The Sports Xchange
Nov 22, 2017
MIAMI -- Goran Dragic scored 27 points as the Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics 104-98, snapping the Celtics' 16-game winning streak Wednesday night.
The Heat nearly squandered a 14-point lead midway through the fourth as the Celtics ran off 13 straight points and got to with 91-90 on Marcus Smart's two free throws with 3:14 remaining.
Dion Waiters' responded with consecutive 3-pointers for a seven-point advantage. Dragic clinched the victory with three free throws in the final 28 seconds.
The loss was Boston's first since a 108-100 defeat at Milwaukee on Oct. 18.
Waiters overcame a scoreless outing against Indiana on Sunday and scored 26 points for Miami (8-9). Waiters shot 11-for-24 from the field after an 0-for-10 shooting performance against the Pacers.
Miami snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Celtics. The Heat had not defeated Boston since March 25, 2015.
Kyrie Irving scored 23 points and Jayson Tatum finished with 18 points for the Celtics (16-3).
The Celtics cut a 16-point deficit to 66-58 on Smart's jumper with 4:09 remaining in the third quarter. Miami, however, outscored Boston 13-5 the remainder of the quarter.
Behind Dragic's 20 points, the Heat built a 17-point lead in the first half. Dragic's two free throws with 5:15 remaining in the second period gave Miami its largest lead of the half at 43-26.
Al Horford's jumper with 30 seconds remaining in the half got the Celtics within 10-points before Dragic's 3-pointer with 11 seconds left gave the Heat a 54-41 lead at halftime.
NOTES: Celtics coach Brad Stevens limited F Marcus Morris' minutes against Miami because of knee stiffness. Morris played 21 minutes and scored 14 points as a reserve. ... The Celtics fell one game from tying the 1959-60 squad that won 17 straight for third-best in club history. ... The Heat begin a four-game road trip Friday in Detroit. Miami is 4-4 in its first eight road games.