Plauderecke » points in the third quarter for the third

MIAMI -- A week ago, the Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat with defence. This time, they did it with offence. Paul Pierce scored 27 points, Kevin Garnett added 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Celtics made their first eight shots of the fourth quarter to hold off the Heat 115-107 on Tuesday night. Rajon Rondo posted double-digit assists for the 18th straight game, extending the NBAs longest such streak in 20 years with an 18-point, 15-assist effort. Brandon Bass added 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Avery Bradley scored 11 for the Celtics, who shot a season-high 61 per cent and survived two possessions where Miami could have tied the score in the final quarter. "We talk about it in fighting terms," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "We told them today before the game, youre in a boxing match, you expect to get hit. Theyre going to hit you. They did and we withstood it. I thought that was important for our team." LeBron James finished with 36 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Miami, which got 20 from Dwyane Wade and 18 from Mario Chalmers. Chris Bosh finished with 13 on 5-for-13 shooting for Miami, which has gone 5-5 in its last 10 games. The Celtics beat Miami 91-72 in Boston on April 1, a game the Heat called "unacceptable" after establishing season-lows in scoring and shooting. This one wont sit much better with the reigning Eastern Conference champions, who ousted the Celtics in five games from last years playoffs and could see them in the second round of the upcoming post-season. No team had shot better than 55 per cent against the Heat this season, and Bostons 115 points were two shy of matching a season-high against Miami. "We left Boston feeling awful at our performance," James said. "I dont feel as bad tonight. Those guys, they were locked in. Not only did they make their open shots, they made their contested shots. ... When youve got it going like that, just tip your hat off. We tip our hat off to them tonight. They won it." Boston improved to 18-7 since the All-Star break, and dealt Miami a blow in the race for the No. 1 seed in the East. The Heat fell three games behind Chicago after the Bulls beat the New York Knicks later Tuesday night. "It took a while," Rondo said, "but were peaking at the right time." A layup by Wade got Miami within 108-103 with 2:22 left, before Garnett made a high-arcing jumper that dropped softly through the net, his 11th make in 14 shots. That pretty much described the night. Whenever Miami got close, the Celtics found a way to hold them off. "Its a game of runs," Pierce said. "You have one of the best teams in the NBA at home. You know theyre going to make a run. Thats what makes them who they are. They know how to turn it on. We did a good job of holding their runs to a minimum." Miami had two shots to tie early in the fourth after being down by as many as 18 earlier, before Garnett made jump shots on four straight possessions, the average length of those makes being 19 feet. A 10-0 run early in the first quarter gave Boston a quick lead -- and that wasnt even the Celtics best run of the opening period. Boston scored the last 11 of the first, the run actually becoming 13-0 when Garnett scored to open the second quarter, and Bostons lead was 35-22. Everything the Celtics wanted, they got. Boston shot 61 per cent in the first quarter, 62 per cent in the second. Rivers used eight players, all of them making multiple shots by halftime. Of them, the only one who failed to make at least half his shots was Bass, who more than made up for that with six first-half rebounds. Heres how well the Celtics were shooting: Miami went into the break shooting 51 per cent from the field, 60 per cent from 3-point range and 78 per cent from the foul line -- and Boston was at least 10 percentage points better in every department. "None of us were expecting that," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "To give up 115 points on our home floor, thats not our style. And were being made to feel uncomfortable right now. Thats really the residual of the last three weeks or so. This is probably the one silver lining out of it, is our group, staff and players, were getting to know each other now on the level that is needed for us to prepare for the playoffs. "We all know we have to take a real big step forward as a basketball team," Spoelstra added. The next chance for that "big step" comes Thursday, when the Heat visit Chicago. Down by 18 in the first half, Miami cut the deficit to 65-57 at halftime. James closed it with a 3, punching the air as the shot dropped. Even with that, every moment of the second half was an uphill battle. And the Celtics werent being caught. Miami got within five twice in the third, with Rondo answering both times to make it a three-possession game again. The Celtics held the Heat to 36 per cent shooting in the quarter, keeping the eight-point lead entering the fourth at 89-81. The Heat had two chances to tie early in the fourth, after starting the period on a 7-0 run. The first of those slipped away when Bosh failed to finish off a three-point play opportunity by missing from the line. The next came when Udonis Haslem missed from the left baseline with 9:17 left, and Bostons answer that time was absolute. Allen made a catch-and-shoot 3 for a 94-89 lead, and then Garnett just took over. "When they shoot like that, its going to be tough to beat them," Wade said. "Obviously, we can always do things better. But give them credit." NOTES: Alex Terrio, a fan wearing a Heat T-shirt, won a 2012 Kia Optima for making a halfcourt shot in between the third and fourth quarters. "Shock," Terrio said. ... James had 11 points in the third quarter for the third consecutive game. ... Hall of Fame quarterbacks Dan Marino and Jim Kelly were at the game, as was Chicago Bears star Julius Peppers. Shaquem Griffin Jersey . - Tiger Woods only made it through 10 holes Thursday — this time because of the weather, not his back. Sebastian Janikowski Jersey .Y. -- Dwane Casey admitted hed been concerned about his young Raptors team who had zero experience playing in close-out games -- what awaited them with the vastly-experienced Brooklyn Nets, and how theyd react. http://www.seahawksauthenticofficialonline.com/authentic-barkevious-mingo-jersey.html . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday. Sebastian Janikowski Seahawks Jersey . -- Cole De Vries had a couple of key strikeouts during what could have been the inning that doomed him to defeat against the Kansas City Royals, allowing him to escape further damage and keep the game tied up. Will Dissly Jersey . Chan captured two silver medals at last months Sochi Winter Games — mens singles and the inaugural team event. But he doesnt have the urge to resume training to defend his world title when the event is held in Saitama, Japan, later this month.Gordie Howe is reportedly on the upswing after suffering a setback two weeks ago in his recovery from a series of strokes.The hockey legends son, Mark Howe, told the Detroit Free Press on Friday that his father is getting better after the 86-year-old was rushed to hospital 11 days ago and treated for dehydration.Gordie Howe suffered what his children called a serious stroke in late October and another in early Novembber.dddddddddddd Hes been staying at his daughters home in Lubbock, Texas.Were starting to finally get positive news after one month of negative news, so its good, said Mark Howe in the interview. The younger Howe is a scout with his fathers former team, the Detroit Red Wings. Gordie Howe has lived with his children since the death of his wife, Colleen, in 2009. He has had dementia for several years. Stitched College Jerseys Cheap UCLA Jerseys NCAA Louisville Cardinals Jerseys North Carolina Jerseys Stitched Kentucky Wildcats Jerseys Stitched Alabama Crimson Tide Jerseys Cheap Basketball Wisconsin Badgers Jerseys Authentic NCAA Jerseys Store Wholesale Basketball NCAA Jerseys Cheap Duke Gear Stitched Alabama Jerseys Stitched Georgia Jerseys Cheap Clemson Jerseys Authentic Authentic Texas Jerseys Wholesale USC Jerseys Stitched Oklahoma Jerseys Stitched Ohio State Jerseys Cheap Notre Dame Gear UCLA Jerseys From China Cheap Louisville Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap North Carolina Jerseys Authentic Cheap Kentucky Jerseys Authentic Wisconsin Jerseys From China Cheap Michigan Gear Cheap Florida Gear Wholesale Arizona State Jerseys Cheap LSU Gear Cheap Auburn Gear Cheap California Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Miami Jerseys Authentic Cheap Michigan State Gear Cheap Tennessee Jerseys Authentic Texas A&M Jerseys From China Authentic Wake Forest Jerseys West Virginia Jerseys From China ' ' '