ESPN NBA

MIAMI - After serving a one-game suspension for his flagrant foul during the Heat's series against the Indiana Pacers, forward Udonis Haslem was back at work Saturday with his teammates.

Haslem was suspended for Game 6 of the Heat-Pacers series after he took down Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough during the Heat's 32-point victory in Game 5 on Tuesday in Miami. Haslem traveled with the team to Indiana for Game 6, but the suspension prevented him from attending the game.

So instead, Haslem said Saturday he spent the evening in a suite watching the game at the downtown hotel where the Heat stayed in Indianapolis. Haslem got through the game like most fans - he grabbed a sports drink and a couple of bags of chips while sitting on the sofa.

He regretted not being there for his team, but not necessarily for taking up for teammate Dwyane Wade, who was fouled hard by Hansbrough on a previous play in Game 5 and was also assessed a flagrant-1 foul that was later upgraded to a flagrant-2 penalty.

In the video above, Haslem talks about being back on the court with his teammates as they prepare for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday. He also discussed what it felt like when Wade delivered him the game ball from the Heat's series-clinching victory over the Pacers as players boarded the team flight Thursday back to Miami.

Wade said Saturday he appreciates having Haslem at his side and revealed how deep their relationship runs.

"The biggest thing, I think, for all of us is we understand how much Udonis means to all of us," Wade said. "The foul that he took, you know, in a sense, was a foul for us. Obviously, he took a hard foul and got suspended for a game. With him not playing, we told him we were going to go out there and take care of business. I respect him, what the other captain brought - that toughness for our team."

Wade hopes Haslem stores the game ball away in a nice place. The two have been teammates with the Heat since they came into the league together in 2003. They are the only current members of the team from the 2005-06 championship season.

"For me, it's like having a big brother when you're going to school," Wade said. "You know ain't nobody going to mess with you. And if they do, you'll be calling your big brother."

Because of that, Wade said he tried not to react too angrily after he was fouled by Hansbrough. Wade sensed his most loyal teammate might not take it too well. Haslem has denied that retaliation was his motivation for the foul on Hansbrough.

"I tried to do my impression of trying to calm everything after I got hit, because I know it was a very physical hit," Wade said. "And I know how certain guys respond to that, when they see a guy kind of go after you. (Haslem) had a very good view of it because he was on the baseline when it happened."

Wade attempted to calm his teammates during a brief huddle.

"I tried to act like it was all good, 'Let's just move on guys,'" Wade said of his message. "But (Haslem) is not that guy. I didn't know that (hard foul on Hasbrough) was coming. But I was hoping that it didn't, because I know how thin we were and, like I said, the second guy always gets caught. But we got our guy back and we're ready to move on."

Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem was suspended one game by the NBA on Wednesday for his flagrant foul on Indiana forward Tyler Hansbrough midway through Game 5.

Haslem will serve the suspension when the teams meet for Game 6 on Thursday in Indiana, with the Heat holding a 3-2 series lead and looking to close out the Pacers.

Haslem was scheduled to travel with the Heat on Wednesday to Indiana, but will not be allowed to attend the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as part of the normal suspension terms. The league also suspended Heat reserve center Dexter Pittman for his lunging elbow that took out Pacers reserve guard Lance Stephenson in the final seconds of Tuesday's game.

Both Haslem and Pittman attended the Heat's practice on Wednesday in Miami, although Pittman was not made available to the media after the workout. Haslem, a Heat co-captain, spoke with reporters after practice but before he learned of the NBA's ruling that was announced early Wednesday evening.

Q: What did you think of the team honoring your nine stitches by handing out promotional bandages to fans in Tuesday's game?
Haslem: It was cool. I'm glad they did it. I don't like being stitched up, but it's part of the process.

Q: Do you have any thoughts on what the league might do to you? Have you been in touch with the New York office?
Haslem: Nah. Nah. Yesterday was yesterday and today is today. I came in and I'm getting prepared for the next game with my team. Like I said, I'm waiting to see. But as far as I'm concerned, I'm going to just get ready for the next game.

Q: We saw you over there talking to Pat Riley after practice. What was his message to you?
Haslem: He just told me that yesterday was yesterday and today is today. He told me to just prepare your mind for the next game.

