The Miami Heat improved to 5-1 in the preseason on Friday with a 121-100 blowout win against the visiting Boston Celtics.
The game was nationally televised in ESPN2 and the Celtics were shorthanded in a reversal of Miami’s prior game in which they played their reserves against an Atlanta Hawks team at full strength. Even with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, PJ Tucker, Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry all returning to the starting lineup, the Celtics — who were without Al Horford, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown — were the ones to race out to a 17-7 early lead.