MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Jake Tsakalidis scored a season-high 19 points and matched his career high with 16 rebounds Tuesday night to lead the Memphis Grizzlies over the Boston Celtics 93-76.

Memphis led by as many as 22 in the second half, and even a 13-2 Boston run midway through the fourth quarter could not bring the deficit under double digits.

Tsakalidis, who entered the game averaging 10.6 points and 7.6 rebounds in the last five games, shot 6-of-10 from the field and 7-of-10 from the free throw line.

Chucky Atkins added 18 points for Memphis, while Mike Miller finished with 14. Pau Gasol and Eddie Jones added 13 points apiece.

Wally Szczerbiak led Boston with 18 points while Paul Pierce was limited to 15.

Pierce, the league’s sixth-leading scorer, had topped 30 points in 14 of the previous 16 games, but was limited to 12 points through the first three periods. Shane Battier, relieved at times by Jones, helped hold Pierce to 12 shots before the fourth.

Memphis took an early lead behind 12 first-quarter points from Tsakalidis, who missed only one of his five shots in the period. That was not the big man the Celtics would have concentrated on, but Gasol, Memphis’ leading scorer, managed only six points on four shots in the half.

The Grizzlies extended the advantage to 50-34 at the half as Atkins’ 3-pointer with 5 seconds remaining gave Memphis its biggest lead up to that point. Atkins had 11 at the break.

The Memphis frontline, including reserves Hakim Warrick and Lorenzen Wright, hit 10 of 16 shots in the half as Memphis shot 53 percent and was 4-of-6 outside the arc.

Szczerbiak had 12 points at the half for Boston, and Pierce was limited to six shots and eight points.

Memphis extended the lead to as many as 22 in the third period while Boston shot only 7-of-23.

The Celtics finally got untracked offensively when the reserves were in at the start of the fourth quarter. Kendrick Perkins had a pair of baskets and Brian Scalabrine added a 3-pointer as part of a 13-2 run, pulling Boston within 77-67 with 6 minutes left.

Notes: Ryan Gomes has started the last 15 games for Boston. The rookie out of Providence was averaging 14.6 points and shooting almost 59 percent in the previous 14 starts. He scored four points Tuesday night. … Boston C Michael Olowokandi, who missed Sunday’s game against Denver with flu-like symptoms, sat out Tuesday recovering from dental work. … Memphis G Bobby Jackson missed his second consecutive game with a rib injury. … Official Joe Crawford got into a little banter with a front row fan at the end of the first quarter. The fan referred to the slick-headed Crawford as “Baldy,” leading the official to say: “That’s the only thing you’ll get right all night.” And when the fan balked about a lack of calls against Pierce, Crawford said: “That’s the reason you’re up there, and I’m out here.” … The Celtics scored 16 points in the first quarter and are 1-9 when they don’t reach 20 points in the opening period.

AP-ES-03-14-06 2238EST