Q: Does the attention on all the hard fouls and rough play take away from the focus that the Heat have a chance to close out this series with a win in Game 6?
Haslem: Not at all. Not at all. It's the playoffs. So there's always some kind of noise. So we'll just focus on going in there, and it's going to be the most hostile environment we've faced so far. So we'll get mentally prepared to go to war.

Q: Is this series playing right into your comfort zone with all of the physical play, momentum swings and intensity?
Haslem: I'm enjoying the competition. Everybody is competing. Everybody is playing hard. It's playoff basketball. Seeds two and three. Eastern Conference ground and pound matchup. So it's a fun series to be a part of.

Q: Danny Granger reportedly said your foul on Hansbrough was as dangerous as Metta World Peace's elbow to James Harden's head. What are your thoughts on that?
Haslem: I'm not interested in no Danny Granger, man. That's why we've got league officials to look over that stuff and make that decision. I'm sure Danny Granger is going to say what he has to say to help his team. So, whatever. It's unfortunate that he feels that way.

Q: What do you think of Larry Bird calling his own team soft?
Haslem: I don't get into that. That's his opinion of his team. He's entitled to his opinion. We've got a game to play. What they're going through over there is between then and what they have going on over there.

Q: What do you expect from the crowd in Indiana?
Haslem: It's going to be a hostile environment. It's going to be a lot of noise. Very high intensity on both sides. It's going to be a highly competitive game.

Q: The fact that they were called Flagrant-1 fouls on the court and left there, do you think the league should respect the referees' decision without any further action?
Haslem: I hope so. I hope so. There's never been a Flagrant-1 that's gone from a Flagrant-1 to a suspension.

Q: You've done the research on that?
Haslem: Yeah. Something like that. But I would hope so. Like I said, those guys (referees) were right there and they saw it. So we'll see what happens.

MIAMI – LeBron James insists he's not concerned about his safety on the court, but does vow to brace for even more hard fouls Thursday in Game 6 of what has become a brutally physical playoff series against the Indiana Pacers.

“It may have gotten to that point. For me, it's always at that point,” James said Wednesday after the Heat wrapped up practice and prepared to travel to Indiana. “I'm always in protect mode. For me, in the playoffs or the regular season, there are teams trying to go for me. It's happened. I'm not saying guys are playing dirty, but certain guys say if you hard foul LeBron, get him off balance, he'll stop being aggressive and things like that.”

After winning consecutive games to overcome an early 2-1 series deficit, the Heat are looking to close out the Pacers in Indiana and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season. But James and his Heat teammates know they'll likely have a fight on their hands - maybe even literally, considering how rough the play has gotten in the series over the past few games.

Punishment was doled out by the league Wednesday when reserve Heat center Dexter Pittman was suspended three games for his hard foul on Pacers guard Lance Stephenson in the final seconds of Tuesday's game. Heat forward Udonis Haslem was also suspended one game (Game 6) for a flagrant foul on Indiana forward Tyler Hansbrough.

Another byproduct of this rough series is that James and Heat guard Dwyane Wade have attempted 46 and 45 free throws, respectively, through five games against Indiana. What already had been an especially physical series through the first four games turned ugly during the Heat's 115-83 victory in Game 6, which included three flagrant fouls – included the two by Haslem and Pittman that clearly seemed to have been committed in retaliation for earlier actions and antics.

James, who won his third league MVP award this season, said even the threat of suspensions might not drastically alter the rugged tone of a series that has included a total of 234 personal fouls, five conduct-driven technical fouls and four flagrant-1 penalties. James also said he's been a target for hard fouls throughout his nine-year NBA career, and doesn't think the Heat-Pacers series is any different.

Check out the video above to watch James react to the storylines entering Game 6 Thursday at Indiana.

Considering all of the hard fouls, bloody cuts and tough talk that have permeated this brutal playoff series between the Heat and Pacers, it's difficult to imagine a player from one team rooting for anything that has to do with the opposing squad.

But that's exactly where Heat guard Dwyane Wade stands entering Game 6 of this best-of-7 series. Wade said Wednesday he hopes Indiana is as close to full strength as possible when the teams head to Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Thursday night, with the Heat leading 3-2 and having a chance to close out the series.

Why? Well, because Keith Bogans is still haunting Wade after all these years. Yes, Wade still has a sore spot for Kentucky fans who suggest the Wildcats would have knocked off Marquette in the 2003 NCAA Tournament had Bogans been healthy instead of trying to play through a high ankle sprain. Wade went on to notch a triple-double against Kentucky in a performance that not only launched Marquette into the Final Four but also cemented his status as a top-five lottery pick.

