DENVER, Feb. 12 (Ticker) -- Antoine Walker got the second half of the season off to a flying start.

The All-Star forward recorded a triple-double with 30 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high 14 assists as the Boston Celtics opened a seven-game road trip with a 110-93 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

It was the first triple-double for Walker since March 29, 2001 against the Chicago Bulls. He also made seven 3-pointers and was 11-of-21 from the field.

"(It) took me 50 games to finally get one, but no better time than right now, especially starting this West Coast trip," said Walker, who tied for second in the NBA last season with five triple-doubles. "I just wanted to come out and play well."

NBA TV highlights from Celtics-Nuggets: 56k | 300k Antoine Walker had 14 assists to go with his 12 boards and 30 points. Michael Martin NBAE/Getty Images

Paul Pierce added 25 points for the Celtics, who posted their seventh straight victory over the Nuggets. Pierce capped the scoring when he banked in a 3-pointer with one second remaining.

"We were kind of banged up going into the All-Star break, but I think it was a good break for us and everybody is pretty much at 100 percent," Pierce said.

Denver took its last lead, 66-65, on Nick Van Exel's jumper with 3:11 left in the third quarter. But Erick Strickland's 3-pointer snapped a 67-67 tie with 1:58 left in the period and ignited a 23-5 burst that extended into the fourth period.

Walker's 3-pointer gave the Celtics their biggest lead, 90-72, with 9:15 remaining. Denver closed to 92-84 on Van Exel's jumper with six minutes to play, but Pierce scored seven straight points to put the contest out of reach.

"We're very happy to fly out of Denver with a win," Boston coach Jim O'Brien said. "We knew that they give you a combination of tall people and aggressive people that really track down loose balls."

Avery Johnson scored 21 points and George McCloud added 14 for the Nuggets, who have lost six of their last eight and nine of their last 12 contests.

Boston, which lost four of its last six before the All-Star break, closed within four games of the first-place New Jersey Nets in the Atlantic Division.

The Celtics shot 53 percent (41-of-77) from the field while holding the Nuggets to just 38 percent (33-of-87).

"It's hard to win when you're shooting 37 percent and they're shooting 53 percent from the field," Denver coach Mike Evans said.

It was a night to forget for Van Exel, who did not start after being late to practice, then scored just 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting.

"We have a rule that if you are late for two consecutive practices, you don't start," Evans said.

To add insult to injury, the fans at the Pepsi Center took out their frustrations on Van Exel, booing the guard with 20 seconds remaining. Van Exel responded by mockingly raising his arms to the crowd.

"It just seems to be the nature of the beast," Evans said. "Nick encouraged some of that booing. I'm sure it bothers him to get booed, even if doesn't act like it."

Evans was asked if he thinks Van Exel is giving 100 percent on the court.

"Do I think Nick is giving his best effort? You'll have to ask him," Evans said. "I think he played hard at times and pushed the ball well, but I really can't answer the question if he is playing his best."

Often a two-man show, Walker and Pierce got plenty of help from their teammates as five Boston players reached in double figures. Kenny Anderson scored 16 points, Eric Williams 15 and Strickland 12.

"In the past when we went west after the All-Star break, we all let that first game slip away," Walker said. "Tonight, I definitely wanted to come out and be aggressive. They were doing a good job of chopping me in the post, so the guys hit the shots."

Boston opened a 51-39 lead late in the second period, but the Nuggets closed within a 13-2 run to pull within 53-52 at the intermission.

However, Denver shot just 22 percent (5-of-23) in the third quarter, when it was outscored, 24-17, and never recovered.

"I thought our defense in transition was good and our defense of their first shots were very good," O'Brien said. "We still held them down in the 30s, and that's good defense."

The Nuggets shot below 40 percent for the 13th time this season and dropped to 0-19 when allowing more than 100 points.