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Final Score: Detroit 79 - Boston 88

Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Kevin Garnett scored 26 points and Paul Pierce added 22 as the Celtics beat Detroit, 88-79, in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals.

Having been pushed to seven games in each of the first two rounds, against Atlanta and Cleveland, respectively, the Celtics remained unbeaten on their home floor in the postseason after nine contests.

Rajon Rondo had 11 points and seven assists for Boston, which is trying to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1987.

Garnett had eight of his points during a big run in the third quarter, and finished with nine rebounds while shooting 11-of-17 from the field.

"We wanted to establish Kevin," Pierce said. "We know the success he's had against Detroit. We feel like Kevin has an advantage almost every night, especially on the one-on-one or on the block, on the wing, so we try to get him the ball and establish that. Once you start doing that, it makes my life easier and guys on the perimeter because his unselfishness, his aggressiveness, opens up the lanes once he swings it."

Tayshaun Prince scored 16 points and Richard Hamilton had 15 for the Pistons, who are into the East finals for a sixth straight year. Antonio McDyess tallied 14 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, while Rasheed Wallace scored 11.

Chauncey Billups, who missed the final two games of Detroit's second-round playoff series with Orlando due to a strained right hamstring, was limited to nine points.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Thursday night, again at TD Banknorth Garden.

The Pistons hadn't played since finishing off the Magic in five games last Tuesday, while Boston was playing its second contest in three days.

"We just came out with extra focus and extra energy at the start of the game because we knew they would try to come out and get the first game," Pierce said. "That's what teams usually try to do versus a tired team."

Hamilton's jumper represented the first points of the third quarter, putting the Pistons ahead 42-41, but Boston answered with a 14-4 burst. Garnett highlighted the flurry with a jam, and it ended on a Kendrick Perkins free throw at the midway point of the period.

The Celtics remained comfortably ahead in the third, and when Eddie House nailed a three-pointer from the left wing with 1.2 seconds left, the lead was widened to 69-57.

"I told our guys as bad as we played we had opportunities," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "In the third quarter, I think we had six or seven turnovers, which basically blew the game open. We had trouble recovering from that."

The closest the Pistons got was six points in the final quarter, the last time at 79-73 following a Billups pull-up jumper with 4:14 left. However, Pierce then hit a pull-up shot and Rondo followed with a jumper with under three minutes remaining.

It was a quick start for the Celtics, as they scored the opening eight points, capped by a Ray Allen layup. However, the Pistons answered with eight in a row later for a 13-12 edge. The Celtics came back with the next eight before settling for a 22-17 advantage after 12 minutes.

It was tight throughout the second, but two late Garnett baskets gave Boston a slim lead and it was 41-40 at the half.

"We had just too many mistakes defensively," Detroit's Lindsey Hunter said. "There were just too many coverages blown. Rust has nothing to do with coverages blown."