Inside the 20-0 run that fueled the Celtics to a blowout win over the Pacers in Game 2 - The Boston Globe (2024)

But for 6:29 of Thursday’s Game 2 matchup against the Celtics at TD Garden, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle could only sit and stew as shot after shot from his team clanged off the rim.

Across the end of the first quarter and into the second, the Celtics shifted Indiana’s souped-up offense into neutral — reeling off a 20-0 run that spurred them to a 126-110 win and a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

“The bottom of the stat sheet is ugly,” Carlisle said. “We lost the rebounds, those second-chance points were a big factor, and turnovers once again were a big problem.”

While Carlisle harped on his team’s lack of execution, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla believed his players handed the Pacers a taste of their own medicine.

“When you play in the chaos, you have to embrace the chaos,” Mazzulla said. “And so there’s going to be possessions where it is chaotic, and you just have to be ready to handle that. And I thought our guys did a good job of handling it with just multiple efforts.”

A revamped lineup and a spirited effort on the glass paved the way for the Celtics’ momentum-shifting surge.

It took all of 1:21 in the second quarter for Carlisle to call a timeout in an effort to stem the tide. At that point, the Celtics had reeled off 7 straight points, and in one sequence pulled down three offensive boards on the same possession.

The sight of four yellow jerseys stagnating in the paint as Jaylen Brown soared for a putback bucket was enough for Carlisle to halt play in search of a regroup.

But it did little to reverse Indiana’s fortunes, especially once Oshae Brissett drew into the Celtics lineup following a wrist injury to Luke Kornet.

Brissett, who had fallen out of the playoff rotation, served as a much-needed spark for an overhauled unit with Jayson Tatum primarily on the bench.

Brissett entered the game in place of Al Horford with 10:39 remaining in the second quarter. By the time the 25-year-old forward was replaced by Tatum with 7:49 left, the Celtics had outscored Indiana, 10-0, and led, 39-27.

Brissett reeled in two rebounds and recorded a steal while switching to Pacers guards on defense and limiting their ability to storm into the open court. He finished Game 2 with a plus-18 rating over 12 minutes, and also had 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 points.

“Just his presence, his energy, his athleticism,” Mazzulla said. “I think he had a dunk, got a steal that started transition, a couple rebounds. He plays with such a high level of intensity and energy. It’s big for us.”

With the Celtics winning battles on the boards and their smaller lineup swarming Indiana and limiting their chances of getting out in transition, the Pacers were forced to plod along with more of a standard half-court offense — one that does not play to their strengths.

“I thought transition defense was good, really good, kept them in the halfcourt,” Mazzulla said. “Thought our individual defense was good. I thought we were able to get in driving lanes and get out to shooters.

“They test our discipline, they test our communication, and I thought we handled it better in Game 2.”

The Pacers missed nine straight shots during the Celtics’ 20-0 run and had four turnovers.

“We know they like to get into the paint,” said Celtics guard Jrue Holiday. “But I think because we’re long and athletic, we can take some of those things away, and really just try to speed them up as much as possible.”

By the time the dust had settled and Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith stepped to the free throw line with 6:45 to go in the second quarter, what was once a 27-22 Pacers lead had flipped to a 42-27 Celtics advantage.

After the first quarter featured 10 lead changes, the Celtics’ extended run gave them a cushion they did not relinquish.

According to the Celtics’ team statistics account on X, the 20-0 run tied for their second-longest in a playoff game during the play-by-play era — surpassed only by a 21-0 surge against the Heat on April 20, 2010.

“They move the ball, they move bodies, and they play fast,” Holiday said of the Pacers. “But we can also do that. We can go small, go big, we can play fast, we can slow down and execute.

“But I think having Oshae out there was just a different element where I mean — all five guys, just if we’re switching or if we’re staying with our man, we’re capable of doing so many different things.”

Conor Ryan can be reached at conor.ryan@globe.com.