"I'm going to tell you the truth," Celtics forward Paul Pierce, who had 10 points in 25 minutes, said. "When you got Powell, [Earl] Barron, Lasme, and Ahearn, we're supposed to do that. That's D-Leaguers out there. I think we just handled our business. They put in about four or five guys from the D-League and we did our business.
"We knew this was a game we were supposed to win and we were focused from the jump and went out and did it."
The Celtics' top-ranked defense had its best game of the season, holding the Heat to 28.8 percent shooting (17 for 59). The visitors missed 17 of 21 3-point attempts and tallied 4 second-chance points. No Miami player scored more than 14 points or made more than four field goals.
"They told us about [the field-goal record] when we came in the locker room," said Celtics forward Kevin Garnett, who had 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in 22 minutes. "Our defense has been our bread and butter all year. Tonight was no different."
Heat swingman Ricky Davis, who scored 14 points, said: "They are just on the same page defensively. Everybody is talking to each other, helping each other, kind of like they are on a string there."
The win reduced the Celtics' magic number to secure the Eastern Conference's top regular-season record to 3. Boston (58-15), in sweeping the season series (4-0), won its third straight game and finished March with a 13-3 record.
"We're trying to prepare and get ourselves ready for the playoffs," Garnett said. "The competition is what should motivate you. We definitely didn't want to lose the game or play with the game or mess with the game. So, we just came out aggressive and never looked back."
Said Celtics coach Doc Rivers: "The defensive effort was good throughout the game. So I'm happy. It was a win and we'll take it."
Boston reserve Leon Powe had game-highs of 17 points and 13 rebounds in 27 minutes. The 2006 second-round pick has gone from being stuck on the bench through mid-January to being the first big man into the game.
"I've worked for everything my whole life," Powe said. "I've been battling for something. Nothing came easy for me. So I want to play, but I'm going to have to earn it."
