LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade had not played together in a couple of weeks, so the Miami Heat needed some time to get back into rhythm.
About 12 minutes, to be precise.
The Heat scored 41 points in the second quarter - their highest-scoring period of the season - to erase an early 13-point deficit, and went on to beat the Boston Celtics 109-101 on Friday night.
“Felt good to get back in the lineup with the other ‘Big Two,’ ” James said. “It’s great. We’re just trying to get some more continuity, get our legs up under us.”
James had 20 points and nine assists in 29 minutes, and Rashard Lewis added 19 to lead a huge night for the Miami bench, which outscored Boston’s reserves 52-14.
Bosh and Ray Allen each scored 17 for Miami, which also got 12 from Norris Cole.
Wade, back after missing six games with bone bruises around his right kneecap, scored 11 points in 34 minutes for Miami, which won its 35th home game to tie its record set in 2004-2005. That was one of two single-season marks for Miami on the evening - the Heat also made 12 three-pointers to push their total for the year to 686, topping the mark of 678 in the 1996-1997 campaign.
“It was good to have most of our guys back tonight,” Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And we’ve got to keep on moving forward.”
Miami has three games left, two at home, and already has clinched home-court advantage for the entirety of the NBA playoffs. Spoelstra said all players will continue to be evaluated on a day-today basis, though it seems highly unlikely that several regulars wouldn’t get at least one more game to rest nagging aches and pains before the playoffs open next weekend.
Miami played Friday without Shane Battier and Udonis Haslem.
Jeff Green scored 25 for Boston, which played without Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, both out with ankle soreness. Celtics Coach Doc Rivers expects Pierce and Garnett to play today in Orlando.
“Orlando is a team that, obviously, you see them. I don’t want to give them any fuel, but they’re terrible,” Celtics guard Jason Terry said. “So we must go in there with whoever we have and scrap for the win.”
Jordan Crawford added 20, Courtney Lee scored 18 and Brandon Bass had 17 for Boston.
The Celtics need one more victory to wrap up the No. 7 spot in the East, which would lock Milwaukee into the No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with Miami.
“I thought their subs beat our subs if you want to just simplify it,” Rivers said.
Sports, Pages 23 on 04/13/2013