The Celtics should be terrified of facing the Heat in the playoffs

[LeBronSpaghetti]

Are we being fooled by the Miami Heat once again?

The Heat are like the Jamal Murray of teams. Every regular season we say “Jamal isn’t an all star. I’m sorry he simply doesn’t deserve it over the guys ahead of him.” And with the Heat we say “The Heat simply aren’t at the level of the true contenders in the East like Boston, Milwaukee, and Philly.” And then after the playoffs we see many “hot takes” like “Jamal is a top 5 point guard!” And “Miami is the best team in the east once again!” How many times does the Heat/Jamal need to prove us wrong before we realize that this is simply who they are?

The Heat are objectively more talented than they were in last years playoffs. Tyler Herro is healthy, Terry Rozier is an obvious upgrade on Lowry, and JJJ is like found money. Duncan Robinson has taken a step. Nikola Jovic is improving all the time. Bam and Jimmy are still there. They still have a clear coaching advantage. Are we going to overlook them once again?

As for the Celtics, they are more talented than last season as well. However Jrue Holiday recently got hurt with a mysterious injury, and this is a team that has proven to be inconsistent in the playoffs and can get flustered by Miami’s high intensity. I still think Miami is a bad matchup for them despite the talent increase from Boston.

To be clear I’m not a fan of Boston or Miami. But if I were a Celtics fan, I’d be terrified, shaking in my Irish boots about the possibility of matching up with these guys again. If I were a betting man, the smart bet is still the Celtics obviously. But Miami is even more dangerous than last season and despite their run to the finals and having a more talented roster they’re being overlooked again.

What do you guys think? Will Miami prove once again that they’re legit or will Boston “walk to the finals” like they were supposed to last year after Milwaukee was knocked out by Miami?

[dirkdiggler4177]

On paper, they are better, but how has losing Gabe and Vincent affected the team or the defense? We know that the Heat did not come so far because of their offense, so I am not sure if Duncan and Herro will have a big impact if they don't step up on defense.

[Mrakar]

It will depend on Porzingis health. If he is healthy they have a way to solve Miami's zone and they are just too talented to f it up again. Without Zinger it will come to their old lets just pull up from 3 and see what happens, and **** can happen like that.

[1993Playoffs]

Wouldn’t shock me at all if they beat this Celtics team again

[Deivork]

Someone who's watched the Heat season could tell us about their level. But I really don't see it this year, they're losing a lot of games.

[cupcakesnake]

They're a good defensive team again this year, which gives them a chance. Having a strong defense is such an important floor for your team, because then all you need is a random blip of hot shooting to flip a series.

That's the Heat last year. 34% 3-point shooting team that shot 38% in the playoffs. It took their really bad offense and turned it into a good enough offense. This year they're shooting the ball a little better so there's sort of less gains to make on offense. It would be truly wild if they caught fire like that again.

Last year, from the 5th seed to the play-in teams, there wasn't a big statistical gap in the regular season. It as pretty crazy parity, and while I trusted Heat due to coaching and vets, it wouldn't have been crazy had the Raptors or Hawks randomly upset a team and gone on a run to the conference finals. This year the East is weaker at the bottom. Raps, Nets have fallen off while Sixers, Cavs, Knicks are injured. Hawks fell off and got injured. But Boston looks like a pretty insane 2-way juggernaut. If the Sixers and Knicks get healthy, they stand as tougher obstacles than last year. Milwaukee is at least as vulnerable as they were last year.

[LeBronSpaghetti]

Someone who's watched the Heat season could tell us about their level. But I really don't see it this year, they're losing a lot of games.

True but is that any different than last season? And we saw how that turned out. That’s kinda the point of my original post. Maybe at this point we should assume Miami will step up in the playoffs as opposed to assuming they’ll continue to be who they were in the regular season.

[Capn'O]

Sure. You can't look past a Spo/Riley/Butler team until they're dead. Not thrilled if the Knicks draw them either.

[shi-woo]

MIA has no shot against BOS this year. This isn't the Celtics team of a few years ago where Bam was the biggest guy on the court, and they could leave Smart wide open. MIA would have to come up with a different gameplan than the one that worked in the past, and I just don't know what they could exploit given their current roster.

Porzingus adding rim pressure is the main difference, but having White and Jrue on the perimeter is really going to help this year in the playoffs. MIA used to kill us because we could never stay with their actions out of pnr, I just don't see that happening this year with all the length and switchability they have on the perimeter. Celtics will have the luxury of staying with shooters more this year than in years past with MIA, especially now that they have a legit guy to contest shots at the rim.

I genuinely think the old guard is finished (KD, Steph, LeBron, Jimmy, Kawhii) and it's the new kids turn. I don't see Jimmy or MIA having the vet edge they did previously. The J's just don't seem to buy into that stuff any more, and even if they do they have 4 other guys they can go to now

MIA is going to need JJ to step up huge too, and that's a lot to place on a rookie.

Unless Kristaps isn't playing, I really see no way for MIA to take any more than 1 or 2 games from Boston.

[bisme37]

If there's 2 things that keep me awake at night in sheer terror it's the Miami Heat and YouTube videos about magnets.

[bisme37]

Celtics and Heat have met in 3 of the last 4 ECF's. Neither team has reason to be terrified of the other but of course there's a healthy respect there.

I'd welcome a chance for the C's to play the Heat in this year's playoffs. I think it would be a good opportunity to show their growth and put past demons to rest. It was really frustrating last year to come back from down 0-3 only for Tatum to get injured on the 1st play of Game 7.

The Heat are maybe a little better on paper this year, although they aren't really playing like it. Meanwhile the C's are much better this year both on paper and on the court. It's like a completely new Celtics team in my mind and I think we'd handle the Heat.

[zero rings]

The Heat are like vultures. They’re not actually that good of a team, but if one of the real contenders stumbles (Bos, Mil, Phi), they will be there to feed on the carcass.

The only thing Boston has to fear is themselves. If they play even remotely close to their regular season standards they will run through the East. Losing to Miami again would say more about their mental makeup as a team than it would about the Heat.

[jokeboy86]

The Heat are like the Verbal Kint of teams.

fixed

[strokerace]

The Heat got lucky from 3 at a historic rate from guys that stunk before the playoffs. Very unlikely they get that lucky again. They are what their record says they are this year. I bet the Celtics welcome a heat match up this year just to put this Heat team to bed. Any team could get lucky and make a run to the finals this year.

[Kalela]

It is even about Miami or any other being good or underrated. Celtics still play undescplined in close games and Mazulla is a terrible coach so anything can happen with them.

[NyKnicks1714]

MIA has no shot against BOS this year. This isn't the Celtics team of a few years 10 months ago...

I agree Boston likely won't face a scare from Miami, but just wanted to fix this for you.

[PierceFan4ever]

As a Celtics fan no not really. This Celtics team is way better than last season’s team so even if they shoot a historic percentage again from open shots they’ll lose in 5 games.

[NyKnicks1714]

What I know almost for a fact is Milwaukee is scared of them.

[itrsteve]

It will always be a fascinating matchup but I really don’t see it this year. This C’s team isn’t anything like last year.

But who knows. Maybe Rozier hits lightning like Gabe Vincent did for that short second.

[JustBuzzin]

Nah I need Celtics vs Bucks ECF for personal reasons.

Everybody thought it was a joke when I said the Bucks will win the East. Funny the closer we get to the playoffs everyone is starting to mention the Bucks as a serious threat now.

Nah keep laughing keep that same energy you has all season. Don't get scary now.

The world is waiting for this Celtics vs Bucks clash and I'm here for it!