Heat break out trade additions and then break down in 103-85 loss to Celtics

MIAMI – Not good enough with Jimmy Butler.

Not good enough with Jimmy Butler’s replacements.

And, so, a losing record now for the Miami Heat, at 25-26, after Monday night’s 103-85 loss to the Boston Celtics at Kaseya Center.

Granted, the Heat were without All-Star guard Tyler Herro, due to  stomach illness, but the Celtics, by contrast, were more than capable of stomaching their absences of Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday, getting 33 points from Jayson Tatum and 16 points and 10 rebounds from Kristaps Porzingis.

As for the Butler replacement parts, it was a largely uneven debut night.

Andrew Wiggins closed with 11 points on 3-of-12 shooting, five rebounds and five assists. Davion Mitchell finished with four points on 2-of-8 shooting, four assists and three rebounds, and Kyle Anderson closed scoreless on 0 for 5 shooting.

For a team in need of an offensive jolt, there was none.

About the only Heat performance of note came from center Bam Adebayo, who finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game:

1. Closing time: The Heat led 24-18 after the first quarter before the Celtics took a 52-43 lead into the intermission, despite Adebayo converting a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the intermission buzzer.

The Heat went scoreless for a span of 6:38 during the second period, with Boston outscoring the Heat 15-0.

Boston had a similar run in the third period, pushing its lead to 88-65 entering the fourth quarter, with Celtics guard Derrick White Jr. beating the period buzzer with a 3-pointer.

Tatum took over the game in the third, scoring 20 in the period on 8-of-11 shooting, effectively rendering the final period moot.

2. The new crew: Heat coach Erik Spoelstra did not waste any time playing with his new toys, with Wiggins and Mitchell starting and Anderson fourth off the Heat bench.

Wiggins drew a three-shot foul on the Heat’s first possession, but was 1 of 7 from the field in the first half, at times forcing the action.

Anderson was scoreless in the first half, not utilized in the second half.

Of the newcomers, Mitchell provided the sole early spark, with four points, four assists and two rebounds in the first half. But his lack of offense came as advertised.

3. Rest of the rotation: With Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. both out due to stomach illnesses, Spoelstra dramatically altered his lineup, starting Alec Burks.

That had Duncan Robinson playing in reserve, with Haywood Highsmith shuffled from starter to out of the rotation.

Also out of the mix until late was rookie Pelle Larsson, who had played as a spark off the bench the previous two games.

4. Herro out: Herro was a late scratch, not on the injury report until midday.

Unlike Jaquez, who showed up for the morning shootaround, Herro was not able to make it to the arena at all.

Herro’s lone previous absence was in the Jan. 21 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, when he sat out due to groin tightness.

Jaquez missed just his second game since Nov. 18, the third time this season he has been forced out due to a gastrointestinal issue.

5. Rough road: It was the lone home game for the Heat in a 27-day span, next moving on for road games this week in Oklahoma City and Dallas before the All-Star break.

The Heat next play at home on Feb. 26 against the Atlanta Hawks, which will begin a run of 9 of 10 at home.