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Heat-Celtics Preview

Feb 3, 2010 - 2:45 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Miami (24-24) at Boston (30-16), 8:00 p.m. EDT

The return of Kevin Garnett hasn't immediately given the Boston Celtics the look of a championship contender. Another absence by Paul Pierce certainly wouldn't help.

Pierce's status is unclear for Wednesday night's meeting with the Miami Heat, who begin a challenging three-game road trip with problems of their own.

The Celtics (30-16) are 3-3 since Garnett came back from a 10-game absence due to a knee injury, and they needed a dominating fourth quarter Monday night at Washington to avoid a fourth straight loss.

Boston outscored the lowly Wizards 25-10 in the final 12 minutes of a 99-88 win, reversing a trend that saw it blow double-digit leads in the fourth quarter against Orlando and the Los Angeles Lakers during its three-game slide.

"Our offense has been sketchy in the fourth, and our defense has been worse," coach Doc Rivers said. "And (Monday), I thought both things came through for us."

Pierce missed the entire fourth quarter with a sprained left foot and is listed as day-to-day. He missed five games earlier this season with a knee problem after sitting out three times in the previous two seasons combined.

Injuries have been a consistent problem for the veteran-laden Celtics, who are 7-11 since beating the Magic on Christmas Day and have been held under 100 points in each of their last nine games, going 3-6.

The Heat (24-24) have also been sputtering, dropping four of five after getting swept in a home-and-home series with Milwaukee. The Bucks cruised to a 97-81 win in Miami on Monday night, shooting over 50 percent while holding the Heat under 40 percent for the second straight game.

Starting center Jermaine O'Neal missed Monday's game with back spasms.

"We're going through a little bit of a funk right now as a team. It's a trying time," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "A lot of teams have gone through this. This is not what we wanted to do right now, but we're here and have to respond and have to help each other get out of this."

Miami has dropped to the edge of playoff position in the Eastern Conference, and Dwyane Wade hasn't been able to carry the Heat. In the two losses to Milwaukee, Wade averaged 22.0 points and shot 13 of 39 (33.3 percent) from the field, including 1 of 11 from 3-point range.

Wade scored a season-high 44 points against Boston on Jan. 6, but the Celtics won 112-106 at Miami without Garnett. Rajon Rondo's alley-oop layup from Pierce in the final second of regulation tied it, and Boston improved to 10-1 in its last 11 meetings with the Heat, including four straight home wins.

Miami's trip won't get any easier with stops in Cleveland and Chicago, and it plays eight of its next nine on the road.

"I think we're going to bounce back," forward Michael Beasley said. "We've got a tough road trip, but like all year, we respond well in times like this."

A defeat Wednesday would match the Heat's longest skid of the season at three.