The Boston Celtics and New Jersey Nets are waiting until the playoffs to officially renew one of the NBA's budding rivalries.

"It doesn't mean nothing," Celtics guard Paul Pierce said Wednesday night after Boston's 96-79 home victory. "This game doesn't put us into the NBA Finals. It's a regular-season game."

The teams met in the Eastern Conference finals last season and became bitter opponents when New Jersey objected to how Boston celebrated after the Nets blew a 26-point lead in Game 3. Celtics fans also taunted Jason Kidd's wife and son during the series, which the Nets won in six games.

"The rivalry started in the playoffs, and it will have to continue in the playoffs, not the regular season," Kidd said.

Tony Delk and Shammond Williams each scored 21 points - the first time this season that neither Pierce nor Antoine Walker led the Celtics in scoring. Pierce had 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Walker added 16 points as the Celtics snapped a two-game losing streak.

"The big two didn't have their 'A' game tonight," said Kidd, who scored 19 points. "So it shows they're different from last year."

The Celtics took control with a pair of 11-0 runs in the third quarter, with the Nets scoring just 14 points on 4-for-22 shooting in the period.

"We were terrible tonight," Nets coach Byron Scott said. "I don't understand how you can come in here, especially against a team that you know is going to play you extremely hard, that wants to beat you badly ... and we come out with a lackadaisical effort."

Pacers 97, Raptors 95

At Toronto, Al Harrington scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half as Indiana improved to 9-1 to match its best start.

Jermaine O'Neal added 20 points for the Pacers, who tied the team record set in the 1969-70 ABA season.

Voshon Lenard had 22 points, and Alvin Williams 21 for the shorthanded Raptors, who have lost three straight.

Pistons 79, Heat 68

At Auburn Hills, Mich., Ben Wallace had 19 rebounds, a season-best 12 points and tied a franchise high with 10 blocks to lead Detroit over Miami.

Chucky Atkins scored a season-best 21 points in place of the injured Chauncey Billups.

Eddie Jones scored 15 points for Miami, which failed to reach 70 points for the second time in three games.

Timberwolves 103, Hawks 93

At Atlanta, Troy Hudson scored 20 points and Marc Jackson added 18 for Minnesota.

Kevin Garnett was held to 15 points on 5-for-19 shooting from the floor, but had a game-high 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who beat the Hawks for the sixth straight time.

Glenn Robinson scored 33 points and Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta, which had won three straight and was 4-0 at home.

Jazz 96, Nuggets 79

At Denver, Karl Malone scored 21 points, including 16 in the second half, and Utah handed the Nuggets their fifth straight loss.

Juwan Howard led the Nuggets with 17 points and 13 rebounds.

76ers 95, Grizzlies 88

At Memphis, Tenn., Allen Iverson scored 33 points as Philadelphia kept the Grizzlies the NBA's only winless team at 0-12.

Stromile Swift set a Memphis record by blocking eight shots, and he also had 12 points and 16 rebounds. Rookie Drew Gooden led the Grizzlies with 21 points.

Trail Blazers 98, Magic 84

At Portland, Ore., Rasheed Wallace had 26 points and 14 rebounds, and Derek Anderson added 26 points as the Trail Blazers won consecutive games for the first time this season.

Orlando's Tracy McGrady had 33 points, the seventh consecutive game he's scored at least 30 points - a franchise record and the ninth time this season.

Warriors 100, Bulls 94

At Oakland, Calif., Antawn Jamison scored 25 points, and Gilbert Arenas had 16 points and 11 assists as Golden State withstood Jalen Rose's one-man comeback in the second half.

Troy Murphy had 17 points and 13 rebounds as Golden State grabbed a big early lead and held on through a tense fourth quarter and a stirring second-half performance by Rose, who scored 26 of his 34 points after halftime.

Kings 93, Clippers 89

At Los Angeles, Chris Webber and Bobby Jackson each scored 19 points for Sacramento.

Corey Maggette scored a career-high 30 points for the Clippers, including a 3-pointer with 21.7 seconds left that pulled them within two at 91-89. But Stojakovic made two free throws, then the Clippers missed three shots in a row.