Miami Heat dominate Boston Celtics 102-91: NBA Play-off Recap
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade combined for 63 points to help the Miami Heat take a 102-91 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of their second-round of play-off series on Tuesday night.
"They were terrific and used every bit of their talent tonight to help us win," Miami's Head Coach, Erik Spoelstra, said of James and Wade. "This series is only getting started right now. We ultimately did what we were supposed to do."
James posted 35 points, including 24 in a dominant second half and was instrumental in a late 14-0 run that pulled the game away.
Wade chipped in 28 points, while Chris Bosh added 17 points and 11 boards for the Heat, who beat the Celtics 99-90 in the opening game of the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Rajon Rondo scored 20 points, 12 assists and six boards while Kevin Garnett tallied 16 points for the Celtics, but Boston's stars could not keep pace. Paul Pierce poured in 13 points and Ray Allen added seven points in the defeat.
Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday in Boston.
Pierce drained a three-pointer midway through the opening quarter to give the Celtics a12-7 advantage. After that, he had to retreat to the locker room due to an ankle injury.
James netted eight points in the last three minutes of the first stanza to put the Heat up 27-26.
Wade came alive with two sensational moves on straight possessions late in the second quarter. First, he hit a three-pointer after spinning Garnett around with a stutter-step. Then, he blew past the Allen with a cross-over to make another three-pointer that
gave the Heat a 47-40 advantage with less than a minute to play in the half.
Rondo was fouled by James Jones shortly before halftime buzzer, and hit both free throws to trim the Celtics’ deficit to five points.
The Celtics came out strong in the third frame, building up a 2-point lead. Garnett scored on 4-of-5 possessions during one stretch and Rondo hit a three-pointer to give Boston a 58-56 edge midway through the third.
However, James responded moments later with a pair of three-pointers and drilled a 19-foot jumper in the final minutes that gave the Heat a 72-68 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Celtics equalised the game at 80 on two Pierce's free-throws with less than eight minutes left in the final frame.
With the game tied at 80, Mario Chalmers knocked down a three-pointer and Wade hit a pair of free throws around Glen Davis misses.
James then drilled a three-pointer, drained two more free throws and hit a deep jumper to give the Heat a 92-80 lead with less than five minutes to play.
Wade and Bosh both made free-throws to cap the 14-0 burst, and Miami pulled away, taking command of both the contest and the series.
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