By Mike Petraglia
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Celtics did the best they could
without Kevin Garnett. And Tuesday night, that was good enough
to beat the New York Knicks.

Paul Pierce scored 22 while Kendrick Perkins added 16 and eight
rebounds as the Celtics beat the Knicks, 110-101, at TD
Banknorth Garden.

Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen added 15 points apiece for Boston,
which had five players in double figures while improving to 6-1
this season at home.

The Celtics were forced to play the game without Garnett, who
was suspended for the game for retaliating against Milwaukee's
Andrew Bogut on Saturday night.

Brian Scalabrine started in his place and hit a key jumper with
one minute remaining to seal the win.

Wilson Chandler scored 23 points to lead the Knicks, who lost
their second straight. Zach Randolph added 18 points and eight
rebounds for New York.

New York opened the final period with an 11-5 spurt to cut
Boston's lead to 94-88 with 5:30 remaining. But a block by
Perkins and a three-point jumper by Pierce with 5:03 remaining
extended Boston's advantage back to 97-88.

Chandler was fouled on a layup and had a chance for a
three-point play but missed the free throw with 2:06 remaining
as Boston led, 103-99.

Early on, the Knicks appeared ready to take advantage of
Garnett's absence, coming out in the first quarter and
outscoring the Celtics, 28-26.

Chandler was the biggest beneficiary, scoring 10 points on
5-of-7 shooting from the floor without Garnett there to provide
resistance.

Mardy Collins' layup with 1:51 remaining in the first gave New
York its biggest lead of the night, 26-19.

But the Knicks could not stop Boston from scoring, allowing them
to shoot 56 percent from the floor while outrebounding New York,
12-6, in the first.

The Celtics continued their hot run in the second quarter as
Allen's layup with 5:21 remaining before halftime put Boston up,
47-37, and capped a 28-11 spurt.

After taking a 56-47 halftime lead, Boston continued its
stronghold on the game by dominating inside. Through three
quarters, the Celtics outscored the Knicks, 50-20, in the paint,
taking an 89-77 lead into the fourth.