BOSTON (AP) – Ron Artest’s 15 points weren’t enough in his Sacramento debut and the Boston Celtics got 18 points from Paul Pierce to win 84-74 Friday night, beating the Kings for just the second time in 12 tries.

Artest wore out his welcome in Indiana and was traded to Sacramento for Peja Stojakovic on Wednesday in an attempt to turn around the Kings’ sinking season. Although Artest provided a spark – scoring seven of the team’s first 15 points – Sacramento fizzled in the fourth quarter and made under 31 percent of its shots overall in its worst shooting night of the season.

The Celtics had their own debut: Wally Szczerbiak made his first appearance since being acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Ricky Davis as part of a seven-player trade. He scored 10 points in 24 minutes; Michael Olowokandi, who also came over in the deal, did not play.

Artest got the kind of welcome he has long gotten on the road, and is sure to get now when he returns to Indiana with the Kings. The Boston fans booed the first few times he touched the ball; the fact that he carried Sacramento early didn’t exactly endear him, either.

But Artest went 1-for-5 from the field in the fourth and the Kings made just four baskets – on 18 shots – in the final quarter. Sacramento did not make a basket for 7:19 down the stretch as the Celtics turned a three-point game into a 12-point lead.

Artest was 5-for-14 from the floor overall and 3-for-7 from 3-point range. He had six rebounds, four steals and two assists.

Boston coach Doc Rivers said before the game that Szczerbiak wouldn’t play; he dressed, basketball boss Danny Ainge said, only because he didn’t have a suit that would meet the NBA’s dress code.

As it was, Szczerbiak was wearing the wrong colored shoes. But he finished 4-for-7 from the field, including 2-for-3 from 3-point range, and added three rebounds and a pair of assists.

Kendrick Perkins had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Raef LaFrentz had 12 and 10 in their first game without having to share time underneath with Mark Blount, who went to Minnesota with Davis.

Brad Miller scored 22 to lead the Kings, and Kenny Thomas had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Mike Bibby, who had averaged more than 30 points in the previous seven games, was 2-for-14 from the field and had just six points.

Artest hit a 3-pointer early in the third quarter to give Sacramento a 46-41 lead. But Boston cut the lead to one and then went on a 13-2 run to take a 65-55 with three minutes left in the third.

Artest came back into the game and Sacramento scored the next seven points to cut the deficit to three points.

Notes: The Kings had not lost to Boston since 2003. … Perkins had a double-double in less than three quarters. … Boston’s Tony Allen made his first start of the season. … It was Boston’s first home sellout since November. … Pierce needs eight more points to pass Jo Jo White and move into ninth on the Celtics all-time scoring list. … Artest’s first points as a King were a 25-footer 1:58 into the game to make it 4-4. Szczerbiak didn’t come into the game until there was 3:30 left in the first half and he sank his first basket in the third.

AP-ES-01-27-06 2224EST