So that, in a nutshell, is why Wade wants Pacers' swingman Danny Granger (sprained left ankle) and forward David West (sprained left knee) to recover as quickly as possible from injuries that knocked them out of Miami's Game 5 victory. Granger sat out of the Pacers' practice Wednesday, but West participated in the light workout. Both players are expected to play Thursday.

Wade explains the motivation behind wishing the Pacers well in the video above, and also comments on team president Larry Bird calling his own team "soft."

INDIANAPOLIS - It was a tale of two performances that defined the Indiana Pacers' blowout victory in Game 3 against the Miami Heat.

Pacers center Roy Hibbert had a formidable game while Heat guard Dwyane Wade's performance was flat-out forgettable. As expected, Indiana spent Saturday's practice bracing for what it expects to be a huge bounce-back effort from Wade, who went scoreless in the first half for the first time in 95 career playoff games and finished with just five points and five turnovers.

Meanwhile, the Heat worked Saturday to ensure that Hibbert won't duplicate the kind of impact that led to his career outing with 19 points, 18 rebounds and five blocked shots in Thursday's 94-75 win to take a 2-1 series lead.

"We're going off the mindset ... that D-Wade isn't going to have the kind of night he had in Game 3," Hibbert said after the Pacers' practice Saturday in preparation for Sunday's game. "So we're preparing for him to have a good night, and we'll have to go out there and execute."

Wade missed 11 of his 13 shot attempts and struggled to get into the lane against Indiana's speed and length. Wade also has been dealing with nagging knee and lower-leg injuries that required extensive treatment in recent days.

But with two days off before Game 4, the Pacers expect a more explosive display from Wade. Hibbert insists Indiana will be ready for the challenge, as well as the chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead before the series shifts back to Miami.

"We have some schemes to put him in situations to get the ball out of his hands, and make sure he works on the defensive end," Hibbert said. "I'm not really worried about scoring. I'm really worried about stopping LeBron (James) and D-Wade from getting into the paint."

As for his own game, Hibbert said he can't guarantee another massive double-double like he had in Game 3. But he did vow to focus on two areas.

"I'll tell you one thing: I'm going to rebound and defend," Hibbert said. "Whatever happens after that, happens."

INDIANAPOLIS - After cancelling practice and media sessions Friday, the Heat hunkered down in their search for answers to overcome a 2-1 series deficit against the Pacers. With two days to recover and regroup before Game 4 Sunday, I break down where the Heat must go from here.

MIAMI -- LeBron James' teammates gathered before Saturday's practice and prepared to congratulate the Miami Heat catalyst for becoming only the eighth player in NBA history to win a third MVP award.

But James beat them to the punch.

“He really didn't come in like, 'Yeah! I won,'" Dwyane Wade said. “He's not that kind of guy. He came in this morning and congratulated everybody on our team. Obviously, he knew this is something he couldn't do without everybody. He's humbled by it.”

James spent Saturday's news conference to announce his latest MVP award making sure everyone within earshot knew just how much he believed the game's ultimate individual honor was a byproduct of his team's success.

Starting Sunday, the Heat's supporting cast can continue the process of setting James up with essentially the only accolade that has evaded him through his first eight seasons: a championship. The Heat take the next step toward that goal when they open their conference semifinal series against the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

James was equal parts stoic and emotional as he accepted his third Maurice Podoloff trophy in four seasons on a stage set up at midcourt in AmericanAirlines Arena on Saturday. But James was also 100 percent adamant he no longer has much use for that specific award. He was determined to get back on that same court the next day in his quest for the Larry O'Brien trophy in the NBA Finals.

Of the eight players who have won at least three MVP awards -- Bird, Magic, Kareem, Wilt, Moses, Jordan and Russell -- LeBron is the only one without a championship. Only three non-active MVP winners have left the game without a title: Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson.

It's those types of statistics that motivate James more than maintaining the 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game in one of the most efficient seasons any player has ever had. It was also why James was in such a giving mood as his teammates, coaches, relatives and friends surrounded him.

James not only donated the Kia sports utility vehicle that comes with the MVP award to one his youth charities, he was also willing to give away the heavy trophy he hoisted.

