ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) _ Paul Pierce, showing no signs of last month's stabbing, scored 14 points in his return to action as the Boston Celtics beat the Chicago Bulls 112-95 Friday night.

He scored on a reverse layup off the opening tip, then hit a 15-foot fadeaway jumper to start a 13-3 run that gave Boston a 17-14 lead.

``I was nervous, but once I made that layup that broke the ice,'' Pierce said. ``I wanted to let my presence be known.''

Elton Brand kept Chicago (3-3) close, scoring 39 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Antoine Walker led Boston with 18.

Pierce was stabbed and hit with a bottle Sept. 25 outside a Boston nightclub. Three men were arrested and charged.

Pierce, the 10th overall pick in the 1998 draft, was the Celtics' second-highest scorer last season, averaging 19.5 points. He was second in the NBA with 2.08 steals per game.

Boston opened up a 32-25 lead Friday, increased it to 48-29 and held on to improve to 2-2 in the preseason.

Chicago's first preseason game in Rockford in 17 years drew a sellout crowd of 8,582 to the MetroCentre.