Boston, MA (Best E Casino) - Paul Pierce's layup gave Boston the lead for good with 25 seconds left, as the Celtics won their eighth straight game to start the season, 92-91, over the struggling Miami Heat.

The triple threat of Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen outmuscled the dynamic duo of Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, as the Celtics moved to their fourth-best start in franchise history, while the floundering Heat fell to 1-8.

The Heat rallied from a 15-point fourth quarter deficit to go ahead on a free throw from Udonis Haslem with 33 seconds left. After Pierce's layup, Wade had a chance to tie the game in the waning moments, but his jumper from above the foul line hit off the backboard and rim, and James Posey grabbed the rebound for Boston as time expired.

"They've got three Hall of Famers out there and they do very well together," O'Neal said. "We had a chance to beat them, but we let it slip away."

This is Boston's best start since winning 10 straight to begin the 1972-73 season. That year, Boston went 68-14, but were knocked out in the Eastern Conference finals by the New York Knicks. Boston's best start in franchise history is 14-0, accomplished by the 1957-58 team, when the Celtics posted 49 regular season wins and lost in the NBA Finals.

"We're nowhere near we want to be," Pierce said. "We're far from being a perfect team. We definitely have weakness right now and that's a bland weakness right now, our turnovers. We have to keep our turnovers down and we'll be a tough team to beat."

Garnett had 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who will try to continue their unbeaten string with a game at 8-2 Orlando Sunday night. Allen scored 19 and Pierce had 12 points.

Wade scored 23 and O'Neal contributed 17 for the Heat who are at the other end of the spectrum. This is their second-worst start in franchise history, only eclipsed by an 0-17 beginning to the 1988-89 season, their first in the NBA. Ricky Davis scored 20 points in a losing cause.

Wade made his first start of the season. He missed the first seven games due to off-season shoulder surgery before playing in a 104-95 home loss to Seattle on Wednesday.

"You gotta watch out for teams like this," Pierce said. "They're 1-7 and they're desperate for a win and they have Wade back. We let our guard down for a minute I thought, but it was a good game for us. Every night we're finding out more and more about ourselves and games like this really help us."

A Garnett jumper moved the Celtics to an 86-71 advantage with 8:12 left, but Miami responded with 15 consecutive points, as Boston went cold from the field. A Davis three made it 86-85, and the Heat lost a chance to go ahead when O'Neal sank 1-of-2 at the foul line with 2:24 left.

Allen then hit two at the line and Rajon Rondo's jumper from the right baseline made it 90-86 with 1:35 left. Miami came back with a Wade layup, and Haslem made a steal, leading to a layup from Daequan Cook with 53.1 seconds remaining. Cook was fouled by Posey, but he missed the ensuing free throw.

Pierce then missed a layup after dribbling behind his back, setting up the big finish.

Miami scored eight of the first 10 points, but Boston rallied and expanded to a 24-18 lead. The game was even at 24 after one quarter.

Boston led 52-46 at the half and was in front 76-65 going into the fourth.

Game Notes

The Celtics have won just four of the last 13 meetings...Miami plays Saturday night at New Jersey...Rondo had nine points and 10 assists...Kendrick Perkins scored 10 for Boston...The Heat went 5-of-18 from three-point range...Miami guard Smush Parker suffered an ankle injury.