Dragic leads undermanned Heat past Celtics

The Miami Heat didn't let a couple key injuries hold them down.

Taking on the Boston Celtics without the services of All-Star Dwyane Wade and double-double machine Hassan Whiteside, the Heat took care of Boston in a matchup that featured two teams trying to snag the final Eastern Conference playoff spots. 

Goran Dragic carried the load for the undermmaned Heat, scoring a game-high 22 points to lead Miami to a 93-86 victory. 

The Heat held off Boston's late fourth-quarter surge to bounce back from a crushing loss the night before when the Milwaukee Bucks beat them at the buzzer. 

Miami, seventh in the East, built a two-game cushion over the eighth-place Celtics and inched closer to Milwaukee in the process. The Heat are two games behind the reeling Bucks, who have lost 12 of their last 14. If the Heat can leapfrog the Bucks, they would in all likelihood avoid a dreaded first-round matchup with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Udonis Haslem added 12 points and 12 rebounds in the victory, while Dragic filled out his stat sheet with seven assists and five rebounds. 

Miami spoiled Isaiah Thomas' return to the Celtics. The combo guard, who was in the lineup following an eight-game absence for back and elbow injuries, had his worst game as a member of the Celtics. He scored four points on 2-of-7 shooting in 20 minutes off the bench.