Erik Spoelstra started the day by emphasizing that his club had met the Celtics in Eastern Conference finals three times in four seasons.

But Friday night’s game at TD Garden had a different feel than when the Heat won Game 7 of last season’s East finals with Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in Celtics colors and Max Strus and Gabe Vincent missing.

However, competition persisted.

Feels like May-in-October.

So a one-point game into the fourth quarter before the Celtics won 119-111.

Boston sold most of their depth to get Porzingis and Holiday, but Spoelstra’s depth should give the Heat an edge this season. Josh Richardson, Caleb Martin, and Haywood Highsmith missed this game, reducing depth.

The Celtics maximized their starters, with Derrick White scoring 28, Jaylen Brown 27, Jayson Tatum 22, Porzingis and Holiday 17.

While Jimmy Butler scored 14 points on 3-of-11 shooting, Tyler Herro scored 28 and Bam Adebayo scored 27 for the Heat.

Five Degrees of Heat from Friday’s game:

1. Closing time: The Heat led 13 early, 28-25 at halftime, but Boston closed the second quarter on a 17-6 surge. From there, the Heat led 88-87 entering the fourth quarter.

With the Heat trying to buy time with their backups, Boston took a six-point lead midway through the fourth and a 109-101 advantage on a White 3-pointer with 4:19 left.

After a Kevin Love 3-pointer pulled the Heat within 114-111 with 44.9 seconds left, Spoelstra unsuccessfully challenged a Butler foul.

Two White free shots after that failed challenge gave Boston a 116-111 lead, ending it.

2. Half-healthy: The Heat announced just before tipoff that Martin, who is traveling with the team, would be out with knee tendinitis that has plagued them since the offseason. Highsmith and Richardson were injured in the preseason home finale a week earlier.

Heat opened with Adebayo, Love, Butler, Herro, and Kyle Lowry for the second time in two games.

How the Heat handle Saturday’s second half of this opening back-to-back matchup is next.

Even with Richardson, Highsmith, and Martin out, Heat kept Cole Swider inactive to limit their two-way players’ time. Other Heat two-way players Jamal Cain and Dru Smith played.

3. More pointed: After going until the final ticks for his first shot attempt in Wednesday’s scoreless season opening, Lowry made an early 3-pointer and a second in the second.

Smith also made two first-half 3-pointers to aid in a pinch.

Lowry continued going, reaching double figures by the third period, more аggressive than Wednesday’s beginning. He finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists.

4. Either/or? With Butler and Herro in the starting lineup, as last season when Herro was promoted from sixth man, the Heat have a goofy either/or feel.

This time, Herro had 14 points on 12 shots at halftime, while Butler had six on 2-of-6.

Herro had five rebounds and three assists in the opening two periods, while Butler had two and one.

Before the fourth quarter, Herro had 23 points and Butler eight.

5. аttаck mode: With Boston playing smaller ball, with Porzingis opening at center and Al Horford coming off the bench, Adebayo scored 15 points and five rebounds by halftime, getting Porzingis in early foul trouble.

Adebayo made five of the Heat’s seven first-half free throws.

After getting penalized for a foul in the third period, Porzingis became agitated and called for a technical foul.

Adebayo passed Eddie Jones’ 6,194 points for the Heat’s all-time Top 10 scoring with his 26th point.