Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Paul Pierce scored 16 points and Boston used a suffocating defense in the fourth quarter to beat Miami, 85-76, in an ugly finish to the opener of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
8:00 P.M.: Celtics, Heat Tip Off Series In Boston
The game saw the ejection of Celtics forward Kevin Garnett, who could be looking at a suspension after he threw a pair of elbows at Miami's Quentin Richardson in the game's final minute.
It was a horrid second half for the Heat, who shot 13-of-39 over the final 24 minutes. That included a 4-for-21 effort in a 10-point fourth quarter as the Heat wasted a 14-point lead from the third period.
Garnett had 15 points and nine rebounds before being shown the door with 40 seconds left in the game. Rajon Rondo chipped in 10 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the Celtics, who lost to Orlando last year in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Tony Allen had 14 points in the win.
Dwyane Wade totaled 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists, but also accounted for seven of Miami's 22 turnovers. Those miscues led to an incredible 38 points for the Celtics.
Meeting Miami for the first time in the postseason, the Celtics turned a four- point deficit in the opening minute of the fourth into a lead with a 12-1 run. Allen’s layup capped the flurry with 6:13 left for a 76-69 lead.
Boston pushed to an 81-71 lead inside two minutes left on a Rondo bank shot, but it was an ugly final minute following two Miami field goals. The Celtics were called for a shot clock violation with 40 seconds remaining, as Pierce dribbled around Udonis Haslem, but was forced out of bounds by the Miami forward and Richardson.
"Everybody collided at the bench, emotions ran high from there," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Really, the damage for us was done long before that."
Pierce was on his back, holding his shoulder in front of the Miami bench, when the trouble started. Garnett stood over Pierce, seemingly to see if his teammate was okay. Richardson walked over to the pair and said something to Garnett, who elbowed Richardson away lightly. Garnett, seemingly grabbed from behind, threw a second elbow, which resulted in his ejection. The players then massed together with Boston center Glen Davis and Miami's Jermaine O'Neal getting involved, but cooler heads prevailed.
“I thought what he (Richardson) did was a bit of disrespect by standing over a guy that was hurt, just talking nonsense,” Garnett said. “Before you know it, it all just broke out. I’m a vet, I have to use my head, but the only thing I saw was Paul hurt. That’s the only thing I cared about at that time.”
Wade made a technical free throw, drawing Miami within 81-76, but he missed an ensuing jumper and the Celtics held on.
"Even if you're right, you're still wrong. Get out of there," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "That's a lesson for us."
Miami will try to even the best-of-seven series Tuesday at TD Garden.
Wade’s jumper extended Miami to a 61-47 lead with 7:03 left in the third quarter, but the Celtics fought back and got within 63-60 following a Pierce three-pointer. Miami held a scant 66-64 edge going to the fourth.
Boston trailed 29-28 after one quarter and found itself facing a 44-36 deficit following a Richardson three-pointer in the final two minutes of the half Rondo’s jumper at the buzzer moved the Celtics within 44-41 at the break.
Richardson had 15 points...O’Neal ended eight points on 3-of-14 shooting and also had nine rebounds...Miami won 12 of its final 13 games of the regular season to get the fifth seed going into the playoffs...Boston, the Atlantic Division winners, went 1-of-6 from three-point range.
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