Miami Heat (10-12, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (18-4, first in the Eastern Conference)
Boston; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Boston takes on the Miami Heat after Jayson Tatum scored 49 points in the Boston Celtics' 134-121 win over the Miami Heat.
The Celtics are 12-4 in conference matchups. Boston is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 14.5 fast break points per game led by Tatum averaging 4.3.
The Heat are 6-8 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference with 24.1 assists per game led by Kyle Lowry averaging 6.1.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Celtics won 134-121 in the last matchup on Dec. 1. Tatum led the Celtics with 49 points, and Max Strus led the Heat with 23 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tatum is shooting 48.8% and averaging 31.6 points for the Celtics. Sam Hauser is averaging 2.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Boston.
Bam Adebayo is shooting 53.0% and averaging 20.7 points for the Heat. Lowry is averaging 15.1 points over the last 10 games for Miami.
LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 9-1, averaging 124.4 points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game while shooting % from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.4 points per game.
Heat: 5-5, averaging 109.3 points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game while shooting % from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.8 points.
INJURIES: Celtics: Danilo Gallinari: out for season (knee), Robert Williams III: out (knee).
Heat: Jimmy Butler: out (knee), Victor Oladipo: out (knee), Dewayne Dedmon: out (foot), Omer Yurtseven: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Associated Press
