MIAMI - If this was a preview of the Eastern Conference semi-finals, then the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics was showed what to expect.Few pleasantries.
Pushing and shoving.
And maybe a Game 7 in Miami.
LeBron James scored 27 points, Dwyane Wade added 14 and the heat is close to No. 2 seed in the playoffs East on Sunday by beating the Celtics 100-77 sliding.
"It was a playoff-type atmosphere, fans of both teams approach the game that meant," Wade said. "He had that feeling."
Miami moved a game ahead of Boston, trimmed its magic number to clinch the second seed to two. The teams will finish second and third in some order behind Chicago in the East, slotted to play in the conference semifinals.
"We like to play, I can say that," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "And we will need if you want to go somewhere."
Chris Bosh added 13 points and eight rebounds for Miami, which had been 0-3 against Boston this season, while Heat coach Erik Spoelstra warned against exaggerating the importance of winning.
"We've proven we can beat them tonight," Spoelstra said. "That's about it in my mind."
Paul Pierce 24 points and Kevin Garnett added 21 for Boston, which lost 10 once in his last 19 games. The Celtics were outrebounded 42-26 and outscored 44-26 paints.
"What do you expect? The Boston-Miami," said Garnett. "Apparently, they are two, if not the best two teams in the East, expect that you should expect to come here, you will not get the call, their passion was to be expected - ... A team you've beaten three times. "
Heat finally solved the Boston Celtics beat the hex for the third time over the last 21 meetings. Bosh was 1-13 against Boston since March 2007 and the Celtics finished the two seasons from 2009-10 to Wade (first round) and James (second round).
Miami won 13 season maligned - - once in his last 16 games, and its bench outscored Boston 32-12.
"What worked for us today, we played up front together," Wade said.
Ray Allen scored 13 points for the Celtics. Rajon Rondo was held to only seven points and five assists on 3-8 shooting.
"The frustration is high on our team right now," Rivers said.
Miami players were immense.
Mario Chalmers had nine points in the second quarter when the Heat took the lead. Joel Anthony had eight rebounds in the first half, two fewer than the whole list of Boston. Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored guide to start the third heat six was the steering and Anthony used a triple-team James and immersed for a 74-59 lead in the final game of the third quarter.
Of course, it is the heat-Celtics, nothing would come easy in Miami.
An 22, Boston ran 12 straight points, Allen from a set of four points and Pierce adding both a 3-pointer and a set of three points for the Celtics in 85 to 75.
It was the last breath. 04:49 Mike Bibby's 3-pointer on the left, then Bosh followed James' left to lose the lead back to 15
"We built that seems to hold only the guys in front of us, the shots of challenges and fly around defensively," said James.
Boston scored the first game by eight points and hit eight of their first nine shots. The Celtics were making it look easy, especially when Garnett - who had not made a 3-pointer all season - a step in a left wing and connected to a lead of 22-15.
"It looked like the same old song," said Spoelstra.
He did not stay. Boston went without a goal for the next 6:17, and Miami took the lead on the first possession of the second quarter.
Tensions were already high, and emotions soon overwhelmed.
Jermaine O'Neal - who had been easily influenced by James 27 seconds earlier in transformation - tried to stop another drive, the two-time reigning MVP with a shoulder check about 4 minutes in the second, otherwise play ball.
A melee broke out shortly under the curve. O'Neal received a flagrant-1, James has a technique to throw the ball to O'Neal, Wade and Pierce also received technicals for some pushing and shoving, and a small amount of waste flew into the stands on field.
"I thought it was all theater, all the shit. I guess that's tough call in these days," said Rivers. "Two guys run into each other, you have to call an obvious mistake, which I thought was a joke. And I thought the response has been both a joke. "
Bosh got his second technical 2 1 / 2 minutes later, saying he committed a loose ball in Rondo, only to have referees in Boston granted a timeout. But the heat stayed calm, keep throwing the second half, turned his eyes toward the street games in Atlanta on Monday that infest and Wednesday in Toronto.
"It's cool and everything," Bosh said, "but we still have two more games."
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