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BOSTON -- Boston coach Doc Rivers didnt hide the fact that his team should beat an injury-riddled New Jersey team. Paul Pierce listened and nearly took care of it himself. Pierce scored nine of his 24 points during a game-breaking third-quarter run and Avery Bradley hit his first career three-pointer, helping the Celtics beat the Nets 89-70 Wednesday night. After what looked like a listless first half, Boston took over with an 18-3 third-quarter closing run. "He mainly talked about us," Pierce said Rivers told the team after the sluggish first half. "He just told us we should win this game with all the injuries they have. We just needed to clean up some things and stop turning the ball over." Reserve Brandon Bass scored 15 and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had eight points and 12 assists for the Celtics (4-3). Boston has won four straight since dropping all three of a season-opening road trip. Kevin Garnett had 14 points and 12 boards, Bradley finished with 11 points. "We just played better, played harder, executed better," Rivers said of the change after halftime. "I really thought in the first half our defence was terrific; our offence was horrendous." Rivers also said Pierces play is improving after he missed the initial three games with a bruised right heel. "You can see it," he said. "Hes getting his rhythm." MarShon Brooks, making his first career start, led the Nets with 17 points, and Jordan Farmar had 11. New Jersey has lost six straight since a season-opening win at Washington. "I thought it was going to be a big game until it happened," he said. "Boston did a good job of adjusting at halftime and throwing some double teams at me. It was my first time getting double teamed in this league, so I didnt know how to get my shot off." Nets guard Deron Williams missed the game with a sore right ankle, forward Kris Humphries with a sore left shoulder and centre Brook Lopez with a broken right foot. Further depleting their roster, starting forward Damion James had his right foot stepped on late in the second quarter and didnt play the second half. Brooks had 15 in the first half, but was hobbled after tweaking his left ankle late in the second quarter. "He had an awfully good first half for us. He showed how explosive he is offensively and I think since he kind of tweaked it in the first and it took a lot of his energy in the second half," Nets coach Avery Johnson said. "He tried to play through it -- he had a really nice first half for us, as well as our team, defensively. We just couldnt score in the second half." The Nets are hoping Brooks and James arent out now, too. Brooks had x-rays in the arena after the game, but results were not immediately available to the media. "Damion is more of a foot situation and MarShon is more of an ankle," Johnson said. "Well have more of an update on them tomorrow." Boston guard Ray Allen missed the game due to illness. Neither team shot over 40 per cent in the first half that ended with the Nets up 35-34. To add to its weak shooting first half, Boston had 10 turnovers. But in the third quarter, the Celtics just had too much offence -- mainly Pierce. "We just started to execute and run a little bit," Pierce said. "We kept it simple." Bass started the spree with a jumper from the wing and Rondo hit a free throw before Pierce nailed consecutive threes just 34 seconds apart, making it 55-44. He then hit one free throw before Bradley, who played sparingly in just his second season, nailed his first three of his brief NBA career and Pierce hit two more free throws, making it 61-46. Bass jumper late in the quarter gave Boston a 63-47 lead after three quarters. Rondos jumper midway into the final quarter gave the Celtics a 73-51 lead. NOTES: Brooks became the Nets fourth rookie since 2000-01 to start within the first seven games of a season. ... Boston C Jermaine ONeal returned to the starting lineup after missing Mondays game with a tight right hamstring. ... Patriots NT Vince Wilfork was seated courtside. ... Bradley is now 1 for 11 in his career on three-point attempts. nfl Jerseys wholesale . Clevenger did not appeal the penalty and was set to sit out Saturday night at Pittsburgh. "I fully accept it," Clevenger said. "Major League Baseball stepped in and Im accepting their punishment for it. cheap jerseys . Head coach Scott Milanovich was optimistic that his starting quarterback could go but added the team wont make an announcement until Thursday. Ray is recuperating from a strained MCL that he suffered in the first quarter of a loss in Montreal on Sept. http://www.nflcheapwholesalejerseyschina.com/ . -- Royals manager Ned Yost and outfielder Jeff Francoeur both had been ejected long before the ninth inning of Thursday nights game against Milwaukee, so they had to settle for watching its dramatic conclusion on television. wholesale nfl jerseys . San Francisco and free-agent centre fielder Angel Pagan agreed to a $40 million, four-year contract Monday as the winter meetings got under way in Nashville, Tenn. cheap nfl jerseys wholesale . But once the longtime kicker stepped inside Clevelands jubilant locker room there was no doubt. As players hugged in celebration, incoming owner Jimmy Haslam III beamed while shaking hands with many players who had never felt the joy of winning an NFL game. CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Left-hander Aroldis Chapman will get more chances to finish games for the Cincinnati Reds. Does that make him the full-time closer? Not quite yet. Chapman picked up his second career save on Sunday by finishing a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees. The Reds have been looking for someone to take the spot of closer Ryan Madson, out for the season with a torn elbow ligament, and are going to find out whether Chapmans 100 mph fastball will fit the job description. They gave left-hander Sean Marshall the first chance to fill the job, but he has struggled in the role. Now, the Cuban with an 0.00 ERA will get a chance. "Its going to be a situation where were going to have to use who we think is best on that day, and hopefully hes rested and the best guy for that day," manager Dusty Baker said on Monday, before a series opener against Atlanta. "It could be a number of guys. "This is what happens when you lose your closer, you know what I mean?" The Reds signed Chapman to a six-year, $30.25 million deal in 2010, expecting him to develop into a dominant starter. With the rotation set and the team on its way to the NL Central title that year, they moved him into the bullpen for the first time. He did so well that they kept him there for 2011 in a setup role, but he struuggled with his control and developed a sore pitching shoulder.dddddddddddd. He finished 4-1 with a 3.60 ERA in 54 appearances that season. Cincinnati planned to move him back into a starting spot during spring training until injuries decimated the back end of the bullpen. Madson had reconstructive elbow surgery, and setup men Bill Bray and Nick Masset got hurt. So Chapman went back into a setup role and has dazzled, giving up only seven hits and one unearned run in 22 1-3 innings while striking out 39. He has been so dominant that Baker decided he might be ready to try closing games. "He graduated to the setup role," Baker said. "Now, hopefully, hes graduated -- which we think he might have -- to the closers role. It just depends on how often you can use him." Given Chapmans shoulder problems last season, the Reds have been careful about pitching him too many days in a row. He pitched in four of five games in New York last week against the Mets and Yankees, but hasnt gone three days in a row -- typical for a closer. "We didnt want to go four out of five," Baker said. "We hoped not to use him (that much). But were on an honour basis -- he said he felt fine. I just tell him to make sure youre telling the truth. Right now its not hero time. Its May, not September." ' ' '