Led By Thomas, Celtics beat Heat, 105-95
MIAMI -- Isaiah Thomas scored 23 points before getting ejected, and Avery Bradley added 20 points to lead the Boston Celtics past the Miami Heat, 105-95, on Sunday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Miami, which trailed by as many as 22 points, cut the deficit to four points on a Tyler Johnson free throw with 1:29 left.
However, Al Horford, who had 11 fourth-quarter points, made a three-point play on a drive to the basket and hit an 18-foot jumper to lead the Celtics (15-12) to their second straight win. Horford finished with 17 points.
Miami (9-19) lost its second game in a row. Center Hassan Whiteside produced 23 points and 17 rebounds, while point guard Goran Dragic posted 31 points and seven assists.
The game was contentious in the second half with two technical fouls and one ejection.
Whiteside elbowed Celtics center Kelly Olynyk in the jaw in the third period. Whiteside was hit with a flagrant foul.
That was not the first time Whiteside was overly physical with Olynyk. On March 9, 2015, Whiteside was ejected after he drove his forearm into Olynyk's neck.
With 3:02 left in the fourth quarter, there was another collision. This time, Thomas inadvertently swung an elbow that bloodied the right cheek of Miami's Justise Winslow. Thomas was ejected on the play due to a flagrant-2 foul.
Finally, with 32 seconds left, Winslow was hit with a technical foul after his knee struck Marcus Smart in the groin. Winslow was shooting a layup on the play.
Boston nearly ran Miami off the court in the first period, shooting 65.2 percent from the floor, forcing seven turnovers and grabbing a 37-19 lead. Boston hit five 4-pointers in the period; Miami had none.
The Celtics cooled off in the second quarter, shooting 47.6 percent. Miami also went more to Whiteside, who scored nine points. But despite those factors, Miami outscored Boston by just one point and went to halftime trailing 58-41.
Miami cut its deficit to seven in the third, getting within 77-71 by the period's end. Whiteside, who had just one rebound at the half, grabbed 13 caroms in the third. And Boston really cooled off on its shooting, converting on only 23.1 percent of its shots. Miami shot 57.9 percent.
However, Boston started the fourth on a 12-5 run, and the Celtics were able to hold off the Heat.
NOTES: Heat G Tyler Johnson, who missed the Friday game against the Los Angeles Clippers due to an illness, returned to the rotation Sunday. ... Heat SG Wayne Ellington, who got hurt against the Clippers, missed the Sunday game. "It's a slightly strained hamstring," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He was able to go through our walkthrough, so he's day-to-day." ... Heat SG Dion Waiters (groin) remains out. ... Celtics coach Brad Stevens said C Al Horford's 2.4 blocks per game are "a little bit more" than he expected. Stevens said the blocks come from the 6-foot-10 Horford's length and Boston's pick-and-roll coverages. ... Up next, the Celtics play at the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday and then conclude their three-game trip on Thursday at the Indiana Pacers. ... Miami will play host to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday and then conclude its six-game homestand on Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
