RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) _ Paul Pierce scored 25 points as the Boston Celtics never trailed and cruised to a 101-77 win over the Vancouver Grizzlies on Thursday night.

Pierce, who shot 11-of-17 from the field in 32 minutes, was aided by 24 points from Antoine Walker and 22 from Kenny Anderson as the Celtics won for the second time in five starts on their six-game road trip.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim led Vancouver with 20 points in the Grizzlies' first game at home after a 2-2 Eastern road trip.

Boston, idle since playing Monday in Portland, shot 60 percent in a first half in which the Celtics opened a 52-34 lead.

The Grizzlies had their worst quarter this season, opening the game with just 11 points in the opening 12 minutes. Vancouver missed 19 of 23 attempts from the field in the period, and the Boston defense forced eight turnovers.

Things didn't get much better for the Grizzlies. The low point came during the second period trailing 31-14 when they were forced to call a timeout just to inbound the ball after a Boston basket.

Grizzlies center Bryant Reeves was an early casualty, suffering a sprained right knee 6:03 into the contest. He did not return. The lack of an interior presence hurt the Grizzlies, who were outrebounded 44-32 by the undersized Celtics.

Notes:Vancouver guard Michael Dickerson entered the game having led the Grizzlies in scoring in seven of their previous eight contests. He averaged 27.3 points and shot 55 percent from the field in his previous six games but was held to 18 points Thursday. ... The Grizzlies play host to Sacramento on Saturday while the Celtics complete their six-game road trip Friday in Los Angeles against the Lakers... Like just about every team in the league, neither the Grizzlies nor the Celtics were active in the trade market prior to Thursday's deadline. Grizzlies general manager Stu Jackson is hampered by the fact prospective owner Michael Heisley has already hired a team of four scouts. The Celtics previously had tried to deal forward Danny Fortson but the trade was revoked when Alvin Williams of Toronto failed his physical. Fortson moved up in the rotation again Thursday as the first man off the bench, ahead of Tony Battie.