EditorsNote: rewords locale in lede; changes minutes totals in sixth and seventh grafs
Bam Adebayo produced a double-double with 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to lead the Miami Heat to a 112-106 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night at the HP Field House near Orlando.
The Heat played without leading scorer Jimmy Butler, their five-time All-Star. He sat out due to a sore right ankle, but Miami improved to 6-6 without him.
Miami also got 21 points from Duncan Robinson and 20 from reserve point guard Goran Dragic. However, Dragic left the game with five seconds left due to a left ankle injury.
Ex-Celtics center Kelly Olynyk added 15 points, a game-high eight assists and six rebounds for Miami. He started in place of Butler, just the seventh time Olynyk has opened a game this season.
The Celtics were led by Jayson Tatum's 23 points and seven rebounds and Jaylen Brown's 18 points and team-high 10 rebounds. That duo combined for 64 points on Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers, with Tatum getting 34.
Boston star point guard Kemba Walker, who is on a minutes-restriction while he works his way back from a knee injury, had 15 points and four assists. He played 27 minutes, and part of his scoring total was a half-court shot at the third-quarter buzzer.
Celtics guard Marcus Smart, considered one of the best defensive players in the NBA, fouled out with 3:46 left in the third quarter. Smart finished with just three points -- missing all five of his shots from the floor -- two steals and one rebound in 16 minutes.
Both teams have already clinched playoff berths. However, with the win, the Heat cut the Celtics lead to 1 1/2 games for third place in the Eastern Conference.
Miami, shooting 4-of-11 on three pointers, led 33-28 after the first quarter. Boston made just 1-of-9 on three-pointers.
The Heat stretched their lead to 16 in the second quarter before settling for a 63-51 advantage at the break.
For the half, Miami outrebounded Boston 25-17 while shooting 10-for-24 on three-pointers (41.7 percent). Boston shot 5-for-20 on three-pointers (25 percent).
Walker's 3-point buzzer-beater cut Boston's deficit to 91-83 after three quarters. Boston had a 5-0 run in the final minute to cut its deficit to 109-106, but Miami held on for the win.
--Field Level Media
