Celtics 116, Lakers 95: Paul Pierce scored 24 points and host Boston rode a blistering third-quarter shooting display to improve to 6-0 since All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Kevin Garnett added 15 points and became the 16th player in league history to score 25,000 career points as the Celtics brought a crushing end to Los Angeles' three-game winning streak. Jeff Green and Jason Terry added 19 and 15 points, respectively, off the bench.

Kobe Bryant scored 27 points for the Lakers, who fell behind by double figures in the second quarter and were helpless to keep pace with red-hot Boston despite the return of center Dwight Howard from a three-game injury absence.

The Celtics led by four points after one quarter and stretched it to as many as 16 in the second before settling for a 58-44 edge at halftime. Boston blew it open in the third quarter, shooting 80 percent and hitting 13 of 14 shots at one stretch to turn it into a laugher at 95-69 entering the final 12 minutes.

Courtney Lee had 13 points and Avery Bradley scored 10 as the Celtics put six players in double figures. Howard, who was implored by Bryant to get back in the lineup, finished with nine points and nine rebounds before fouling out.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Lakers F Pau Gasol was examined in Los Angeles on Thursday and the team confirmed he suffered a torn plantar fascia that is expected to sidelined him for at least six to eight weeks. ... Garnett became the only player in league history to amass 25,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 5,000 assists, 1,500 blocked shots and 1,500 steals. ... Howard bristled at Bryant's suggestion that he needs to learn to play through pain, saying, "He's not a doctor, I'm not a doctor. That's his opinion."