Heat Stumble in Second Half in Loss to Celtics

The Miami Heat blew a halftime lead in their 112-108 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday at TD Garden.

The loss was Miami's third in the last four games, as it tries to hold onto a playoff spot. The Celtics could be the top seed in the East and may be Miami's first-round opponent. While the Heat were competitive in this one, the Celtics at times appeared to be a more cohesive unit.

Miami led by five at the half, but were outscored by 15 in the third quarter alone. The Heat tried to rally back themselves in the fourth quarter, but ultimately fell short in that quest. The Heat are now 35-38 on the season and 22 of those losses have come on the road.

Tyler Johnson led Miami with 24 points and two assists off the bench. Johnson also grabbed four rebounds and picked up three steals along the way. The veteran has been Miami's most dependable reserve all season long.

James Johnson also had a big night off the bench, with 20 points of his own to go along with five rebounds and six assists. The forward added a steal and a pair of blocks, in a strong all-around game.

Hassan Whiteside led the starting five in points with 19 and picked up yet another double-double. Whiteside had 15 boards, one steal and a block in the loss.

Part of the reason for the loss, was the play of Goran Dragic. The guard is usually a consistent and productive player, but he struggled in this one. Dragic turned the ball over five times and was in foul trouble as well.