Net Kris Humphries tangles with the Celtics after his foul on Kevin Garnett. The ensuing fight left Humphries and two others ejected. Getty Images

BOSTON—If there was any doubt that the Nets had become a major factor in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics erased any trace of it Monday night with 26.2 seconds left in the second quarter. That was the moment when Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo decided to throw a punch in the general vicinity of Kris Humphries's face as the two players spilled into the first row of spectators at TD Garden.

Tempers flared. Popcorn flew. Coaches raced off both benches. The season has been full of firsts for the Nets, and here was another: their first fight. It was an ugly scene punctuated by three ejections, though it did little to derail the Nets, who plowed their way to a 95-83 victory.

Joe Johnson led the Nets (10-4) with 18 points, while reserves Jerry Stackhouse and Andray Blatche chipped in with 17 points apiece. It was a night for the lesser lights: The Nets' bench collected 52 points, 26 rebounds and four assists.

The Nets were creeping their way toward blowout territory late in the first half when the Celtics' frustration reached a fever pitch. The fight started when Humphries appeared to push the Celtics' Kevin Garnett underneath the basket. There was nothing malicious about the play, but Rondo was incensed. He went after Humphries, the Nets' Gerald Wallace went after Rondo, and players from both sides started to wrestle. After the officials separated everyone and watched a replay, they ejected Humphries, Wallace and Rondo—who left to a standing ovation. (Humphries and Wallace did not.)

The Nets were ahead at halftime, 51-39, and take it as a sign of their growth that they were able to protect their lead without two of their most important pieces. If there was one sequence that typified things, consider the following: After the Celtics' Paul Pierce missed a pair of free throws, the Nets promptly pushed the ball upcourt and found Stackhouse for his fourth 3-pointer.

Hours before the game, Nets coach Avery Johnson seemed to brace himself for the worst. The Nets were coming off Monday's adrenaline-fueled win over the Knicks at Barclays Center, and Johnson said he couldn't help but wonder if his team would have a false sense of security.

If Johnson had concerns, they weren't warranted—at least not against the Celtics. Even after Brook Lopez exited with early foul trouble, the Nets extended their lead to as many as 21 points. Blatche was a force inside. Stackhouse was on fire. In the past, the Nets' fans booed their own team. Now the Nets again heard boos—from Celtics fans.

Johnson had seemed vaguely annoyed before the game when he was asked whether the Nets' victory over the Celtics on Nov. 15 came with an asterisk since the Celtics had played the game without Rondo, who was sidelined with a sprained right ankle.

"I don't think there's an asterisk," Johnson said. "If that was the case, then everybody who beat us last year should have an asterisk by their wins."

He was referencing significant injuries to Lopez and several others, and his point was clear: Winning in the NBA is hard.

Such was the case Wednesday, in more ways than one. For the Nets, it was a hard-fought victory that was asterisk-free.

Write to Scott Cacciola at