Avery Bradley wouldn’t let Dwayne Wade be the hero. Wade was leading a Heat comeback while the Celtics were clinging to a slim fourth-quarter lead, but it was Bradley who made the game-turning play as Boston won at Miami, 105-95.
With a minute to play, AB blocked Wade’s short jumper. Evan Turner grabbed the loose ball and was fouled by Wade. ET made the first free throw, missed the second but corralled the rebound, and then (in Mike Gorman’s words) “made Wade look like a statue” as he swooped to the hoop for a layup and an eight-point lead.
Bradley made big shots all game long, and was the Celtics’ scoring leader with 25 points on 9-15 shooting (3-6 on threes). He also had three steals and was +18. Turner added 13 points, as did a lively Amir Johnson (5-9 shooting, 2-2 from the arc, 10 boards) and Jae Crowder (with four steals and +23). Jared Sullinger had 17 points on 7-10 shooting, including a huge late-game three, and was +17. Isaiah Thomas struggled from the field (5-17 for 16 points) but led with nine assists.
Wade had a game-high 30 points on 12-24 shooting, but committed six turnovers and was -7. Chris Bosh totaled 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a solid performance.
A low-scoring game was expected as Miami came into the contest with the No. 2-ranked defense (94.5) in the NBA and Boston at No. 4 (96.4). But that’s not how this one played out.
Miami held a 15-9 lead halfway through the first period, when Turner subbed in for Thomas and proceeded to spark a 23-8 run that gave the Celtics a nine-point lead. Turner had six points, a steal and an assist in the burst. Isaiah returned in time to hit a runner at the buzzer and Boston led, 32-23.
The Heat played much of the first half with Hassan Whiteside in foul trouble. The shot-blocker’s absence allowed the Celtics to attack the hoop and they had 28 points in the paint in the first 24 minutes. On the flip side, Crowder picked up three fouls in the first half, after posting eight points, two steals and a +12.
By halftime, the Celtics had a 57-51 lead. IT led with 11 points and five assists, while Turner, Sullinger, Johnson, Crowder and Bradley each scored eight points. Turner added three first-half steals. The Cs shot 59.5% in the half, the highest this season against the Heat. Meanwhile, Wade and Tyler Johnson had 10 each for the Heat, who shot 50.0% in the half.
Boston started the third quarter with a 10-4 run, highlighted by an Amir trey and a Sullinger tip-in and-one, to take a 67-55 advantage. The Heat ran out for two straight fast break hoops, but Bradley splashed a corner three and Thomas hit a two with his foot on the arc line. Then Wade began to assert himself, attacking the hoop for eight straight Miami points, including four free throws and a reverse dunk.
Whiteside stayed out of foul trouble and made an impact for Miami’s defense. He had three blocks in the quarter as Boston shot only 36.0% over the 12 minutes. Miami also outscored the Celts 20-8 in the paint for the quarter. Still, Bradley had 12 in the period and at the buzzer the Celtics led 89-83 – six points, same as at halftime.
Bosh started the fourth quarter by scoring Miami’s first eight points, cutting Boston’s lead to one. Then the Celts reeled off 10 straight on a Bradley jumper, Crowder three, Johnson hook and Sully trey. Lead back to 11 at 94-83 – but the Heat weren’t done. Wade scored eight straight to cut the margin to 96-91 with 3:24 remaining. A Bosh second-chance layup made it a three-point game with 2:01 left.
Two free throws by Crowder gave Boston a 98-93 lead. Bosh answered with a layup. AB and ET then finished it off.
The Green:
In the first half, two of Isaiah’s assists were on full-court fast break passes.
Facts from Sean Grande in pregame, which are jaw-dropping in postgame.
- NBA teams win 35% of back to back road games. The Celtics came in having won seven straight.
- Odds of winning seven straight back to back road games? 1,500-1
- Odds of eight? 4,400-1
Boston now has 10 wins – nine of them by double-digits.
The Gross:
Amir Johnson’s notoriously slow release cost him three points when his deep shot was 0.2 too late at the halftime buzzer.
Terry Rozier got some run in the third: five minutes, scoreless, one turnover, -4.
Danny Ainge’s near-draft pick, Justise Winslow, played 29:28 and had four points, four assists and four turnovers.
The Greenlights:
AB with the huge block
IT finds AB
Ball movement
The Grid:
- Oddity: In the first quarter, Heat fielded a lineup of five left-handed players: Winslow, Bosh, Goran Dragic, Josh McRoberts and Tyler Johnson. And the Cs had Thomas and Lee in at the time.
- Shooting: Celtics 47.5%, Heat 48.0%
- Points in the Paint: Celtics 42 (21/40), Heat 54 (27/42)
- 2nd Chance Points: Celtics 18 (7/11), Heat 17 (6/8)
- Fast Break Points: Celtics 12 (5/9), Heat 11 (5/5)
- Rebounds: Celtics 40, Heat 38
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