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Thomas leads Celtics over Wade, Heat

Mar 10, 2015 - 4:09 AM Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Isaiah Thomas scored 25 points and the Boston Celtics pulled away in the second half for a 100-90 win over the Miami Heat on Monday.

Brandon Bass added 14 points, Gigi Datome scored 13 and Kelly Olynyk had 10 for the Celtics, who went 2-1 on a three-game road trip, also winning in New Orleans before losing to Orlando on Sunday.

"It was important," said Thomas. "I just tried to suck it up as much as possible because my teammates said they needed me."

Dwyane Wade poured in a game-high 34 points for the Heat, who had a three-game home winning streak snapped.

The banged-up Heat got Luol Deng (thigh) back after a two-game absence -- he scored 11 -- but Goran Dragic missed a second consecutive game with a back injury.

Center Hassan Whiteside returned after missing a game with an ankle injury but was ejected late in the third quarter after picking up a Flagrant 2 foul for knocking Olynyk to the floor with a blindside shove near the Heat basket.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Whiteside's actions will be "corrected." The center has made a big impact on the team since being signed seemingly out of nowhere in November after being out of the league for 2 1/2 years.

"Everyone is responsible to the team," said Spoelstra.

Heat forward Chris Bosh spoke to the crowd before the game, thanking fans for their support since he's been ruled out for the rest of the season because of blood clots in his lungs.

Doctors said Monday that Bosh could begin regular exercises later this month but isn't expected to resume full basketball activities until September.

Bass had eight points, six rebounds and two assists in a big third quarter for the Celtics, who stretched a three-point halftime lead to 11 near the end of the quarter.

They got there with a 10-0 run sparked by Olynyk's 3-pointer and punctuated by his three consecutive points after Whiteside was ejected to make it 69-58.

Boston led 73-64 going into the fourth quarter and remained in front by at least four points the rest of the way.

The Celtics led by nine points on Olynyk's bucket late in the first quarter and had a 43-40 advantage at halftime despite Wade's 13 points for Miami.

Game Notes

Miami failed to break an eighth-place tie with idle Indiana in the Eastern Conference ... Michael Beasley had 14 points for Miami and Mario Chalmers scored 12 ... Boston guard Evan Turner was ejected in the fourth quarter ... The Heat are 2-1 against the Celtics this season. The teams will meet again in Boston on March 25 ... Miami hosts Brooklyn on Wednesday ... Boston hosts Memphis on Wednesday.