BOSTON — These Boston Celtics sure like to make things interesting.
The Celtics nearly let a big lead get totally away from them Monday night, but held on to earn a 110-105 victory over the Miami Heat at TD Garden.
It’s been somewhat common for the Celtics to squander big leads this season, and they were in serious danger of letting it happen yet again. During the second quarter they got their advantage up to 23, but in the fourth quarter the Heat had knocked it down to as few as three. Despite the scare, Boston held on to earn the victory.
Al Horford notched a triple-double, tallying 19 points with 10 assists and 11 rebounds. Kyrie Irving scored a team-high 25 points, while Jayson Tatum (19 points), Marcus Smart (16) and Gordon Hayward (11) also scored in the double digits.
Goran Dragic dropped a game-high 30 points and was one of five Heat providing double-digit scoring.
With the win, the Celtics climb to 46-32, while the Heat fall to 38-39 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down.
STARTING FIVE
PG:Â Kyrie Irving
SG: Marcus Smart
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Al Horford
C: Aron Baynes
DOMINANT
The Celtics got off to a red-hot start, pounding the Heat 36-17 in the first quarter.
It didn’t take long for Boston to get going, opening the first 3:52 of the game on a 10-2 run, forcing Heat coach Erik Spoelstra into a timeout. Smart was responsible for five of those points, and the stretch included this impressive play.
The Celtics upped their lead to 20-4 before Spoelstra was forced into another timeout at the 5:27 mark. They continued to pour on points the rest of the quarter, which featured some more fireworks.
Tatum led all players with 11 points in the quarter.
C’S STAY ON TOP
The Heat were unable to put much of a dent into the deficit in the second. Though the Celtics were outscored 30-25 in the quarter, they went into the half ahead 61-47.
Eight unanswered points for the Heat just before the midway point of the quarter got Miami’s deficit down to 13. Following the Heat’s spurt, the Celtics went on a 7-0 run of their own to get the lead back up to 20, where it hovered the most the rest of the half. However, Miami scored nine of the quarter’s last 11 points to make the deficit a bit more manageable heading into the break.
Much like the first quarter, there were plenty of highlights in the second, two of which were thanks to Horford.
Irving led all players with 15 points in the half.
SLIPPING AWAY
The Heat started chipping away late in the first half, and they carried that momentum into the third quarter. The Celtics were outscored 30-27 in the frame, taking an 88-77 lead into the final stanza.
Behind as many as 23 in the first half, with 6:28 left in the third the Heat had managed to trim their deficit down to six. Once their lead got that low, the Celtics started to show a little bit more urgency, getting their advantage back up to the double digits.
For pretty much the rest of the quarter, the two sides traded chances, with Boston’s lead hanging around nine points.
Dragic led all players with 13 points in the third.
C’S HOLD ON
The Celtics avoided catastrophe in the fourth quarter, earning the victory despite getting outscored 25-20 in the frame.
Things really started getting scary for the Celtics with 6:44 left in regulation, when three Kelly Olynyk free throws cut Boston’s lead to three. But once it got that low the Celtics delivered a nice response, with Tatum and Terry Rozier hitting treys to bring the advantage back to nine.
After Boston’s rebuttal, the Heat managed to pull back within three with just two minutes left in the game, but they couldn’t get any closer the rest of the way.
With 1:25 left, Irving got an old-fashioned 3-pointer, drawing an and-one on a layup. The Celtics led by six after Irving knocked down the free throw. Dwyane Wade pulled Miami back within four on a put-back, then the Celtics were unable to answer the next trip down.
After Olynyk threw the ball away with 25 seconds left, the Heat had to resort to fouling the Celtics the rest of the way, and Boston made sure not to miss, securing the win.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Horford getting physical.
UP NEXT
The Celtics will hit the road to play the Heat on Wednesday in Miami. Tip from AmericanAirlines Arena is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
