Heat vs. Celtics: Game-by-game breakdown

Staff Writer Ira Winderman looks back at the Miami Heat’s four-game season series against the Boston Celtics:

GAME 1: Oct. 26 at TD Garden

Celtics 88, Heat 80: The regular-season debut of the Heat’s Big Three produced a ragged start and 45-30 halftime deficit, after the Heat scored only nine first-quarter points. The Heat closed within 83-80 with 1:10 to play, but Boston put it away with a Ray Allen 3-pointer. It was Dwyane Wade’s first game back after missing most of the preseason with a hamstring injury.

GAME 2: Nov. 11 at AmericanAirlines Arena

Celtics 112, Heat 107: With Ray Allen converting his first seven 3-point attempts, the Celtics never trailed, dropping the Heat to 5-4 to open the season. The Heat closed within 110-107 on a pair of Udonis Haslem free throws with 13.3 seconds left, after Boston led 102-89 midway through the fourth quarter, but Allen then converted a pair of free throws to put it away.

GAME 3: Feb. 13 at TD Garden

Celtics 85, Heat 82: Mike Miller missed an open 3-point attempt just before the buzzer to foil a Heat comeback from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit. A late missed free throw by LeBron James kept the Heat from initially tying in the final seconds. The Celtics won despite forward Paul Pierce missing all 10 of his shots and scoring just one point.

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GAME 4: April 10 at AmericanAirlines Arena

Heat 100, Celtics 77: The Heat outrebounded the Celtics 42-26 and outscored them in the paint 44-26 to move into the lead for the No. 2 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, which they held to season’s end. Down 22, the Celtics scored 12 consecutive points to draw within 86-75 before the Heat again extended the lead.