Jersey swamped

Celtics starters pour it on in back-to-back beatings of Nets

Vince Carter isn't enjoying this front-row seat - on the bench, watching the Celtics romp. (Bill Kostroun/Associated Press)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The Celtics are playing playoff basketball. Make that faux playoff basketball.

Coach Doc Rivers approached last week as a sort of playoff dry run, complete with bulletin-board motivational techniques, the Celtics (33-9) responding with a four-game winning streak that included a 105-85 victory over the New Jersey Nets yesterday.

But the playoffs are not likely to be this easy. The Toronto Raptors were the victims last Sunday (94-88) and Monday (115-109 in overtime), and the Nets presented less resistance, losing by 32 (118-86, Wednesday) and 20 points against the Celtics.

"We looked at these last four games in a way like a playoff," Rivers said. "So, we told them it was our first playoff series, and we had focus in all four games. We beat [the Nets] by a lot there and we knew that if they hung around they would be very difficult. Our guys knew that and I thought they had that focus."

Rivers even pulled out a banal quote from a Nets player to fire up the Celtics.

"We were more than motivated to play them back to back," Kevin Garnett said. "Doc read us a quote from one of their players that they wanted to prove the game they played in Boston was a fluke - and we took that kind of personal, to be honest with you. We were already motivated to come and play and to hear that - we were probably more in tune and motivated."

Certainly, the Celtics hit the court at full speed, taking an 18-2 lead, following the lead of Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo offensively, and Garnett defensively. Allen scored 14 of his 25 points in the opening quarter, nearly matching the Nets as the Celtics held a 29-15 lead. Rondo departed for the day late in the third quarter on the verge of a triple-double (8 points, 9 rebounds, 14 assists).

"We're just trying to get some more wins," Rondo said. "I'll probably get another one [triple-double] someday, but now we're trying to get the wins and get the rest. I don't want to take chances on injuries - we got a great lead and the starters got the rest."

Without Tony Allen (ankle) and Kendrick Perkins (shoulder), who also could miss tomorrow's game against Phoenix, the Celtics hardly missed a beat - or a shot (64.1 percent) in the first half. Brian Scalabrine fit in well with the starters, and Bill Walker again had a solid 12-minute stint with the second unit.

But this was a showcase in efficiency for the Celtic starters. Only Paul Pierce (34:59) and Allen (30:14) exceeded 30 minutes of playing time.

"Not just the guards, I thought the whole team was running," Rivers said. "I think the bigs running is almost more important in the fast break, because if a big runs, it takes a guard with them, and that's what kept happening - Scal and Kevin kept running the middle of the floor, dragging a guard with them. Then, you've got [Brook] Lopez guarding Paul on the 3-point line and you have matchups on the post. I just thought, as a group, the first quarter was as well as we've run, maybe, all year - also, we've started to get rest in between games, and you can see it in our play right now."

The result was clinched early, but the Nets (19-22) did rally behind the low-post play of Lopez (28 points).

Pierce extended his run of consecutive 3-pointers to seven in the second quarter - he converted five threes in the third quarter Wednesday - before missing a three with 6:20 remaining in the third quarter.

The Celtics remained in control almost solely through defense in the third quarter. Scalabrine was the only Celtic to convert from the field in the opening 6:58 of the second half. After Allen's 3-pointer for a 77-54 lead 6:58 into the half, the Celtics would score only twice more from the field in the third quarter. Chuck Hayes, who had airballed a 3-point attempt midway through the quarter, converted two threes in the final 30 seconds, the second with 0.2 seconds to go, cutting the Nets' deficit to 83-63. Keyon Dooling's 3-pointer pulled the Nets within 17 with 10:07 remaining.

But the Celtics' reserves regained the momentum.

"When the starters play the way they played, they deserve rest," Rivers said. "And our bench has to give it to them, and they did."

Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com.