The Heat trail only the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, whose 33-game streak was snapped by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 9, 1972.
BOSTON -- Despite Jeff Green's career game, a relatively meager outing from Dwyane Wade and a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit, the Miami Heat's winning streak reached 23 games Monday night at the TD Garden.
LeBron James scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, including a game-winning jumper over Green's extended arm, as Miami took sole possession of second place on the NBA's list of all-time winning streaks. The Heat trail only the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, whose 33-game streak was snapped by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 9, 1972.
Boston's lead reached 99-86 early in the fourth quarter when Jordan Crawford drilled an ill-advised 30-footer, a reminder of both why he plays minutes and why he remains one of the most frustrating players to root for. But these Heat have developed a scary ability to meet challenges. They scored the next nine points and closed the game on a 22-7 run, capped by James' pull-up 21-footer with 10 seconds left that proved to be the difference.
"We just hung in there, and we tried to find different ways to win," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We didn't panic, but we did own it, and we had to earn it."
Remember two seasons ago, when the Heat developed a reputation for folding in crunch time? When James was considered a choker? When many folks argued that Wade should be the closer and James would never be more than his sidekick, his Scottie Pippen? Well, that was two seasons ago. The Heat have broken through. They've gained the confidence of a heavyweight champion.
It certainly helps that James can generally control a game whenever he chooses to, but the Heat from top to bottom have carried themselves with an aura of invincibility.
"I think no matter what with this team -- no matter if we're up 17 or down 17, we're confident that we can come back in the ball game," Wade said. "That's a big difference when you're out there playing -- when you know all we've gotta do is this, all we've gotta do is that, we can get our way back in the game."
Asked what it means to have the second-longest winning streak in NBA history, Wade referenced Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
"If you're not first, you're last," he said. "That's what Ricky Bobby said."
For what it's worth, Ricky Bobby also said: "No one lives forever, no one. But with advances in modern science and my high level income, it's not crazy to think I can live to be 245, maybe 300."
So maybe he wasn't always right. Anyway, the Heat are very good. It's been quite some time since they've lost, even though they met a stiff challenge Monday night.