Yes. At this point, I'd prefer to get Miami in the first round. We've been built to beat that team.
Having Jeff Green is really the key to the whole thing. Miami likes going small to close out games with Bosh at center and Lebron playing the point power forward role. It's been the going wisdom among Celtics fans that small ball sucks, but I don't think it sucks against the Heat. We saw it today. I know it was only one game, but it was a good blueprint for how to beat these guys. Green matches up really well against James. This frees Paul up to play Battier defensively and be the free safety on defense. He did a great job of that tonight, rotating to help in the lane and getting in position to help on the boards.
KG is another big key against the Heat. Offensively, he becomes a post player against that team. They don't have any good low post defenders against a guy like him with length and his skill set. We saw it last year in the playoffs, and we saw it again today. He works harder to establish position down low against that team than he generally does against most teams.
Obviously, Paul will have to step up and play his own point forward position well on the offensive end for us to have a chance. I think he can do it. He looked really engaged today, and I think he will look that way in a series against the Heat. Not having to be our best defender against James will help him be able to contribute more offensively.
Folks have been clamoring for a big to deal with the Heat. The theory is that we can't match up small against them. They'll just run us out of the building, but the truth is that this is how we've always needed to match up with them--with or without Rondo. We don't need bulk on the interior to defend them. What we need is speed, length, and intelligent rotations. That's what we've got.
I know this is all just one game, but I'm excited for the rest of this season. I just want to make the playoffs and get a shot at that team once we get there. It'll be a long shot, but I still think we have a chance.
If we could knock them off in the first round, I don't think it's likely we'd have the gas left to go all the way to a title now that we've lost our only star player who doesn't already have one foot in retirement. I'd gladly take that scenario with this team, though.
I'm sad about the Rondo situation, but I'm not ready to give up on this season just yet.
LET'S GO CELTICS!!!!