The Miami Heat will look to snap a four-game losing run when they meet the visiting Boston Celtics on Thursday in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference playoffs.
Miami suffered a 105-96 home loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. It was the Heat’s first game since trading Kyle Lowry to the Charlotte Hornets for Terry Rozier, who played his first four seasons in the NBA with the Celtics.
Rozier was 3 for 9 from the bench and scored nine points against Memphis.
“We know things are not going to be perfect right away,” Rozier told reporters. “You see the team’s assessment and how things are progressing. But I believe I fit into the Heat mentality, so I’m coming in to pick things up on defense and let everything else take care of itself. “We’re all basketball players; we’ll figure it out.”
Tyler Herro scored 18 points for Miami, which has lost four consecutive games for the second time this season. Bam Adebayo recorded 15 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, and six blocks.
Rozier, 29, averaged 23.2 points and 6.6 assists, both career highs, in 30 games with the Hornets this season.
“(Rozier) has a lot of qualities that we respect and have an impact on winning,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Winning is important to him. He respects our uniform. He genuinely wanted to be here, and not everyone wants to play for us. That matters.
The Celtics are scheduled to make their final stop on a three-game road trip. Boston began the journey with a 116-107 win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday and then defeated the Dallas Mavericks 119-110 on Monday.
“Our guys just bring it every night,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said after the latest win. “That doesn’t mean we’ll always win, or that you’ll play flawlessly, but our players are always prepared to compete regardless of the schedule.
“When your top players want to play defense, you have an opportunity every night. That’s one of the things I’ve noticed since joining the Celtics, and it’s continued: our best players buy into defense every night, giving us a chance.
Jayson Tatum scored 39 points against the Mavericks, while Jaylen Brown finished with 34. Tatum leads Boston in scoring (27.0 points per game) and rebounding (8.4 boards per game). Brown ranks second on the squad in scoring (23.1 ppg).
The Celtics went to Dallas without starting center Kristaps Porzingis (right knee irritation) and backup forward Oshae Brissett (lower back strain).
“We would love to have everybody every single night, but that’s just not how it’s going to be,” Tatum told reporters. “We have the next-man-up mentality.”
Miami’s rookie Jaime Jaquez has missed the past five games due to a groin ailment. Jaquez is averaging 14.0 points and 30.2 minutes a game this season.
Thursday’s game will be the Celtics’ second meeting with the Heat this season. Derrick White shot five 3-pointers and scored 28 points in Boston’s 119-111 home win over Miami on October 27. White scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, as the Celtics defeated the Heat 32-23.
Herro led Miami with 28 points, while Adebayo added 27 points and seven rebounds.
The clubs will also face off on February 11 in Miami.
