How the Mighty Have Fallen

A lot can change in two years. Want proof, just ask the Miami Heat. I can't believe it either but this team that recently lost 15 in a row and appears destined to land a Top-3 pick in the next draft actually won the NBA championship two summers ago. Yowzer. Pity Dwyane Wade. Once his contract runs out, he'll have to get the hell out of Miami. The place is a wasteland right now. Coach Greasy Hair will be gone by the end of the season-you can book that-and Shaq will follow suit as his beaten down body finally gives in.

With Kevin Garnett out with that abdominal injury and Ray Allen also out with the flu, the Celtics smoked the Heat in Miami, 117-87. Four Celtics (35-8) scored over 20 points and none of them bore a resemblance to Beetlejuice from the Howard Stern Show (Paul Pierce). Leon Powe had a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds, Rajon Rondo had 23 points and six boards, Tony Allen scored 20 points with six assists, two blocks, two steals and Eddie House notched 20 points and five rebounds.

The Heat (9-34) lost Udonis Haslem to injury in the game and Wade left in the third cause he was sick (he was 1 of 9 with 7 points). Former Celtics con-man Mark Blount led the Heat with 20 points and five rebounds. The only other guys to get double figures for Miami were Luke Jackson (14 points) and Earl Barron (10).

This one was never a contest as Boston jumped out to a 33-14 lead after the first quarter. The C's held a 64-42 halftime advantage.

A 30-19 third quarter made it a complete laugher for the Celts. James Posey had nine points, seven boards, two assists and two steals in his return to Miami. Great move getting rid of him by Riley. Pierce had seven points, five boards, four assists and two steals while Glen Davis scored seven.

Boston shot 51.3% for the game, Miami just 35.9%. The Celts made 10 of 21 3-pointers, 15 more rebounds (51-36), seven more assists (22-15) and five additional steals (12-7).

Things figure to get much harder as one of the NBA's best teams-the Dallas Mavericks (31-13, winners of their last four)-come to the Garden on Thursday for a TNT game. Without KG, the Celts will have little chance for the W so hopefully he can go.