“It didn't take another MVP trophy for me to want an NBA championship,” James said when asked if winning a third MVP only increases the pressure to win a title this season. “I'd give all three of them back for an NBA championship. I'm all about team. That's all I care about. That's all I know. This game is all about team. And the ultimate team goal and the ultimate team trophy is the gold ball we see at the end of June every year. I'm humbled to be in this class, to have these trophies and to receive it this year. But I'll give them all back for an NBA championship.”

Now Wade, Chris Bosh and the Heat's supporting cast must prove how valuable they can be this season. James put this team on his shoulders much of the season and carried them to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference despite injuries to Wade and the least productive seasons from many of the Heat's other players.

James got this team through the first round of the playoffs with MVP-like numbers in a five-game series win over the Knicks. But the test, obviously, only gets tougher from here. They'll start with a feisty Pacers team, which could be followed by the resurgent Celtics before a potential showdown with any number of problematic teams out West.

So much of James' first season with the Heat was defined by his controversial decision to leave Cleveland for Miami. The Heat no longer talk about the disappointment from last season. They entered this season and these playoffs with a championship-or-bust mindset.

“We want to win it for us, for the organization and we definitely want to win it for him,” Udonis Haslem said. “He's done everything he can as an individual to put himself in position to win a ring. And for whatever reason, it hasn't been his time. As a unit, we definitely want to come together and add [a title] to his collection.”

Heat assistant coach Bob McAdoo, one of the league's most prolific scorers early in his career and was a perennial All-Star who won the MVP in 1975, knows the quest James is on.

“All of that was great along the way,” McAdoo said Saturday. “But the question eventually for me was, 'When am I going to get somewhere where I have enough talent around me to help win a championship?' It wasn't until I got to the Lakers [1982] and played with Magic and Kareem and those guys when I finally won one. That makes all the difference in the world, to win one.”

McAdoo believes James has the pieces around him -- and the will within him -- to overcome any past shortcomings.

“Everybody feels that we all have a responsibility,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We're all in this together and everybody has got to pull and take their part of the rope. We're all honored and feel very grateful and fortunate that we're in this boat together.”

Perhaps no one on the Heat's current roster is better equipped than Wade to break down the distinction between being the best player in the regular season and one who guides his team to a championship. Steve Nash was the league's MVP during the 2005-06 season, but few would debate that anyone was better that year than Wade, who went on a historic postseason tear, led the Heat to a title and was named MVP of the Finals.

Wade was jokingly asked about comparing his Finals MVP to the three regular-season awards James owns. He said there essentially is no comparison.

“I don't give him any flak about it at all,” Wade said. “I think that he's honored to have all three of them. But no question, a lot of players who ever got regular-season MVP and have never been able to get that Finals, that championship, they'll trade it for that. He's still got a lot of years left, so I'm not sure he'd trade [them] in just yet. But I would.”

MIAMI -- Before the playoffs started, Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh anticipated it would take two or three games to regain the conditioning and rhythm he lost while sitting out the final two weeks of the regular season with nagging leg injuries.

As the Heat headed to New York on Wednesday with a 2-0 series lead against the Knicks, Bosh said he's progressing right along schedule entering Game 3 on Thursday night.

"I'm feeling good," Bosh said after practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. "That last game was better for me. I can still get better in some aspects. But progression is there."

Bosh struggled with his timing and stamina in the series opener, and finished with nine points, six rebounds and two turnovers in 24 minutes during Saturday's 100-67 victory. It was his first game action since an April 16 win in New Jersey in which he had 22 points and 15 rebounds. Bosh was then held out of the final six games of the regular season with what the team first said was muscle fatigue in his legs but later clarified as a right hamstring strain.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he would gradually increase Bosh's playing time over the course of the series. After some initial sluggishness in Game 1, Bosh came back with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field in 31 minutes during the Heat's 104-94 Game 2 win Monday. Bosh said Wednesday his legs are gradually starting to respond but that he still doesn't have quite the lift he hopes to regain as he plays his way into playoff shape. His rebounding numbers are still well below expectation; he has just 10 total rebounds through the first two games of the series.

Bosh's production could continue to climb in Game 3 on Thursday, with the Knicks not expected to have Amare Stoudemire available because of a hand injury he sustained in punching a fire extinguisher case in frustration following Monday's loss.

