BOSTON — The Boston Celtics proved last season that they could win an NBA championship with Kevin Garnett.

Last night they proved they could win a big game without Garnett.

With Garnett serving a one-game suspension, the Celtics (10-2) played team basketball and beat the New York Knicks (6-5), 110-101, in a battle between the top two teams in the Atlantic Division.

Five different Celtics scored in double figures, and every Celtic who was active for the game had at least six points.

“It was a good win for us,” Boston captain Paul Pierce said. “Despite not having Kevin out there for us tonight, guys realize we can go out there and get the job done with the guys we have.”

Boston led by 15 points early in the third quarter, but the Knicks did not go quietly.

A Chris Duhon 3-pointer, followed by a Wilson Chandler rebound and put-back with 2:06 remaining cut Boston’s advantage to 103-99.

But that’s as close as the Knicks got.

Paul Pierce knocked down a free throw, and Brian Scalabrine, who started in place of Garnett, buried a 3-pointer from the baseline to seal the win.

“You can’t pass up those kinds of shots, especially at that point in the game,” Scalabrine said of his clutch 3-pointer. “I’ve always liked those situations…so I was very excited about being in that situation. It gets your blood flowing and [Rajon Rondo] found me and I just knocked down the shot.”

“That was great for him,” Rivers said of Scalabrine making the clutch 3-pointer. “The last two games he’s been terrific. Scal’s going to help us this year. He already has now, in two games.”

Rivers gave much of the credit for the win to his bench.

“It was a good team effort,” Rivers said.

Trailing by two after one quarter of play, Boston’s second unit of Ray Allen (15 points, 4 assists), Leon Powe (14 points, 7 rebounds), Eddie House (8 points, 5 rebounds) and Glen Davis (6 points, 4 rebounds) played the entire second quarter, in which the Celts outscored New York, 30-19.

That changed the momentum and helped the Celtics to a 56-47 halftime lead.

“I thought the second quarter, with the bench playing all the minutes, let Paul basically rest the entire second quarter, so that was huge for us,” Rivers said. “I’m proud of the guys.”

“I think people fail to remember what we can do, so I think tonight was a good reminder,” House said of Boston’s reserves.

Despite missing its All-Star big man, the Celtics still dominated in the paint, outscoring New York, 50-34, there and outrebounding the Knicks, 45-36. Perkins (16 points, 8 rebounds), Powe and Davis led the way.

“I was just trying to come in and not force anything,” Perkins said. “Just let the game come to me. It’s big when you hit your first couple of shots. You get in a rhythm, and that’s how it went.”

“He really had it going,” Pierce said of Perkins. “He was really taking advantage of the size matchup. They were putting smaller guys on him, guys who are guards. We have a lot of confidence in Perk and his low-post game, and they don’t really double Perk much, so he’s been doing a good job and taking high-percentage shots and taking advantage of it.”

“We were killing them by getting into the paint and posting the ball, so that was key tonight,” said Rondo, who finished with 15 points and 5 assists.

Chandler (23 points, 7 rebounds), Zach Randolph (18 points, 8 rebounds), Duhon (15 points, 5 assists), Quentin Richardson (13 points, 5 rebounds) and Nate Robinson (14 points, 4 assists) led the Knicks.

“I thought we played harder than them the last 16 minutes, and that’s what we had to do, but we didn’t get it done,” New York coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We had some chances down the end to make a big play and didn’t quite get it done.”

Next Game

Tomorrow

vs. Detroit

8 p.m.

roblee@projo.com