Minneapolis, MN (Betting Express) - Kevin Garnett made 8-of-12 field goals en route to scoring 17 points, as the Boston Celtics notched a 95-78 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It was Garnett's first game back in Minnesota, as the long-time Timberwolves player missed the Celtics' contest there last season because of an abdominal strain.

Paul Pierce finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds for Boston, which has won four in a row and 10 of 11. Rajon Rondo added 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the win.

Al Jefferson scored 23 points to pace the Timberwolves, who were coming off just their second win of the season, one that snapped an eight-game slide. But Minnesota lost their ninth contest out of 10 after a 31.3-percent shooting effort, and whose only other double-digit scorer was Sebastian Telfair with 13 points.

Boston trailed at halftime, but erased its deficit with a Pierce jumper and Garnett dunk in the first minute of the third quarter. The baskets were part of an 11-2 run to open the second half, which ended with a Rondo bucket for a 47-41 lead.

"We were rushing things offensively in the first half," Boston's Ray Allen said. "Still playing pretty good defense...keeping them from scoring."

The teams traded baskets until Boston ended the third on a 14-0 run. Rondo concluded the burst with a layup and long three-pointer in the waning seconds, as the Celtics took a 71-49 lead into the fourth.

"They turned it on," Minnesota's Kevin Love said. "We didn't hit them. They were aggressive."

After Minnesota opened the final stanza with six consecutive points, Boston countered with five of its own, going up 76-56 on a three-point play from Tony Allen, and the Celtics cruised to the finish from there.

In a back-and-forth first quarter, Brian Scalabrine made a three-pointer with half a minute left to put Boston ahead 22-21 going into the second.

But Minnesota opened the second quarter on an eight-point run, and led 29-22 after a Telfair jumper three minutes in. The T'Wolves continued to play in front and led 39-36 at halftime.

Game Notes

The T'Wolves, in addition to making just 26-of-83 field goals, were successful on just three of 15 three-point attempts. They made 23-of-27 free throws...Boston shot 49.3 percent (37-of-75) from the floor, but only 17-of-24 from the free throw line...Ray Allen had 11 points and six assists for Boston, while Tony Allen had 14 points and Leon Powe 10.