New-Look Boston Celtics Rally From 22-Point Deficit to Win 98-96 Against Miami Heat
After improving their roster after a very busy 2026 NBA Trade Deadline, the revamped Boston Celtics were able to rally in the second half to knock off the Miami Heat behind a clutch effort from Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
Nikola Vucevic Impresses In Celtics Debut
It didn’t take long for two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic to look comfortable in a Celtics uniform, as the former Chicago Bull made an immediate impact in his debut. Vucevic finished with a solid double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds in a productive outing. His impact on the backboard also showed up in the team stats edge for the Celtics, as Boston thoroughly outrebounded the Heat 50-42. Miami ranks 6th in the league for total rebounds per game at 55.4.
While Vucevic was giving the Celtics an edge on the glass, the three-star trio of Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard led the way for Boston’s comeback. Brown would score a team-high 29 points, with both Pritchard and White adding 24 points and 21 points, respectively.
White would ultimately be the hero for the Celtics down the stretch, as he hit a clutch three-pointer with 1:30 left in the game to give Boston a 98-96 lead. That three-pointer by White would be just the 10th three-pointer the Celtics would knock down, as Boston only shot 28% from beyond the arc.
Heat’s Offense Goes Cold In Second-Half Collapse
After jumping out to a 22-point lead heading into halftime, the Heat were in a nice groove on both sides of the floor in the first half. Unfortunately, the Celtics’ defense tightened up in the third quarter, as Boston slowly chipped away at Miami’s huge lead, culminating in just a 15-point third quarter for the Heat. That cold shooting on offense also fed into the Heat’s defensive effort, as the Celtics scored 60 points in the second half to complete the comeback.
While the offense couldn’t get it done in the second half, the Heat did receive some nice performances from a handful of players. The most notable of those performances came from Andrew Wiggins, who finished with a team-high 26 points in the loss. Wiggins would also be joined by newly named All-Star Norman Powell, who would add 24 points in another valiant effort for the Heat. 4 of the 5 starters for Miami would finish in double-figures for the game.
Eastern Conference Standings
As the NBA All-Star break fast approaches, the overall playoff field for the Eastern Conference is now coming into full view, with both of these teams sitting on opposite sides of the standings. Following the win, the Celtics now stand alone in 2nd-place in the East, as the New York Knicks move down to 3rd-place after their loss against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons last night. The Celtics will have a chance to further expand their current one-game lead over the Knicks, as both teams will square off on Sunday.
For the Heat, this loss keeps them in the 8th-place spot for the time being, as they’re now two games back of the Orlando Magic for the 7th-place position. This loss was the second straight one for Miami, which now puts them at 27-26 this season. The Heat will get a crack at getting back in the win column this weekend, as they’ll travel to D.C. to face the Washington Wizards on Sunday. The Wizards are coming off an upset win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.
