Hawks forward Marvin Williams, who was listed as questionable before the game with a sprained knee, was ejected with 9:09 remaining in the stanza after committing a flagrant foul 2 against Rajon Rondo.

Rondo was on his way to an easy layup when Williams horse-collared the guard and threw him to the floor. The officials immediately called the flagrant foul 2, which carries an automatic ejection.

If anything, the foul seemed to elevate the Celtics' play even more over the next few minutes. Rondo went right back to the basket for a driving layup and Garnett followed with a turnaround jumper to give Boston its first 30-point lead, 60-30, with 6:19 left in the third quarter.

A James Posey slam, with 1:01 left in the third, put the Celtics up by an astonishing 38 points, 79-41.

The fourth quarter proved to be gloried garbage time as both teams emptied their benches and Boston coasted to the finish line.

"Our defensive energy was off the charts," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "I was really proud. It was a great effort. We played our best in Game 7 and that was important for us. Our character was revealed and we passed the test."