Pierce leads Celtics by Pacers

Wally Szczerbiak scored 20 points for the Celtics, who snapped a three-game losing streak but matched their worst start since the 1978-79 season. Ryan Gomes posted 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Kendrick Perkins added 12 points and eight boards.

Al Harrington netted 23 points for the Pacers, who have dropped three of their last four games. Marquis Daniels netted 15 points, and Stephen Jackson added 13. Jermaine O’Neal contributed eight points and 12 boards.

Ahead by just two points at halftime, the Celtics started to pull away by opening the third quarter on a 13-1 run capped by a Sebastian Telfair finger roll with a tick under eight minutes to go. They led 80-66 heading into the fourth.

Boston opened the fourth in similar fashion, on a 13-2 spurt capped by a Delonte West slam with 7:45 remaining for a 93-68 lead. The Celtics continued to control the remainder of the game, outscoring Indiana by 12 points in the fourth.

Boston topped Indiana by a point in both the first and second quarters for a 47-45 halftime advantage.

Both teams committed 19 turnovers, but Boston outrebounded the Pacers, 53-33. The Celtics shot 45-for-90 (50 percent) from the field, compared to 31-for-81 (38.3 percent) by Indiana.

Game Notes

Boston took three of four games against Indiana last season and has won 11 of the last 19 matchups in the series...Indiana has lost four straight and eight of its last 11 games in Beantown.