BOSTON — It was evident from the opening tip that the Boston Celtics wanted to avenge their first loss of the season — a 95-79 setback to the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 1.

Consider it done.

Indiana didn’t make it easy right away, but the Celtics put on a clinic in the second half and pulled out a 114-96 victory — their 10th win in a row.

Rajon Rondo took a shot to the mouth in the opening two minutes of the game. He went to the bench to get looked at, and returned with an intensity the Pacers had not seen from him before.

Bloody lip and all, Rondo recorded his first triple-double of his career, and Boston’s first triple-double since Nov. 8, 2006 (Ryan Gomes), turning the Big Three into the Fab Four. He torched Indiana for 16 points, a career-high 17 assists (the most by a Celtic since Sherman Douglas had 18 on March 1, 1995), and he grabbed 13 rebounds.

“It’s not easy to do,” Rondo said of achieving a triple-double. “I’ve been so close a lot of games but to finally get one, I’m excited about it and what’s most important is that we got the win.”

“He’s the main catalyst for what we are doing,” Boston guard Ray Allen said of Rondo.

Rondo only has five games this season with 10 or more assists, but three have come in his last four outings.

“I’m attacking offensively,” Rondo said. “I’ve been getting into the paint a lot lately and that opens up things for my teammates as well as opens things up for myself. I give a lot of energy and effort. I try to go out there and stay aggressive. When I came out of the game early, I was so anxious to get back in, and when I did get back in, I played the entire first half after that. I was just trying to do my best.”

His best was a 10-point, 9-assist, 8-rebound first half. It helped Boston overcome a six-point first-quarter deficit by going on a 20-4 second-quarter run that gave the Celts a 57-51 halftime advantage.

“He’s making leaps and strides each and every year,” Boston captain Paul Pierce said of Rondo. “You thought last year he was good. He’s just getting better. He’s learning the game. He’s learning his spots. He’s learning what kind of potential he has and it’s just fun to watch him grow.”

“He’s making a constant, stat-wise, in every category,” Boston forward Kevin Garnett said of Rondo. “He’s so active. He’s getting everybody easy shots. He’s making the game look simple and making it simple for everybody out there…He was amazing. It seemed like there were three Rondos out there tonight.”

The Pacers were just as impressed with Rondo’s effort.

“Once he gets inside the paint he’s very effective and dangerous,” said Indiana guard TJ Ford (15 points, 8 assists).

Boston began the third quarter with a 13-4 surge and coasted the rest of the way. The Celtics led by as many as 24 points in the second half.

All five Celtics scored in double-figures. Rondo’s sensational game overshadowed a 31-point effort by Allen. Garnett amassed 26 points and 14 rebounds, while Kendrick Perkins had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Pierce had 16 points and five rebounds as Boston’s starters combined for 105 of the Celtics 114 points.

“They really had too many weapons for us tonight,” Indiana coach Jim O’Brien said.

“It was a good win,” Rivers said. “The third quarter was absolutely fantastic defense.”

Boston outscored Indiana 31-22 in the third quarter to break open the game.

The Celtics looked like a completely different team last night than how they looked in their loss to Indiana last month.

Back then, Boston, which was playing the second game in as many nights, did not arrive at its hotel in Indiana until 4 a.m. the day of the game. The Celtics played sloppy and looked road weary. They turned the ball over 24 times, missed 16 treys, missed 14 foul shots, and they were a woeful 34.6 percent shooting from the floor.

It was downright ugly.

Last night Boston took care of the ball (27 assists and only 12 turnovers), shot a much higher field-goal percentage (50 percent), and the Celtics shot better from the free throw line (81.3 percent). Boston also outrebounded Indiana, 54-31.

“They’re awful difficult to beat,” O’Brien said of the Celtics. “They have a great basketball team. That’s why they’re the World Champs.”

roblee@projo.com