The Celtics have played the Heat two times so far in Miami this year and both have been outstanding games. The C's won the earlier meeting at the buzzer, but Tuesday night it was the Heat who were able to hang on for a 93-86 win -- a game the Celtics trailed by 18 midway through the second quarter, but came back to take a two-point lead late in the fourth quarter before the Heat ended the game with a 9-0 run.
Playing on a 10-day contract, Chris Johnson gave the Celtics a big spark with 11 points in his first career NBA game. Kris Humphries led the way for the C's, posting a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Jared Sullinger also had a double-double finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds while Brandon Bass added 15 points off the bench.
The Heat were led by LeBron James who had a game-high 29 points while Chris Bosh added 16. Dwyane Wade missed his third straightgame for Miami.
The road trip will continue Wednesday (7:30 p.m., CSNNE) for the C's when they take on the Wizards in Washington.
What they'll be saying: It was another good showing for the Celtics in Miami, going toe-to-toe with one of the league's best, but they ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. The big issue for the team was their defense as they allowed the Heat to shoot 51 percent from the field. Rajon Rondo finished with just one point and five assists in 26 minutes of game action. It should also be noted Avery Bradley left the game with a sprained ankle and didn't return. His status remains unclear for Wednesday in Washington.
