Monday, March 18, 2013
Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics March 18, 2013
Exactly five years to the day when the Boston Celtics stopped the second-longest winning streak in NBA history, they can make sure the Miami Heat don't take it all for themselves.
The Heat would have to do it by becoming the first visiting team in nearly two months to win in Boston -- the only Eastern Conference city where they have no regular-season victories during the LeBron James era.
All of those facts provide even more intrigue to a game which would be extremely significant regardless of the opponent or location because Miami is seeking a 23rd consecutive victory Monday night.
"If there's any group that would be motivated in a circumstance like this, it's that team in green," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "I don't know if the streak will be a big factor but they love playing against us, and vice versa."
Spoelstra's squad now must play on the road for a second straight day, having stretched its win streak to 22 with a 108-91 victory in Toronto on Sunday afternoon. That matched the 2007-08 Houston Rockets for No. 2 on the NBA's list of top winning streaks, shy of only the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers' run of 33.
"It's a special ride right now that we're on," James said. "The best thing about it is we're doing it together."
Houston's streak of 22 straight victories ended March 18, 2008, with a 94-74 home loss to the Celtics.
Miami's run began five days after a 100-98 double-overtime loss in Boston on Jan. 27, the same day the Celtics (36-29) learned Rajon Rondo was out for the season with a torn ACL. Shockingly, they've won all 11 of their games in Boston since losing Rondo, recording the team's longest single-season home winning streak since 2008-09.
