The Celtics are in Miami on Thursday with hopes of snapping their first losing streak in a month.
Boston fell in the final seconds to the lowly Pacers on Monday, a defeat about which coach Joe Mazzulla was less than pleased after what he believed was an illegal screen on the game’s deciding play.
The Celtics enter Thursday on their worst offensive stretch of the season after posting their two lowest scoring evenings of the year in losses to Indiana and San Antonio.
The Heat beat the Suns on Tuesday to snap a three-game losing streak of their own. All-Star big man Bam Adebayo, in the midst of one of the worst scoring stretches of his career, had 29 points on 11 of 15 shooting to beat Phoenix.
Jaylen Brown is expected to return for Boston after missing Monday’s game with back spasms. Josh Minott remains out with an ankle injury.
Miami has a slew of injury doubts for Thursday, with Tyler Herro (toe/ribs) and Nikola Jovic (knee) both probable, Jaime Jaquez Jr. questionable (knee), and Davion Mitchell (shoulder) doubtful.
Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. in Miami and on NBC Sports Boston. Here’s a preview.
When: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Kaseya Center, Miami
TV, radio: NBCSB, WROR-FM (105.7)
Line: Boston -2. O/U: 234.5.
CELTICS
Season record: 24-15. vs. spread: 21-18. Over/under: 17-22
Last 10 games: 6-4. vs. spread: 5-5. Over/under: 4-6
HEAT
Season record: 21-19. vs. spread: 22-17, 1 push. Over/under: 19-21
Last 10 games: 6-4. vs. spread: 7-3. Over/under: 5-5
TEAM STATISTICS
Points per game: Boston 116.6, Miami 119.6
Points allowed per game: Boston 110.1, Miami 117.8
Field goal percentage: Boston .473, Miami .470
Opponent field goal percentage: Boston .450, Miami .459
3-point percentage: Boston .368, Miami .368
Opponent 3-point percentage: Boston .370, Miami .344
Stat of the day: Payton Pritchard has started all 39 games for the Celtics this season after starting 17 across his first five seasons.
Notes: After winning five of six games, Boston was held to 95 and 96 points in consecutive losses. ... The Celtics beat the Heat 129-116 last month in Boston in the teams’ only meeting so far this season. Boston was led in that game by Derrick White (33 points) and Brown (30 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists). ... Pritchard is averaging career highs in points (17.0) and assists (5.3) in a starting role for the first time. “Starting has been a little bit of an adjustment,” Pritchard said in an interview with NBC Sports. “I hadn’t since college. I’ve had to figure out the feel, how to get my teammates involved and how to get to my spots.” ... Adebayo moved into second place on the franchise’s all-time scoring list on Wednesday with 9,461 points, passing Alonzo Mourning (9,459). Dwyane Wade (21,556) holds the club record.
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