Sunday, January 27, 2013

Celtics Outlast Heat

    Ray Allen made his return to Boston on Sunday and buried 21 points in 38 minutes as the Miami Heat fell to the Celtics 100-98 in double overtime at TD Garden. Allen signed with the Heat during the summer after he played with the Celtics for five seasons which included one NBA championship in 2007-08. The Heat dropped to 10-10 on the road this season.
    Neither team led by more than five points in the opening quarter as Miami(28-13) was up 26-22 after one quarter. The Heat extended their lead to 33-25 with 8:47 left in the second quarter, but the C's came back with a 20-12 spurt at the end of the first half and went into halftime tied 45-45.
    Both clubs stayed within four points of each other in the third quarter as Miami had a 68-64 lead at the end of the period when they scored the last seven points.
    Boston(21-23) got their biggest lead in regulation when Kevin Garnett nailed an 18-foot shot with 59.9 seconds left to make it 85-81. Allen drained a three-point shot to cut the margin down to one with 25 seconds to go. Jason Terry converted two free throws four seconds later for a Celtics 87-84 lead. LeBron James tied the game on a 26-foot three-point shot from the top of the arc with seven seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.
    The Heat began the extra session with a 6-2 edge, but Boston tied it at 93-93 when Garnett, who scored all of Boston's six points in overtime, hit two straight field goals and moved it into a second overtime. The C's won a double overtime game two days ago in Atlanta against the Hawks.
    In double overtime, Terry made two foul shots at 4:16 then Chris Bosh pounded in a dunk at 2:53 to tie it at 95-95. James drove down the lane for a field goal and a free throw with 1:01 to go. Boston would score the final six points in the sixth stanza. Terry made a driving lay-up at 54 seconds, Paul Pierce hit a go-ahead outside field goal with 30 seconds left and a free throw with five seconds to go.
    James led the way for the Heat with a double-double of 34 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in  52 minutes. Dwyane Wade knocked down 17 points with seven assists in 47 minutes while Chris Bosh had a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds in 46 minutes.
    Garnett got a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds in 45 minutes. Pierce had a triple-double as he contributed 17 points, 10 assists and 13 rebounds in 49 minutes. Terry scored 13 points in 32 minutes and Jeff Green got 11 points in 42 minutes.

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