Heat extend winning streak to 6 games and snap Celtics' 9-game streak with 124-103 victory

BOSTON (AP) — Tyler Herro had 25 points and nine assists and the Miami Heat extended their season-best winning streak to six games with a 124-103 victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.

Bam Adebayo had 21 points for Miami, which had seven players finish in double figures to cap a 3-0 road trip.

The Heat's run of wins come after a stretch last month during which they lost 10 consecutive games. They played without Andrew Wiggins (hamstring), Duncan Robinson (back) and Kevin Love (personal reasons).

Jaylen Brown had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics, who had their season-best nine-game win streak snapped. Jayson Tatum and Derrick White both added 16 points apiece.

Boston trimmed a 22-point deficit to 91-87 in the fourth quarter. But the Heat responded with a 22-9 spurt to rebuild their cushion.

Heat: Miami showed why it will again be a scary play-in matchup, getting solid contributions up and down its roster with key players out.

Celtics: They weren’t as sharp coming off their 6-0 road trip. But coach Joe Mazzulla did get to experiment with some different rotations with Jrue Holiday (shoulder), Kristaps Porzingis (rest) and Al Horford (toe sprain) all sitting out.

The Heat built on a strong first half by opening the third quarter on a 10-3 run to take their 22-point lead. But Boston roared back, using a 16-1 run to trim the deficit to three late in the period.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra got the 785th win of his regular-season career, breaking a tie with Gene Shue for 17th on the NBA’s all-time list. Next up: No. 16 Cotton Fitzsimmons, with 832 wins.

The Heat host the Grizzlies on Thursday. The Celtics host the Suns on Friday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware, right, grabs a rebound against Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) drives to the basket against Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) drives to the basket against Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra watches his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla watches his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet (40) reaches for a rebound against Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, left, takes a shot over Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) battles for a rebound against Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta, bottom, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro, center, drives to the basket between Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser, right, and guard Payton Pritchard (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is meeting with oil executives at the White House on Friday in hopes of securing $100 billion in investments to revive Venezuela’s ability to fully tap into its expansive reserves of petroleum — a plan that rides on their comfort in making commitments in a country plagued by instability, inflation and uncertainty.

Since the U.S. military raid to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump has quickly pivoted to portraying the move as a newfound economic opportunity for the U.S., seizing tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, saying the U.S. is taking over the sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned Venezuelan oil and will be controlling sales worldwide indefinitely.

On Friday, U.S. forces seized their fifth tanker over the past month that has been linked to Venezuelan oil. The action reflected the determination of the U.S. to fully control the exporting, refining and production of Venezuelan petroleum, a sign of the Trump administration's plans for ongoing involvement in the sector as it seeks commitments from private companies.

It's all part of a broader push by Trump to keep gasoline prices low. At a time when many Americans are concerned about affordability, the incursion in Venezuela melds Trump’s assertive use of presidential powers with an optical spectacle meant to convince Americans that he can bring down energy prices.

The meeting, set for 2:30 p.m. EST, will be open to the news media, according to an update to the president's daily schedule. “At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House,” Trump said Friday in a pre-dawn social media post.

Trump is set to meet with executives from 17 oil companies, according to the White House. Among the companies attending are Chevron, which still operates in Venezuela, and ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, which both had oil projects in the country that were lost as part of a 2007 nationalization of private businesses under Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez.

The president is meeting with a wide swath of domestic and international companies with interests ranging from construction to the commodity markets. Other companies slated to be at the meeting include Halliburton, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Singapore-based Trafigura, Italy-based Eni and Spain-based Repsol.

Large U.S. oil companies have so far largely refrained from affirming investments in Venezuela as contracts and guarantees need to be in place. Trump has suggested on social media that America would help to backstop any investments.

Venezuela’s oil production has slumped below one million barrels a day. Part of Trump's challenge to turn that around will be to convince oil companies that his administration has a stable relationship with Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez, as well as protections for companies entering the market.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are slated to attend the oil executives meeting, according to the White House.

Meanwhile, the United States and Venezuelan governments said Friday they were exploring the possibility of r estoring diplomatic relations between the two countries, and that a delegation from the Trump administration arrived to the South American nation on Friday.

The small team of U.S. diplomats and diplomatic security officials traveled to Venezuela to make a preliminary assessment about the potential re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, the State Department said in a statement.

Trump also announced on Friday he’d meet with President Gustavo Petro in early February, but called on the Colombian leader to make quick progress on stemming flow of cocaine into the U.S.

Trump, following the ouster of Maduro, had made vague threats to take similar action against Petro. Trump abruptly changed his tone Wednesday about his Colombian counterpart after a friendly phone call in which he invited Petro to visit the White House.

President Donald Trump waves as he walks off stage after speaking to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)