Preview: Heat, Celtics Meet in Key Eastern Conference Matchup BOSTON (Interstat) — Two Eastern Conference rivals trending in opposite directions will meet Friday night when the Miami Heat visit the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. The Celtics (15-11) have won six of their last nine games and sit just ahead of the Heat (14-12) in the conference standings. Both teams, however, are looking to rebound from home losses on Monday. Boston fell 112-105 to Detroit despite a standout performance from Jaylen Brown, who scored 34 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished seven assists. Brown has been on a scoring tear, averaging 32.0 points over his last 10 games. His all-around play, including a triple-double against Cleveland on Nov. 30, has been central to Boston’s offense. “We have to be better defensively, especially closing out games,” Brown said after the loss to the Pistons. “We need to get back to our identity.” Miami enters on a four-game skid, most recently a 106-96 loss to Toronto. Bam Adebayo recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in that contest, continuing his consistent season. Over his last 10 games, Adebayo is averaging 18.7 points and 10.1 rebounds, providing a steady interior presence for a Heat team struggling to find consistent wins. “We’re in a tough stretch, but it’s about how we respond,” Adebayo said. “Every game in this league is an opportunity to get right.” The Celtics won the season’s first meeting, a 117-114 victory in Miami on Nov. 26, behind 33 points from Brown. Adebayo had 17 points and 11 rebounds in that loss for the Heat. Boston’s Derrick White, who scored 31 points in Monday’s loss, remains a key secondary scorer alongside Brown. Miami will need more from its supporting cast beyond Adebayo, as guard Norman Powell (20 points Monday) is the only other Heat player averaging over 15 points per game during the recent slide. The game kicks off a challenging back-to-back for Boston, which travels to face Toronto on Saturday. Miami continues a road trip with a game at New York on Sunday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST.