The Celtics’ Kevin Garnett, who had a team-high 22 points, argues for a foul call during the first quarter of last night’s game against the Pistons at Auburn Hills, Mich.

AP / Tony Dejak

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Now where did that come from?

After losing their homecourt advantage only two nights earlier, the Boston Celtics grabbed it right back with a dominating 94-80 win over the Detroit Pistons last night before a stunned full house of 22,076 fans at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The victory gives the Celtics a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series with Game Four set for tomorrow night.

The Celtics controlled this one from the start with an 11-0 run and never looked back. They led by 18 points at the half and after three quarters and then pushed back a Detroit run late in the fourth quarter to win going away.

Kevin Garnett led the Celtics once again with 22 points and 13 rebounds, but the Celts exhibited great scoring balance with six players in double figures. Ray Allen added 14 and Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and James Posey all chipped in with 12.

Richard Hamilton led all scorers with 26 points but Detroit’s offense struggled all night, finishing with 39 percent shooting from the floor.

No longer will the Celts have to field questions about their winless play on the road in the playoffs. They played with the poise, energy and execution needed to win on the road all night long and took control of the series.

“Before the game I told the guys, ‘We were the best team on the road all season. Let’s go out there and try to show them. This starts right now.’ That’s the way we came out at the start of the game,” said Paul Pierce, who finished with 11 points.

Garnett said the offensive balance and strong defensive effort wore down the Pistons.

“We had great balance tonight (on offense) and for the most part we had a great defensive effort. Now we have to turn around and try to duplicate it,” he said.

The Celtics played about as perfect a first half as they could have hoped for but they opened up their 18-point lead in an unconventional way.

The Celts shot out to an 11-0 lead as the Pistons clearly were knocked back on their heels by the Celts energy out of the gate. The Pistons were helped by some quick Boston foul trouble as both Garnett and Allen picked up two fouls and left the game for the final four minutes of the quarter. That opened the door for Boston’s reserves and they responded with a 10-0 run to close the quarter with James Posey and Sam Cassell knocking down 3-pointers to help the Celts to a 25-17 lead.

The Celtics saw their lead shrink to 29-25 midway through the second quarter but they regrouped and closed the quarter with a stirring 21-7 run. That the Celts carried a 50-32 lead into the half with Pierce shooting one time and Allen making just one of his six shots spoke volumes. The Celtics received a huge boost from its bench as Posey and Cassell combined for 13 of the reserves’ 18 points.

The defense was the biggest key. The Pistons made just 31 percent of their first-half shots and would’ve been in even bigger trouble of bench men Rodney Stuckey and Jason Maxiell didn’t score seven points apiece. Tayshaun Prince (1-for-7) and Richard Hamilton (2-for-9) did most of the missing for the home team and floor leader Chauncey Billups barely showed up with one field-goal attempt and one assist in 13 undistinguished minutes.

The Pistons needed a quick third-quarter push but the Celtics weren’t in the giving mood. Garnett swished a 17-footer to open the scoring and boost the lead to 52-32 before the Pistons could break a sweat. With its white-clad crowd almost dead quiet, Detroit closed to 13 points at 56-43, but the Celtics responded with a 17-6 punch that knocked the home team to the canvas for a commanding 73-49 lead.

Boston again did much of its damage inside with Kendrick Perkins making two rare jump shots and Garnett feeding Allen for a layup. Pierce swished a 3-point dagger at the shot-clock buzzer with 1:15 left while posing in front of the Detroit bench. The Pistons scored the final six points of the quarter yet still trailed, 73-55, after three quarters.

Detroit made some minor pushes early in the fourth quarter but backbreaking 3-point shots by Pierce and Allen kept the Celtics in control. The Pistons had one more rush in their tank and cut the deficit under 10 (87-78) for the first time since the first quarter after a Billups 3-pointer and Prince jam but the Celtics’ defense stiffened and closed the game out.

kmcnamar@projo.com