EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ? When the New Jersey Nets hear the word “butter” yelled from their bench, they know the 24-second clock is running down and it’s time to shoot quickly.

Richard Jefferson heard that magic word after the Boston Celtics had used a 14-0 fourth-quarter run to climb back into Game 2, and he immediately elevated for a jumper from the right wing that gave New Jersey a five-point lead with 5:26 left.

The Celtics would never get that close again, and New Jersey went on to a 104-95 victory Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in their second-round series.

“That was a monster shot, a big shot,” Nets guard Lucious Harris said. “He knocked it down and that put a little damper in their play. They played great defense and he made the shot.”

Jefferson finished with 25 points and hurt the Celtics on the other end, too, by slowing down Paul Pierce in the third quarter.

“It was huge for our team,” Jefferson said after the Nets held home-court advantage despite allowing Boston to open the fourth quarter with 14 unanswered points. “The last couple of years we’ve always lost that one game at home. Now we have a chance to do what we need to do. We’re going up to Boston and we’re going to try and get both of them.”

Jason Kidd added 23 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, while Kenyon Martin had 14 points and 10 rebounds and again shut down Boston’s Antoine Walker.

“Basketball is a game of runs,” said Martin, who held Walker to 3-for-15 shooting. “RJ made a huge shot for us that stopped the bleeding. We staggered a little bit but we did not fall. We came back and J (Kidd) made great plays for us.”

Boston's Paul Pierce, center, is double-teamed by New Jersey's Richard Jefferson, left, and Kenyon Martin. Pierce, a former Kansas University standout, still managed to get 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his first career postseason triple-double. The Celtics lost Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series, 104-95, Wednesday in East Rutherford, N.J.

Game 3 will be played Friday in Boston, with Game 4 Monday.

Pierce, a former Kansas University player who sprained his right ankle late in the game, led the Celtics with 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, his first career postseason triple-double. But he also had six of Boston’s 21 turnovers, and Walker had five. Tony Delk added 19 points.

“Paul is carrying his load, he’s playing like a superstar,” Walker said. “I just have to come along with him. It’s a tough time. I try to pride myself on being a playoff player, and I am coming up short for the first time in my career. I just have to bounce out of it. It’s not over.”

This game was similar to Game 3 of last year’s conference finals between the teams. New Jersey took a 21-point lead into the final period of that contest yet lost the game.