Rondo's Triple-Double Helps Celtics Top Heat 85-82
BOSTON (AP) - Rajon Rondo had a triple-double with 11 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds, and the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat 85-82 on Sunday to clinch the season series against their top pursuer.
LeBron James scored 22 points for Miami, which had won eight in a row. But he missed the first of two free throws with 13 seconds left and the Heat trailing by two points.
The Celtics (39-14) took back the top spot in the conference from Miami (39-15) and earned the tiebreaker for home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Kevin Garnett scored 19 with seven rebounds and Kendrick Perkins had a season-high 15 points for Boston, which snapped a two-game losing streak. Paul Pierce was 0-for-10 shooting and finished with one point, his lowest scoring total since 1999.
Chris Bosh had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Dwyane Wade added 16 points for Miami, which cut a 13-point deficit to two in the final minutes.
The Heat trailed 83-81 with 19 seconds left when they brought the ball in from a timeout and got it to James at the top of the key. He drove on Pierce and drew the foul but missed the first shot, then made the second.
On the ensuing inbound pass, he dived for the ball and went into the stands. But he merely knocked it to Ray Allen; the Celtics got the ball downcourt to Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who ran out some more of the clock before he was fouled.
Davis, who scored 16, hit both foul shots with 6.3 seconds to go, and Mike Miller missed a 3-point attempt in the final seconds that would have sent the game to overtime.
The Celtics beat a much different Miami team in the first round of last year's playoffs, then knocked James and the Cleveland Cavaliers out in the next round. James fled to Miami to join Bosh and Wade, but the Heat still haven't been able to beat Boston, losing the season opener in Boston and falling again in Miami on
Nov. 11.
The teams meet for the last time in the regular season April 10 in Miami.
Miami took a 43-39 lead into halftime, but Boston scored 12 of the first 13 points in the third quarter and opened a seven-point lead on Allen's 3-pointer with 8:31 left. After Wade drove for a layup, Allen hit a 15-footer and Wade was called for a flagrant foul for elbowing Garnett while fighting for position.
While the referees discussed it, the Heat gathered on the court and Rondo lingered outside their huddle until James pushed him away. Allen intervened to pull Rondo away.
Garnett made both free throws, giving the Celtics a 59-46 lead.
NOTES: Davis could only chuckle after taking the ball on the breakaway but leaving his dunk on the front of the rim. He then turned around and ran over Bosh for a foul. ... Allen was presented with the game ball from Thursday night, when he set the NBA's career 3-point record. Allen had two more 3s on Sunday. ... Pierce was 0-for-5 from 3-point range. He made one of two free throws. ... Miami had 12 turnovers in the first half. ... Boston has not lost three straight games all season.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
