Final: Celtics 107, Heat 99 -- Starters take care of business

The Celtics season turned around when they put together their current starting five and we saw why yet again in Monday’s 107-99 win over the Heat. Four Celtics scored in double figures to lead the way for Boston, none better than Kyrie Irving (26 points, 10 assists, season-high eight steals) who scored six straight points in the fourth quarter to end a Heat rally and re-assert control for the hosts. Al Horford chipped in with his fourth double-double of the season (16 points, 12 rebounds) while Jayson Tatum (19 points) and Marcus Morris (17 points) played terrific basketball on both ends to make up for a lackluster effort by Boston’s bench.

The victory gives Boston four straight victories overall and nine consecutive wins at the TD Garden, dating back to Dec. 21. The Celtics also pulled within one game of the No. 4 seed, pending the result of the Sixers-Rockets game on Monday night.  

First Half Notes

• Strong defense early against a Heat offense that was struggling to create separation


• C’s taking advantage of the pick-and-pop possibilities with Hassan Whiteside manning the middle.


• Al Horford making more of an impact on the offensive glass in past couple of games. Has helped C’s get five second-chance points with his work down low.


• Morris with seven of first 14 points for Celtics


• Ten second-chance points for C’s in opening six minutes thanks to four offensive rebounds.


• Hayward with a couple tough offensive sequences drawing a charge and passing to one after a strong contest.


• C’s offense continues to roll thanks to Kyrie. 8 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds in 11 first quarter minutes.


• Stevens back to his rotation of pairing one of the starting guards with Rozier during his time on the floor.


• Tatum and Morris combine for 17 points in first quarter on 7-of-11 shooting from the field.

• 6-0 run by Heat bench unit to start the quarter.


• Horrid offense by the second unit to start the game, with plenty of long twos and contested shots at the rim ahead athletic Miami bigs.


• Boston’s bench combines to start the game missing 10 straight shots from the field before Gordon Hayward made a tough lefty layup.


• C’s defense managed to maintain the lead despite this horrid stretch as Miami was forced into some tough shots on their own.


• Miami’s athleticism off the bench continues to give Boston problems. Derrick Jones Jr. and Bam Adebayo have stood out on both ends early on.


• Kyrie kept the C’s offense afloat with 16 points and 5 assists but Boston failed to get much of a rhythm at all in a 17-point second quarter as Heat erased an early 12-point lead.

• The Celtics are expected to have Gordon Hayward back in uniform after he missed Saturday's game in Atlanta for personal reasons. Hayward and his wife Robin are expecting their third child this month.


• Boston will go for their nine straight win at the TD Garden on Monday night dating back to December 21st, the night when the C's held a lengthy team meeting after a shorthanded loss to the Bucks.


• Kyrie Irving in his last three games since calling himself out for his public critical comments on his teammates: 32.3 points, 11.0 assists and 60 percent shooting from the field.


• This is the finale of a four-game road trip for the Heat, who have gone 1-2 thus far against the Bucks, Bulls and Pistons over the past six days.