EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ? The Boston Celtics had the last chance. The New Jersey Nets claimed the first win.

Kenyon Martin overcame foul problems to score 21 points, and Paul Pierce spoiled a 34-point effort by missing the only shot that really mattered for Boston in a 97-93 New Jersey victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal Monday night.

“It was back and forth,” said Jason Kidd, who added 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Nets. “It’s going to be like that the whole series. You’ve got two talented teams who will try to force their will and style on one another. It’s just a matter of who has the ball last.”

Pierce had it with the Nets ahead 96-93 with just under 10 seconds to play in the rematch of last year’s conference final. He used a pick at the top of the circle and had an open look when Kidd and Richard Jefferson seemed to back off.

“I thought I got a great look,” said Pierce, who hit one of four three-pointers on a night the Celtics were 9-for-28 from long range. “It felt good coming out of my hands. It was a little short. What more can you ask for? Down three, you get a good look at the end of the game, and maybe you get it into overtime.”

Martin grabbed the rebound and hit a free throw with 5.9 seconds to play. The power forward made four free throws in the final 45 seconds.

“This is a tough loss for us in a hard-fought game,” Celtics coach Jim O’Brien said. “I felt that we were in position to win the basketball game and we just didn’t get it done down the stretch.”

If the rest of the best-of-seven series is as good this one, the matchup will rival last year’s showdown the Nets won in six games.

“That was a great win for us to start the series,” Nets coach Byron Scott said. “You have to give Boston a lot of credit. They’re a very, very good basketball team.”

Boston's Paul Pierce, right, battles New Jersey's Jason Collins. The Nets defeated the Celtics, 97-93, Monday night in East Rutherford, N.J.

Game 2 is Wednesday night at the Meadowlands.

Kerry Kittles had 17 points for New Jersey and Jefferson added 13 and nine rebounds. Aaron Williams added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Nets.

Eric Williams had 15 points for Boston, while Walter McCarty and Antoine Walker each added 14 points for the Celtics, who only received 16 points from everyone else.

Neither team led by more than five points in the fourth quarter, with the Nets taking the lead for good at 87-85 on two free throws by Jason Collins with 3:16 to play.

After Walker forced a shot in the lane, Kidd drove the length of the court for a layup.

The Celtics, who lost three of four games to New Jersey by an average margin of 21 points in the regular season, wouldn’t go away. Pierce grabbed a long rebound of a missed three by Tony Delk and hit a three-pointer to close to 89-88. Walker, who was 6-of-20 from the field, missed a three-pointer that would have given Boston the lead.