Heat escape with 23rd straight win, beat Celtics 105-103
It looked as if the Miami Heat’s 22-game winning streak was going to end in Boston.
LeBron James had other ideas.
James hit the go-ahead shot with 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter to beat the Celtics, 105-103, climbing back from double-digit deficits on multiple occasions.
The Celtics, who were without Kevin Garnett (flu-like symptoms, strained adductor), were led by Jeff Green, who started in his place. Green poured in a career-high 43 points for the C’s, while doing his best to guard James for most of the game.
Green did it from all over the court, finishing 14-for-21, including 5-of-7 from 3-point land and 10-of-13 from the free throw line, but it ultimately wasn’t enough, as James’ 37 points and 12 assists proved that much more valuable in the end.
What they’ll be saying: What won’t they be saying?! This game had it all. The Celtics had this game in the palm of their rather large hands. Boston gave up a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, allowing Miami to go on one of their token runs down the stretch. The Celtics fought from start to finish without their defensive leader Kevin Garnett, and despite the loss, the C’s should hold their heads high (even though they aren’t big on moral victories). Jeff Green should especially hold his head high after playing the best game of his career Monday night. Green got his points the way he needed to: by being aggressive. Perhaps the biggest knock on Green early on in the season was that he didn’t create enough shots for himself and stood around too much. That wasn’t the case against the Heat, and Boston will need that same mindset out of him going forward if they want to go deep into the postseason.
Nonetheless, the Heat earn win No. 23 moving them into sole possession of the second-longest streak in NBA history.
