HEAT BEAT CELTICS ...ROOKIE NORRIS COLE ALREADY CLOSING OUT GAMES FOR HEAT

By J. Michael Falgoust, USA TODAY

 It took all of two games.

Cole had a breakout performance in his second game as a pro, scoring 20 points — 14 of the Heat's 24 points in the fourth quarter — to help them hold off a late charge by the Boston Celtics for a 115-107 victory.

• STORY: Cole hears 'M-V-P' chants in 4th quarter

While LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh combined for 68 points, Cole closed the show down the stretch.

In his get-the-feet-wet opener, Cole scored seven points in Sunday's 105-94 win vs. the Dallas Mavericks.

Cole was set for his third game as a Heat on Wednesday night, at the Charlotte Bobcats.

"I feel like the more games I play the better I'll get," Cole said earlier this week. "This team has great veteran leadership so it allows me to be comfortable out there when I know D-Wade and LeBron and Chris Bosh have my back out there."

A 6-2 guard out of Cleveland State, Cole has yet to start. He comes off the bench behind starting point guard Mario Chalmers.

Chalmers, however, was limited to 19 minutes vs. Boston and had more turnovers (six) than points (four). Cole played 29 minutes and shot 8-for-16.

In the win vs. Dallas, Chalmers had three points (making his only shot) and played 24 minutes. Cole had seven points on 3-for-8 shooting and played 24 minutes in that game, too.

"(Cole's) not afraid of the moment or the competition. He's aggressive. He will continue to learn. I don't want to cloud his mind with too many of the details right now," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He's very heady, mature, so he's picking up our system on the fly. We have a lot of veterans who are helping as well. I want to make sure he stays aggressive without thinking too much at this point."

Though confident, Cole insisted he would be patient.

"Spo knows what he's doing. All I can do is work hard in practice and earn my minutes. I'm not looking to be given anything," he said.

Before leaving the locker room Sunday after the Dallas victory, 17-year veteran Juwan Howard got Cole's attention and said something that reminded the guard that he's still just a rookie.

"What's up, boy?" Howard said, then tossed Cole his shaving bag. "Take this to the bus for me."