The last time Bosh played at Madison Square Garden, he had one of his best games of the season, with 16 points and 14 rebounds during an April 15 win against the Knicks. New York was also without Stoudemire in that game.

So Bosh, who averaged 18 points and 7.9 rebounds per game during the season, believes he'll be ripe for a breakout performance soon should he continue to gain confidence and strength in his legs.

"As long as I'm feeling good, I can get in better condition, and it's going to get better as the playoffs go on," Bosh said. "I don't want to be at my peak yet. I want to play hard on every single possession. But at the same time, I want to be peaking at the right time."

MIAMI - LeBron James has too much respect to accept that Carmelo Anthony's struggles in the Heat's blowout Game 1 victory on Saturday against the Knicks were anything more than a statistical anomaly.

In other words, James considers it to be in the Heat's best interest to dismiss it as an off night for Anthony against a solid defensive effort by Miami that resulted in a 100-67 win to open the first-round series.

When the teams meet for Game 2 on Monday, the Heat will be expecting much more from Anthony, who had one of the worst playoff shooting performances of his career in going 3 of 15 from the field to finish with 11 points, 10 rebounds and four turnovers Saturday.

"We don't expect him to shoot 3 of 15 (again)," James said Sunday as the Heat wrapped up practice at AmericanAirlines Arena. "But we just want to make it tough on him whenever he takes a shot."



With the Heat looking to take a commanding 2-0 series lead, coach Erik Spoelstra stressed Sunday the importance of his team entering Game 2 with the same focus and intensity they showed Saturday.

Otherwise, Spoelstra said, the Heat would squander a remarkable defensive performance from Game 1 if they stumble on Monday and allow the Knicks to even the series at 1-1 heading back to New York.

"Their game plan hasn't changed," Spoelstra said Sunday. "All they're trying to do is get one on our court. We haven't done anything yet. We haven't even protected our home court (completely) yet."

The Miami Heat wrap up the final week of the regular season with trips to Boston and Washington, but are already in a playoff state of mind. From here, the mission is clear: It's championship or bust. In our latest episode of the Post-Up Podcast, LeBron James, Erik Spoelstra and Dwyane Wade set the table for this weekend's start of the Heat's title chase.

MIAMI - Heat coach Erik Spoelstra would only guarantee one person's role on Miami's roster for Saturday's home game against the Washington Wizards.

"I'll be here," Spoelstra said after the Heat's morning shootaround at AmericanAirlines Arena. "I'll be coaching."

As far as everyone else on the team?

"Everybody will be a game-time decision," Spoelstra said. "We'll see."

With four games left in the regular season and exactly a week before the start of the playoffs, Spoelstra said numerous factors will determine how he handles the rotation and availability of star players. Above anything else, it also sounded like LeBron James might soon finally be afforded some much-needed rest.

James, who has played all but one game this season, said Saturday he would oblige if Spoelstra was compelled to sit him out for any of the Heat's remaining games. Miami completes this weekend's back-to-back home set with Sunday's game against the Houston Rockets. The Heat wrap up the regular season with a trip to play the Boston Celtics on Tuesday and the Wizards on Thursday.

"Whatever Spo says, I'm going to go with tonight," James said. "You know me. I always love to be in uniform. But Spo put everybody at a game-time decision tonight. I'll see what he says. He'll probably text me later or I'll see him when I get back to the arena early to get my work in. So I'll go off him."

That's a bit of a change from the stance James took a few days ago when he said, jokingly in part, he wouldn't go with a plan to sit out games if he felt good on a particular night. Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have taken advantage of what Spoelstra has referred to as the Heat's "maintenance program" to rest players or help them recover from nagging injuries in time for the playoffs.

Either Wade or Bosh has missed four of the past five games, and both skipped Wednesday's game against Toronto. James, however, has pressed on through recent minor injuries that have included a sore ankle and a dislocated finger. At times, James has made it seem as if he hasn't been offered as many "maintenance" opportunities. At other times, James has suggested he wouldn't comply by sitting if asked.

Spoelstra said he will consider everything before he decides how Miami approaches the rest of the regular season. The Heat entered the weekend on a five-game winning streak and sit one-and-a-half games behind Chicago for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

"I'm going to continue to evaluate everything, every 24 hours - take everything into consideration," Spoelstra said. "The standings, playing well, working on rotations going into the second season (playoffs), building momentum, our guys' health, rhythm, everything. So there are a lot of different variables, but we want to continue to push forward. We want to keep on improving before next weekend."

