SHORTHANDED HEAT CAN’T SOLVE CELTICS

It wasn’t nearly as lopsided as last month’s matchup against the Boston Celtics in Miami, but it still ended in a loss.

After losing to the Celtics in a 33-point rout at home less than three weeks ago, the Heat (28-25) fell to the Celtics 110-106 in a game that came down to the final seconds on Sunday afternoon at Kaseya Center. Miami closed its four-game homestand at 2-2.

The result also clinched the Celtics’ 3-0 sweep of the regular-season series against the Heat just months after the Heat ended the Celtics’ season in the Eastern Conference finals last year. Boston holds the NBA’s best record this season at 41-12.

It could end up as a costly loss, too, with the Heat losing guards Josh Richardson and Terry Rozier to injuries. Richardson (right shoulder) and Rozier (right knee) left the game early and did not return. Both players will undergo MRIs on Monday.

Already playing without Jimmy Butler because of personal reasons, the short-handed Heat put together a strong effort to remain within striking distance most of the way despite the Celtics pulling ahead by as many as 15 points early in the second half.

But after Tyler Herro hit a threepointer to cut the deficit to two with 1:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Heat could not complete the comeback.

After getting a defensive stop on the next Celtics possession, Heat forward Haywood Highsmith missed

Much-improved Alondes Williams earned his new two-way contract with the Heat, what would have been a go-ahead three-pointer. The Celtics then extended its lead to four on two free throws from center Kristaps Porzingis with one minute to play.

Heat center Bam Adebayo then missed a 14-foot jumper and the Celtics pushed their lead to six on two game-clinching free throws from Jayson Tatum with 14.6 seconds left.

The Heat kept it close behind 14 offensive rebounds that resulted in 23 second-chance points, but it just didn’t make enough shots to defeat the Celtics. The Heat shot just 41.2 percent from the field and 12 of 40

(30 percent) from threepoint range in the loss.

Herro led the Heat with 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting from the field and 4-of-12 shooting on threes, five rebounds and four assists.

Adebayo added 22 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field, 13 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.

For the Celtics, Tatum finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Porzingis had 25 points, two blocks, nine rebounds and three assists.

Next up for the Heat is a two-game trip that begins Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. These will be the Heat’s final two games before next week’s All-Star break.

Here are three takeaways from the Heat’s loss to the Celtics on Sunday:

The Heat was missing its best player.

Butler did not play against the Celtics.

“Jimmy Butler has been granted a leave of absence as he deals with the death of a family member,” Butler’s agent Bernie Lee said in a statement issued by the Heat prior to the game. “Jimmy and his family ask for privacy at this point in time as they navigate this loss. Updates will be given when appropriate.”

It marks the first game that Butler has missed since Jan. 14, ending a string of 13 consecutive games played. It marks the 16th game that Butler has missed this season.

Butler’s status for the two-game road trip remains up in the air.

Injuries to two rotation players.

Richardson and Rozier, two guards in the Heat’s rotation, both exited Sunday’s game early with injuries.

Richardson left in the second quarter with a right shoulder injury and Rozier left midway through the third quarter with a right knee injury. Both players did not return to the game.

Richardson, who has been a fixture in the bench rotation, went down to the court and immediately grabbed his shoulder just a few minutes into the second quarter. It happened during a wild sequence that began when Richardson stole the ball from Tatum, only to have it stolen by Celtics guard Jrue Holiday one second later.

With Holiday hitting a three-pointer to end the possession, the Heat called timeout to stop play and attend to Richardson with nine minutes left in the second quarter.

Heat trainers, coaches and teammates immediately rushed over to Richardson, who was helped up and walked straight to the locker room with trainers while grabbing his injured shoulder.

Rozier, who has been a fixture in the Heat’s starting lineup since being traded to Miami in late January, was fouled as he went up for a layup and landed awkwardly on his right leg. Heat coaches, players and trainers again rushed out to surround a writhing Rozier.

Rozier slowly got up and walked gingerly to the locker room with the assistance of trainers.

The Celtics chose center Orlando Robinson to take Rozier’s two free throws, making Rozier ineligible to return to the game.

The possibility of playing without Richardson and Rozier for the foreseeable future will force changes to the Heat’s rotation.

Richardson had played more than 20 minutes in six straight games, and Rozier has logged more than 25 minutes in each of his first nine games with the Heat .

If out for extended stretches, these injuries would leave the Heat very thin at the guard position.

Two-way contract player Alondes Williams is the only healthy traditional guard on the roster besides Herro.

Flagrant foul raises tension between rivals.

If there wasn’t enough bad blood between these two franchises, the Heat and Celtics exchanged some words after Brown committed a Flagrant 1 foul in the fourth quarter.

With Duncan Robinson trying to defend Brown in the post, Robinson was called for a foul for getting tangled up with Brown.

But after the foul was called, Brown pulled his arm away to try to get Robinson off of him and pulled Robinson’s arm in an awkward manner in the process.

Robinson went down in pain, but was able to remain in the game. But Robinson had some words for Brown, with the two needing to be separated by teammates and the officials.

The play resulted in a five-point possession for the Heat, with Robinson hitting both free throws and Adebayo completing the three-point play on an and-one layup on the ensuing possession.

Anthony Chiang: 305-376-4991, @Anthony_Chiang

Boston Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt

J.Brown 37:12 8-16 1-4 921 20 Tatum 38:41 11-20 2-2 10 9 1 26 Porzingis 31:34 8-14 7-9 934 25 Jr.Holiday 35:27 5-8 0-0 363 15 D.White 37:55 3-9 0-0 242 6 Brissett 2:05 0-0 0-0 110 0 Hauser 14:44 2-4 0-0 001 6 Horford 24:51 1-5 2-2 501 4 Kornet 2:12 0-0 0-0 000 0 Pritchard 15:19 3-5 0-0 320 8

Totals 240 41-81 12-17 42 27 13 110

Percentages: FG .506, FT .706. 3-Point Goals: 16-39, .410 (Jr.Holiday 5-6,

J.Brown 3-8, Hauser 2-4, Porzingis 2-4, Pritchard 2-4, Tatum 2-6, Horford 0-2, D.White 0-5). Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 11. Blocked Shots: 9 (Horford 3, Porzingis 2, Tatum 2, Jr.Holiday, D.White). Turnovers: 9 (J.Brown 6, Porzingis, Tatum, D.White). Steals: 1 (Jr.Holiday).

Miami Min FG-A FT-A R A F Pt

Jaquez Jr 28:36 2-6 1-2 311 6 Ca.Martin 35:55 6-12 0-0 8 1 1 15 Adebayo 34:23 7-18 8-8 13 4 2 22 Herro 38:31 10-21 0-0 5 4 1 24 Rozier 24:08 6-16 1-1 4 6 0 13 Highsmith 23:10 1-4 0-0 304 2 Love 15:16 2-6 0-0 720 5 Richrdsn 7:09 1-3 0-0 020 2 D.Robnsn 32:48 5-11 2-2 2 1 5 15 O.Robnsn 0:04 0-0 2-2 000 2

Totals 240 40-97 14-15 45 21 14 106

Percentages: FG .412, FT .933. 3-Point Goals: 12-40, .300 (Herro 4-12, Ca.Martin 3-7, D.Robinson 3-8, Jaquez Jr 1-2, Love 1-4, Highsmith 0-1, Richardson 0-2, Rozier 0-4). Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: 7. Blocked Shots: 2 (Adebayo 2). Turnovers: 7 (Adebayo 2, Herro, Jaquez Jr,

Love, Ca.Martin, D.Robinson). Steals: 4 (Adebayo 2, Highsmith 2).