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Heat, Celtics collide in South Beach

Mar 9, 2015 - 1:58 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Two teams currently on the outside looking in at the Eastern Conference playoff picture meet Monday when the Miami Heat welcome the Boston Celtics to AmericanAirlines Arena.

The Heat have fallen into a tie with the Indiana Pacers for the eighth and final playoff berth, a half-game behind the Charlotte Hornets, who own the seventh spot.

The Celtics are 2 1/2 behind the former Eastern Conference powers for eighth.

The Heat have been playing decent basketball despite dropping from seventh to eighth. Miami has won three of four, with all three victories during that stretch in South Beach, and the only loss was a two-point setback in Washington after the Heat trailed by 35.

On Saturday, Miami got back into the win column with a 114-109 overtime triumph over the Sacramento Kings.

Dwyane Wade scored 10 of his 28 points in the extra session to lead the Heat. Wade sat out Friday's loss at Washington with a sore right hip, but played a chief role in leading the Heat to a crucial victory.

Tyler Johnson had 24 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Heat, who overcame a 16-point deficit. Michael Beasley netted 18 points and Mario Chalmers added 12 with seven assists.

"We're fighters, man. We've been unlucky this season with injuries but guys are going to continue to fight," Wade said.

Miami's Luol Deng missed a second straight game with a right thigh contusion, while Goran Dragic (lower back contusion) and Hassan Whiteside (ankle) were also sidelined. All three are listed as questionable on Monday.

The Celtics had a two-game winning streak snapped last time out and are 2-3 in their last five.

On Sunday, the Celtics couldn't contain Elfrid Payton, who nearly had a triple-double, and fell to the Orlando Magic, 103-98.

Isaiah Thomas continued his stellar play off the bench with 21 points and nine assists for Boston, while Brandon Bass contributed 19 points and 17 rebounds in defeat.

The Celtics led by 14 after the first quarter and led by 20 at one point.

"Anytime you play a good one quarter and get crushed the other three, it's probably not going to be a good night," said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. "I thought they really had their way with us. They made physical, tough plays in the last three quarters that we didn't match."

The Heat have won both meetings this season against the Celtics and are 5-1 in their last six as the host in this series.