Heat Close Season In Boston Searching For Division Title
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BOSTON (CBSMiami/SportsDirect) – The Miami Heat want to lock up the three seed in the Eastern Conference and a Southeast Division title but they'll have their work cut out for them in game 82 of the regular season.
The Boston Celtics have been a dominant team at TD Garden the last few months and can go a long way toward sealing home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs when they host the rival Heat on Wednesday.
The Celtics are 18-3 over their last 21 games at home, but must rebound from one of those losses after a damaging 114-100 defeat against Charlotte on Monday.
Boston will not gain the third seed in the East after the loss, but can fall into any of the next three spots after Wednesday's games.
The only way the Celtics can be fifth with a victory is if the four teams battling end up with identical records and guard Avery Bradley told reporters, "We still have a chance to be where we want to be. We just have to focus on the next game."
Miami grabs the third seed in the conference and takes the Southeast Division title with a victory Wednesday, following a 99-93 triumph at Detroit on Tuesday.
The Heat could lose home-court advantage in the first round with a loss.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Sun (Miami), CSN New England (Boston)
ABOUT THE HEAT (48-33): Joe Johnson, signed as a free agent after the trade deadline, had 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting in the victory at Detroit on Tuesday – his second-most productive game since joining Miami.
Hassan Whiteside had 14 points and nine rebounds Tuesday, ending a five-game streak with a double-double, while small forward Luol Deng notched his fifth double-double in 10 games.
Rookie Justise Winslow is expected to miss his second straight game with an ankle injury and forward Dorell Wright was activated to fill the void.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (47-34): Boston was outscored 25-16 in the fourth quarter in a loss at Atlanta on Saturday and were blitzed 39-13 in the second period Monday while allowing at least 50 percent shooting in both games along with 31 3-pointers combined.
Leading scorer Isaiah Thomas (22.2) has averaged 16.5 points on 12-of-32 from the field over the past two games after scoring at least 20 in 18 consecutive contests.
Since posting 20 points and 12 boards in an upset of Golden State, Jared Sullinger is averaging 7.4 and 3.4, respectively.
BUZZER BEATERS
- Boston G Marcus Smart scored in double figures three of the last four games and scored 15 against Miami in the last meeting.
- Miami G Goran Dragic is averaging 17.3 points in seven games this month.
- The Celtics have won both meetings this season by double figures, including a 101-89 triumph at home on Feb. 27.
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