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Heat face lowly Celtics

Apr 16, 2007 - 2:37 PM Boston (23-57) at Miami (44-36) 7:30 pm EDT

MIAMI (Ticker) -- Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal have reunited at just the right time.

The superstar duo has two more tuneup games before the playoffs. The first of those is against the Boston Celtics on Monday.

After missing 23 games with a separated shoulder, Wade played his fourth game since returning from the injury on Friday. But it was his first contest in the starting lineup with O'Neal, who returned after missing two games to attend his grandfather's funeral.

Miami posted a 100-95 victory over Indiana as Wade scored 14 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter for his first 20-point performance since suffering the injury on February 21 at Houston. O'Neal added 21 points.

However, the Heat are just 8-7 since a season-high nine-game winning streak and just 2-2 since Wade's return.

The Celtics have lost seven in a row. Boston nearly erased a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit in an 88-86 loss to Orlando on Sunday.

Celtics forward Al Jefferson, who had missed the previous six contests with a bruised left knee, played his first game since April 1 and scored 28 points.

Miami has won nine of its last 11 games against Boston, including the last five at home.