BOSTON – Paul Pierce scored 24 points, Mike James added 16 and the Boston Celtics held off a fourth-quarter rally to defeat the Washington Wizards 100-89 Friday night.

The Wizards, who trailed 78-59 at the end of the third quarter, used a 24-10 run sparked by seven points from Juan Dixon and six from Christian Laettner to pull to 88-83.

Pierce answered with a jumper and, after a miss by Laettner, Ricky Davis hit a 3-pointer to give the Celtics a 93-83 lead.

The Celtics seemingly took control of the game in the second quarter after Kwame Brown hit a pair of free throws to give the Wizards a 33-32 lead. Walter McCarty’s layup started a 32-7 run to give the Celtics a 64-40 lead.

Davis had 14 points for the Celtics. Mark Blount added 14 points and 14 rebounds, his second double-double of the season and Jiri Welsch had 13 points.

Steve Blake had a career-high 17 points for the Wizards. Larry Hughes added 15 and Dixon 14. Laettner had 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Notes: Celtics rookie center Kendrick Perkins, who has scored seven points in two appearances this year, was activated from the injured list but did not play. … Celtics center Chris Mihm missed his second straight game with a strained left hamstring.

… The Wizards are 7-21 overall and 2-14 on the road since losing shooting guard Gilbert Arenas to an abdominal strain. … Celtics forward Jumaine Jones suffered a deep laceration of the lower lip in the third quarter that required nine stitches.

AP-ES-01-23-04 2218EST