Jayson Tatum scored 28 points, and the Boston Celtics pulled away in the fourth quarter to secure a 103-91 win over the struggling Miami Heat on Friday night. Jrue Holiday added 25 points as Boston (48-19) clinched a playoff berth with the victory and Atlanta’s loss to the Clippers.
Derrick White contributed 18 points while the Celtics knocked down 19 three-pointers. Boston outscored Miami 25-14 in the fourth quarter, using a decisive 10-0 run to take control early in the period.
Miami (29-37) dropped its sixth straight game and fell eight games below .500, the lowest mark of its season. Andrew Wiggins led the Heat with 23 points, while Tyler Herro added 19. Jaime Jaquez Jr. chipped in 13, but Miami struggled late once again.
Tatum led the way for Boston despite missing key teammates Jaylen Brown (knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness).
Miami experimented with a new starting lineup, inserting Duncan Robinson and Jaquez alongside Wiggins, Herro, and Bam Adebayo.
Boston and Miami remain on opposite trajectories as the regular season nears its final stretch. The Celtics strengthened their hold on the second seed in the East, while the Heat’s playoff hopes continue to fade.
