BOSTON – Paul Pierce had 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his fifth career triple-double to lead the Boston Celtics to a 110-89 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday night.

Pierce had 14 points and four assists in the third quarter to help the Celtics, 4-2 in their last six games, open up an 87-58 lead with 1:35 left in the quarter. Pierce and Raef LaFrentz combined for 26 of the Celtics’ 32 points in the period.

LaFrentz finished with 21 points and eight rebounds, and Gary Payton added 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting. With the victory and Philadelphia’s loss to Houston, Boston moved back into first place in the Atlantic Division.

Jason Kidd had 25 points for New Jersey, which had its four-game winning streak snapped. Vince Carter added 22 points and five assists for the Nets. Kidd, Carter and Billy Thomas (13) were the only players in double figures for New Jersey.

Carter ended his streak with three straight games of 30 or more points, but has 39 assists in the last five games.

Boston outscored New Jersey 23-10 in the final 8:16 of the first half to take a 55-39 lead. The Nets shot 5-of-24 from the floor in the second quarter.

After hitting seven 3-pointers, Kidd made his only 2-point field goal with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter. Kidd fell one short of tying his career high of eight 3-pointers against Golden State in 1997.

Notes: Stephon Marbury scored 30 or more points in five straight games for New Jersey from Nov. 3-11, 2000. … Over the last 11 games, Boston is 8-3 at home against New Jersey. … The Nets are 10-11 since acquiring Carter. … New Jersey was 9-of-17 on 3-pointers and is 25-of-46 in the last three games.