Rondo helps Celtics top Heat in OT 112-106

[February 04, 2010]  MIAMI (AP) -- Rajon Rondo scored 25 points, including a buzzer-beating layup after catching Paul Pierce's lob at the end of regulation, and the Boston Celtics got a wild 112-106 overtime win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

Ray Allen scored 22 points and Kendrick Perkins added 20 points and 10 rebounds for Boston, which trailed by 11 midway through the fourth quarter before rallying -- and overcoming Dwyane Wade's best game of the season for the Heat.

Wade finished with a season-high 44 on 15 of 34 shooting, including a steal and dunk that gave Miami a two-point lead with 0.6 seconds remaining in regulation. But Rondo was simply too much, and his floater with 34.3 ticks left in overtime sealed it for the Celtics.

Paul Pierce scored 17 and Rasheed Wallace added 16 for Boston. Udonis Haslem scored 19 off the bench for Miami, and Jermaine O'Neal added 14 for the Heat.

There was no way overtime would live up to the end of regulation.

Miami missed 15 of 16 shots in the final minutes, which is how an 11-point Heat lead with 7 1/2 minutes left became a four-point deficit with 53.1 seconds remaining in regulation. Allen's 3-pointer gave Boston an 99-95 lead, and the Heat looked like they were out of chances.

Not even close.

Wade hit two free throws with 5.5 seconds left to tie the game, then did what he does best -- pull off something spectacular. He stripped Allen at midcourt, driving in for a two-handed dunk with 0.6 seconds left to give Miami a 101-99 lead.

Naturally, Boston answered. Rondo curled behind Mario Chalmers, took a lob from Pierce and laid it in before the clock expired, sending the game into overtime tied at 101.

The shifts were seismic in the second half, Miami looking like it was in total control after a 28-9 run put the Heat up 89-78 with 7 1/2 minutes remaining, then wasting it as Boston answered with a 21-6 burst of its own, capped by Allen's 3-pointer late in regulation.

Almost forgotten in the frantic finish was a play with 1:35 left that gave Boston a huge break.

Quentin Richardson got tangled up with Pierce and called for a foul, then argued so vehemently that he was hit with a technical. Allen made the ensuing free throw, a point that the Heat certainly would have loved to have back at the end of regulation.

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Pierce returned after missing five games with a right knee infection, and Rondo played after sitting one game with a sore left hamstring. Kevin Garnett (sore right knee) remained sidelined for the third straight game, a key break for the Heat considering he shot 11 of 12 in the teams' only other meeting this season -- a 92-85 Boston win on Nov. 29.

Wade had 25 points in the half, and the Heat needed every one. Even with Wade's scoring blitz, the Celtics still led 57-54 at the break.

The Celtics' lead was eight midway through the third, before the Heat put together their best stretch of the game to end the period. Haslem and Wade combined for 10 points in a 17-6 Heat run, and Miami took a 78-75 edge into the fourth.

And when Wade came back in with 7:54 left, the second unit had done its job for Miami, stretching the edge to 87-78. Of course, then the game was only getting started.

NOTES: Miami kept the ball for 1 minute, 12 seconds during one fourth-quarter possession, missing five shots on the trip. ... Heat G Carlos Arroyo's contract became guaranteed for the remainder of the season, since Miami did not waive him by a 6 p.m. Wednesday deadline.

[Associated Press; By TIM REYNOLDS]

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