Boston Celtics' forward Paul Pierce (34) reacts to a basket by Celtics' centre Kendrick Perkins (not in photo), during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference finals in Boston on Tuesday night. The Celtics beat the Pistons 88-79. - AP

BOSTON (AP):

KEVIN GARNETT had 26 points and nine rebounds and Paul Pierce scored 22 points on Tuesday night to lead Boston to an 88-79 victory over the Detroit Pistons in Game One of the Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics' 15th straight home win.

Kendrick Perkins had 10 rebounds and Rajon Rondo added 11 points and seven assists for Boston, who earned home court through the play-offs with a league-best, 66-16, regular season record. The Celtics rode that advantage to seven game series victories over Atlanta and Cleveland and held serve in the opener against Detroit.

Game Two is in Boston tonight.

Tayshaun Prince scored 16 points and Antonio McDyess added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons.

Chauncey Billups, who missed most of the past three games of Detroit's Eastern Conference semi-final against Orlando because of a strained right hamstring, had nine points and two assists and went about 40 minutes between baskets.

Looked rusty early

Billups and the rest of the Pistons were able to rest the past week after they eliminated the Magic in five games to advance to the conference finals for the sixth straight year. They looked rusty early, missing their first five shots while allowing Boston to take an 8-0 lead on Ray Allen's drive with 8:36 left in the first.

Billups hit a second-chance three-pointer to end the drought and make it 8-3. But he did not make another field goal - he had four points and no assists in the first half - until there was 4:47 left in the game.

The Pistons quickly erased the first-quarter lead, even going ahead 13-12. But they trailed 41-40 at half-time and scored just 17 points in the third quarter, 10 from Richard Hamilton, while the Celtics took a 69-57 lead on Eddie House's three-pointer with two seconds left.