( CNN ) -- The new-look Miami Heat insist it is too early to judge their NBA title credentials after losing their opening game of the season 88-80 to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday . In one of the most highly-anticipated games in the series ' history , the Heat -- complete with their star trio of Dwayne Wade and new signings Chris Bosh and LeBron James -- could not live up to close season expectations against the 17-time NBA finals champions . But James -- who announced his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to join Miami in dramatic fashion on an hour-long television program on ESPN in July -- believes his new team can improve sufficiently before the end of the season in April next year . `` It 's a feel-out process , '' James told the official NBA website after the loss . `` Rome was n't built in one day , it 's going to take time . We understand that . '' `` This is one of 82 [ games ] , '' added Wade . `` Sorry if everyone thought we were going to go 82 and 0 . It just ai n't happening . '' Dubbed as the NBA 's new `` dream team , '' the Heat were greeted with chants of `` overrated '' from the packed crowd at the TD Garden arena in Boston , as they struggled to score just nine points in the first quarter and found themselves trailing 45-30 at half-time . Returning from a hamstring injury , Wade finished with 13 points and Bosh made just eight . James , the final member of `` The Big Three '' led the team with a total of 31 , but despite scoring 21 in the final quarter his effort was still not enough to topple the defending Eastern Conference champions . Boston were by far the more consistent side with Ray Allen scoring 20 for the east coast team , while Paul Pierce added 19 and Kevin Garnett contributed 10 . Shaquille O'Neal -- James 's former teammate in Ohio and part of Miami 's NBA finals winning team along with Wade in 2006 -- scored nine points on his debut for the Celtics . Rajon Rondo also made 17 assists for the east coast team -- only two more than the whole of the Heat put together . Boston will next take on the Cleveland Cavaliers away on Wednesday , while Miami will be hoping to get their first win of the season against Philadelphia also on Wednesday . Also in action in the Western Conference on Tuesday were defending champions the L.A. Lakers , who beat the Houston Rockets 112-110 . Kobe Bryant finished with 27 points and Spain 's Pau Gasol with 29 , as the Californian side opened the defense of their title . But the Texan side made the champions work hard for their victory at the Los Angeles Staples Center , with the two teams trading the lead four times in the final minute of play . Elsewhere , the Portland Trailblazers recorded their first win of the season after defeating the Phoenix Suns 106-92 . The Blazers trailed 81-75 going into the final quarter of the game , but outscored rivals the Suns 31-11 in the closing stages .
Miami Heat lost to Boston Celtics 88-80 in opening match of 2010-11 NBA championships on Tuesday . The Heat, who were playing without injured center Shaquille O'Neal, had a chance for an upset but fell behind by as many as 20 points early on. Defending Eastern Conference champions Celtics were the more consistent team . Revamped Heat insist they have time to improve over the season .