Down 3 games to 2 in the East Conference Semifinals, many thought the Celtics would fold on the road to the reigning defending champion. However, the Celtics showed the same resiliency that they have shown all season in starting with a 19-21 record and ending with a 51-31. In the Bucks series, they were down 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, and they would not go away. Jayson Tatum delivered a virtuoso 46-point performance in Game 6 on the road, and a collective effort capped by Grant Williams’ performance propeling them to a great Game 7 win. However, another big test awaits the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. The Heat was underrated all season long as the analyst focused on the glamour teams. They were the number one seed for a reason, and an incredible matchup awaits. In this article, we preview the series and make our prediction.
1. Which superstar will be better?- in the playoffs, superstars make their team go closer and closer to a championship. The series will be defined by the head-to-head matchup of Jimmy Butler and Jayson Tatum. Butler has been on a tear in the playoffs averaging 29 points against the Hawks and Sixers. He is also averaging 7.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game which highlight how pivotal he is to the team. Jayson Tatum has been through a gauntlet in the first two rounds of the playoffs by defeating the Nets and Bucks. Tatum demonstrated his two-way playing ability in outplaying Kevin Durant and matching Giannis’ output in round 2. In the playoffs, Tatum is averaging 28.3 pts, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. What is impressive about Tatum is his ability to get his teammates involved with pinpoint passes and picking his spots to attack. It will be interesting to see which superstar can put a stamp on this series and lead them to victory.
2. Who is the x-factor?-this Heat team is deep and a collection of good players. Bam Adebayo can take over a game offensively but is reluctant to do so and be the consistent secondary option. Tyler Hero is another x-factor with the capability to score buckets as the best sixth man off the bench. It will be interesting to see whether Victor Oladipo will be able to fill in for the injured Kyle Lowry to produce in this series. On the other hand, the Celtics’ x-factor starts with Jaylen Brown, who will be able to dominate his matchup with the attention on Tatum. Al Horford produced a career-high performance in the Bucks series and is a steady contributor on the floor. Finally, Grant Williams shocked the world in Game 7, but his team will need him to hit his three-point shot and play great switch defense. In the playoffs, the x-factors often determine who wins, and there are plenty in this series.
3. Coaching Matchup will be Brilliant-Coach Erik Spoelstra is one of the best minds in basketball. He knows how to dissect the opponent, manage egos, and put his team in a position to win. In this series, look for Spoelstra to do whatever it takes to slow down Tatum including using a zone defense that he has used against the Celtics in the past. Ime Udoka is a rookie head coach but his brilliant performance in leading this drastic turnaround in Beantown shows his coaching acumen. He devised a brilliant defensive gameplan against Kevin Durant, and he slowed down Giannis just enough to win the series. It will be interesting to watch the coaches make the adjustment from game to game in a fascinating chess match.
4. Defense, Defense, Defense-this series will not be a flowing offensive masterpiece. Instead, expect that this series will be a defensive grind. In the regular season, the Celtics had the best defensive rating, and the Heat was ranked 5th. The two teams play tough, physical, and stifling defense. The Celtics’ defense is led by Marcus Smart who won the Defensive Player of the Year award. However, Rob Williams, Tatum, Horford, and Brown have the size and athleticism to guard anyone on the floor. On the Heat, Adebayo, P.J. Tucker, and Butler are brilliant defenders and can lockdown a team. I expect the teams winning this series to average scores in the low 100s and even the 90s.
5. Playoff Matchup History and Revenge-the Heat and Celtics will meet for the fifth time in playoff history. The first matchup took place in 2010, with the Celtics winning 4-1 when Boston had the big three of Garnett, Pierce, and Allen. However, after Lebron James took his talent to South Beach, the Heat won the matchup in back-to-back years in the playoffs. The most recent matchup was in 2020 when the teams squared off in the Orlando bubble tournament. It is a significant series because the core players from both teams played in that series. The Heat emerged winners of the series 4-2, and the young Celtics missed the chance to advance to the NBA Finals. Yes, that loss will weigh on the Celtics’ minds as they take the floor for Game 1. The Celtics were 2-1 against the Heat in the regular season.
Prediction-I think the Celtics will win this series because the team is a little better defensively and execute their half-court offense more efficiently. I believe in crunch time down the stretch, Jayson Tatum will have the confidence to be the closer in taking his team to victory. In the end, I have the Celtics winning in 6.
In Game 1, I think the pressure will be on the Heat to win at home and with the Celtics getting little rest. However, I think the Celtics go into Miami and win a tight contest. Celtics 101-Heat 97.