The Boston Celtics have been the NBA’s best team away from home this season and they’ll attempt to improve their road record when they visit the Miami Heat on Monday night.
Boston is an NBA-best 21-6 in road games this season and will enter Monday’s matchup with a five-game road winning streak. That stretch includes victories over Dallas, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Cleveland and New York.
The Celtics beat the Knicks 131-104 on Saturday without Kristaps Porzingis, who was a late scratch (illness), and Jrue Holiday, who missed his second straight game with a shoulder injury.
Jayson Tatum scored 40 points in the win, but the team’s depth was also on display. Boston received 14 points and 12 rebounds from Luke Kornet, who started for Porzingis, 25 points from Payton Pritchard and 11 points and eight rebounds from Neemias Queta.
“When that happens, it just gives other guys an opportunity to step up,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “So that’s a great thing about the locker room is guys are always ready. Luke ready to start, Neemy, (Xavier Tillman), everybody. So to me it’s just about the connectivity of the team and stuff like that happens, next guy’s got to be ready to go and do his job and they did a good job of that (against the Knicks).”
After scoring no more than 10 points in 10 of his 16 games in January, Pritchard now has surpassed the 20-point mark in his last two games. He tossed in 21 points during Thursday’s 127-120 loss to Dallas.
“(Pritchard) means everything,” Tatum said. “When guys are out — we didn’t have KP — we need everybody to step up, and (Pritchard has) done an unbelievable job since he’s been with the team, and he’s getting better every year. He should be the Sixth Man of the Year.”
The win came four days after the Celtics handled East-leading Cleveland on the road, 112-105.
Monday’s game will be the second meeting between the Heat and Celtics this season. The Celtics prevailed 108-89 in Boston on Dec. 2, but Miami will feature a different look this time around after trading Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors last week.
Miami acquired Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Kyle Anderson in the Butler trade, which involved five teams. All three players practiced with the Heat for the first time Sunday and are expected to debut for their new team Monday.
Wiggins, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, averaged 17.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 43 games with the Warriors this season.
Mitchell, the No. 9 pick in the 2021 draft, is with his third NBA team after stints with Sacramento and Toronto. Known more for his defense, Mitchell averaged 6.3 points per game for the Raptors this season.
Anderson, the No. 30 pick in the 2014 draft, has also played for San Antonio, Memphis, Minnesota and Golden State since he entered the NBA. He’s played in 36 games this season and is averaging 5.3 points per contest.
“It’s time for a new chapter,” Wiggins said. “It’s hard. But that’s the NBA, transitioning midseason. That’s the NBA. It’s a business. I’m here. I’m looking forward to it. I’m excited. I think we can do something special here. They’ve got a nice squad, great coaching staff, amazing fans. I’m looking forward to it.”
–Field Level Media