Wade, who has missed five games this month, said Saturday he has benefited from the recent rest in the midst of league's 66-game truncated schedule that started in late December following the labor dispute.

"I can't say it's been crazy physically for me, but it's been more challenging," said Wade, 30. "Physically, it's been tough. I never thought I'd look forward to an 82-game (traditional) season. I can take these 66 games in an 82-game calendar year. When you get older, you want as much rest time, as much recovery time as possible to get out there."

MIAMI - With the Heat in position to move within a game of Chicago in the loss column Thursday night, LeBron James and coach Erik Spoelstra discuss Miami's mentality heading into a make-or-break showdown for the East's No. 1 seed.



Spoelstra wouldn't overstate the potential importance of Thursday's game against Chicago, but he did stress his team has an opportunity to take advantage of in the standings with four games remaining after facing the Bulls.

MIAMI -- In general, the NBA is a fragile league in which momentum and outlooks often change quickly. In a season like this, in which the games come out of a fire hose, that tenet is magnified.

So a week after the Miami Heat were dejected following an overtime loss in Chicago, not only do they get another shot at the Bulls, but they get one with some meaning.

After beating the Toronto Raptors 96-72 on Wednesday without Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the Heat have won four games since losing the April 12 meeting with the Bulls. Chicago, meanwhile, stumbled and lost to the Washington Wizards on Monday, essentially resetting the scenario that existed last week.

When the Heat host the Bulls on Thursday in the last of four meetings (Chicago leads the season series 2-1), the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed, which seemed as good as gone last week, is back in play. The Heat are two games back in the loss column and a victory Thursday would make things fairly interesting.

There’s a series of cascading tiebreakers but, basically, if the Heat win there would be some new pressure on the Bulls to win out.

“Everything is still up for grabs right now,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “So if you have an opportunity, you have to take it.”

With the win over Toronto, the Heat locked up no worse than the No. 2 seed. The argument could be made that being in the second spot is even more advantageous than the top spot because it would be on the opposite side of the bracket as the Boston Celtics, who have won the last two meetings with Miami. And that spot may even wind up being on the opposite side of the New York Knicks, one of the hottest teams over the past month, depending on how the next week goes.

Nonetheless the Heat, who are a league-best 26-4 at home, do value home-court advantage.

“We need to play for something,” said LeBron James, who had 28 points in three quarters against Toronto. “It’s not all about the No. 1 seed, it’s about continuing to get better, and if it happens we’ll relish that moment. None of us want to go into the postseason losing games.”

Beyond the seeding, the Heat could also use the confidence boost. They’ve lost the past two meetings against Chicago, one played without Derrick Rose and the other played on a night when Rose had one of the worst shooting games of his career (1-of-13).

Rose, who has missed the past two games, including the Bulls' win Wednesday in Charlotte, might not play again because of a fluid buildup in his foot. Luol Deng also didn’t play Wednesday because of bruised ribs. Regardless of who is in uniform, the Bulls have been better than Miami in the past two meetings because of their depth.

Last week it was gruesome, as Chicago's reserves outscored the Heat bench 47-7. In the previous meeting a month before, it was a 56-15 margin.

It appears the Heat, after giving rest to a handful of players over the past few days, will be at full strength on their bench and reasonably rested for this meeting. Wade hasn’t played since Sunday, Bosh since Monday and Ronny Turiaf since the last meeting with the Bulls. Mike Miller had his highest-scoring game since Jan. 30 on Wednesday, putting up 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting.

“I know the guys will be looking forward to it,” Spoelstra said. “All things being equal, we would probably prefer this one was on the road again and have the opportunity we had last week. I’m sure both sides are looking forward to it.”

MIAMI - Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has referred to Miami as a "no-excuse" team all season. So when asked whether late-season fatigue factored into his team's sluggish play in a 97-82 loss Friday to Memphis, it struck a nerve.

Make that a few nerves. The Heat's 17-game home winning streak wasn't the only thing snapped at AmericanAirlines Arena after Friday's performance.

As you get ready for Sunday's nationally televised showdown between the regrouping Heat and the resurgent Celtics, here are five reasons why leaving Boston with a victory will be a very difficult task for Miami if LeBron James and Co. don't bring their "A" game to the Garden.