EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett will wait until the regular season to play in Boston.

The two former Celtics will skip the Brooklyn Nets’ exhibition game Wednesday at Boston, as expected. Pierce had said since the pair was acquired over the summer that he didn’t want his first game back in Boston to be an exhibition.

The first regular-season meeting between the teams in Boston is Jan. 26. Pierce did play against the Celtics last week in a preseason game at Barclays Center.

Both Pierce and Garnett, who led the Celtics to the 2008 NBA championship, were listed on the Nets’ game notes as “out – rest.” Point guard Deron Williams also remains out with a sprained right ankle. 

MAVERICKS: Dallas requested waivers on 7-foot center Fab Melo, who played most of last season with the Maine Red Claws, and three other players – Renaldo Balkman, Devin Ebanks and D.J. Kennedy.

Melo was a first-round pick by Boston last year and played six games for the Celtics. He was traded to Memphis in August and waived by the Grizzlies two weeks later. He joined Dallas last month before training camp. 

TIMBERWOLVES: Derrick Williams said he appreciates the security the team provided when it exercised the option on his contract for next season.

The Timberwolves had until the end of the month to exercise the option for 2014-15 or decline it and allow Williams to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. 

PISTONS: Forward Charlie Villanueva left the exhibition against Washington and didn’t return.

Villanueva, beginning his eighth NBA season, did not score in three minutes in the first half. The Pistons won, 99-96.