INQUIRER Sports

MIAMI -- With Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen not in the lineup, Leon Powe had a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds as Boston breezed to a 117-87 win over Miami Tuesday.

Rajon Rondo matched a career-best 23 points and Tony Allen and Eddie House each had a season-high 20 points for the Celtics, who easily beat the Heat for the fourth straight time.

Miami, which had snapped a 15-game losing streak on Saturday, was completely outmatched from start to finish despite Boston missing two members of its dynamic trio.

The Celtics were playing their second game in a row without Garnett -- their second-leading scorer and top rebounder -- due to an abdominal strain, and Allen missed the contest with a virus.

Leading by four points late in the first, the Celtics went on a 13-0 run -- six from Rondo -- over the final 4:30 of the opening quarter to take a commanding 31-14 lead after the first. Miami shot a dismal 13 percent (3-of-23) over the first 12 minutes.