After opening a franchise-best 27-2, Boston dropped seven of nine, including four in a row from Jan. 4-9. That was the team's longest losing streak since acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the summer of 2007 to provide the foundation for the club that led the Celtics to their 17th NBA title in June.

The Celtics (32-9), who were remarkably consistent in going 66-16 before last season's title run, appear to have found a way to snap out of their surprising slump. They've won three straight games against Atlantic rivals, sweeping a home-and-home series from Toronto before beating New Jersey 118-86 in Boston Wednesday night to improve to 9-1 within the division.

"I thought we had a really big bump in the road these last couple of weeks with consistency, something we didn't have a year ago," forward Paul Pierce said after scoring 22 points with five 3-pointers against the Nets (19-21). "Maybe it's something we needed to give us a gut check.

"When you go through something like that, you really find out what kind of team you are."

The Celtics certainly looked like one of the league's elite teams Wednesday, shooting 56.4 percent from the field, going 12-for-22 from 3-point range, doubling the Nets' assist total with 28, and outrebounding them 45-32.

"Even when you're winning, if you're not playing well, or right, for a coach it's not that enjoyable," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "If you keep doing that, when you need to play well, you won't. But I do think we're turning in the right direction."

The Celtics' third-most lopsided win of the season gave them six straight over the Nets. Boston has also won its last four trips to New Jersey.

"They kicked us real good," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said after his club shot 38.8 percent Wednesday. "When talent works hard like that, you get embarrassed."

The Nets put together a better performance in their next game Thursday, shooting 51.3 percent from the field, but they were outscored 37-28 in the fourth quarter of a 105-99 home loss to Portland.

"It's frustrating," said point guard Devin Harris, who had 23 points and eight assists while going 10-for-18. "This is one we could have won and we let ourselves down in the end. It's tough defensively when we don't get stops and they get a high percentage of their shots to go in."

Harris led the Nets with 17 points in the first meeting with the Celtics, but he's struggled with his shot at the Izod Center. A 50.5 percent shooter on the road, Harris is shooting 41.8 percent at home, where the Nets are 9-13.