BOSTON (AP) – Al Jefferson had 23 points to lift the Boston Celtics to a 109-88 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.

Boston won for the fifth time in the past seven home games despite a 9-23 overall mark. It was the Celtics’ most lopsided victory since Nov. 17 when they beat Portland by 28.

Jefferson and Rajon Rondo broke the game open in the third quarter when they combined for 22 points and keyed a 14-0 run to go ahead 70-49 with 4:48 remaining.

The Celtics eventually closed out the third with a Gerald Green 3-pointer for an 86-60 lead.

Atlanta lost its first game without leading scorer Joe Johnson after winning four straight. The Hawks have also dropped seven straight on the road.

The Hawks had a brief comeback attempt thwarted when they started the fourth quarter with a 15-3 spurt after Sebastian Telfair hit a jump shot to keep the Celtics ahead 91-75 with 5:51 remaining.

Paul Pierce had 17 points for Boston, which improved to 2-4 in its past six games against Atlanta.

After dropping 22 of 23, Boston is 6-3 in its past nine games.

Rondo gave the Celtics their biggest lead of the first half at 50-41 when he hit a half-court shot at the buzzer. He finished with 13 points and 10 assists.

Kendrick Perkins notched his third double-double of the season and second against Atlanta with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Josh Smith led the Hawks with 19 while Marvin Williams added 17 with eight rebounds.

Notes: Boston is 3-9 against the Southeast Division with its other two victories against the Charlotte Bobcats. … Johnson missed his fifth game with a calf injury. … Ryan Gomes missed his fourth game for Boston. … Pierce recorded his 2,500th assist for the Celtics in the third quarter. … Atlanta erased an 18-point second-half deficit in their last visit to Boston in January.

AP-ES-03-14-07 2211EDT