Garnett scored nine consecutive points, including three dunks, to put Boston in command in the first 5 minutes of the second half. His two-handed alley-oop jam, which followed a pair of right-handed dunks, pushed the lead to 18 at 71-53 and the Thunder were never closer than 15 after that.

Kevin Durant scored 36 points, briefly accounting for half of Oklahoma City's scoring total, before heading to the bench halfway through the fourth quarter. Russell Westbrook added 15 points.

Rajon Rondo had 15 points, and Kendrick Perkins scored 13 as the Celtics had seven players score in double figures en route to their seventh straight victory.

A dominant performance earned all of Boston's starters except Ray Allen a rest on the bench for the fourth quarter at the end of one road trip but with another looming. The Celtics will return home to play Milwaukee on Tuesday before three more away games.

Boston shot 59 percent through the first three quarters and outscored Oklahoma City 28-16 in the third period. The usually mild-mannered Durant even picked up a rare technical foul while arguing a foul called against him late in the third quarter.

It ended up as the Thunder's most lopsided loss at the Ford Center this season.

The franchises have been linked since the trade of Allen on draft day in 2007 helped put the Celtics on their way to the NBA title. Oklahoma City has been rebuilding around Durant and Jeff Green -- their top-5 picks from that draft -- ever since.

The Thunder are off to a promising 10-9 start after a miserable 2008-09 season but got another reminder of the work that's left against the Celtics .