The memory of the last meeting between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat still stings. After the clock ticked down to zero in Game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, LeBron James knelt down on the floor and took in the moment.
At long last, he had done it. LeBron finally beat the Celtics.
It was a moment of jubilance for King James and his fans, but a moment of depression and agony for Celtics fans. James would move on to beat the Chicago Bulls and came two victories short of winning the NBA Finals. For Boston, another year of the Big Three era went to waste.
Ray Allen and the Celtics look to erase that painful memory as the take on King James and the Miami Heat for the first time this season at 8:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday night in Miami, Florida (TV/Radio: TNT/WEEI).
Boston (0-1) was topped in a thrilling season opener, 106-104, by the New York Knicks on Christmas Day courtesy of two late free throws from Carmelo Anthony, who finished with 37 points and eight rebounds. The Celtics fell behind early and trailed by ten points at halftime, but a huge third quarter put the Celtics in control before the Knicks dominated the fourth.
Rajon Rondo had an impressive outing, scoring 31 points and totaling 13 assists and five steals. Ray Allen finished with 20 points and Kevin Garnett added 15 points and eight boards. Boston finished the game 39-of-76 from the field after shooting less than 40 percent in the opening quarter. Sasha Pavlovic, who started in place of the injured Paul Pierce, had zero points and one rebound in 15 minutes.
Miami (1-0) and its new-look offense put forth a powerful performance in its season-opening 105-94 win over the defending-champion Dallas Mavericks. James scored 37 points and racked up 10 rebounds and six assists. Dwyane Wade had 26 points, eight boards and six assists and James Jones and Udonis Haslem scored nine points apiece.
Boston and Miami met four times in the regular season, with the Celtics winning three times. The C's won the season opener and first ever game that James and Wade played together, 88-80, and won again in the next game, 112-107. Boston won again, 85-82, in February but were blown out, 100-77, in the regular season series finale in April.
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