The Celtics - Heat Rivalry

[radiohead]

https://twitter.com/CelticsUnite18/status/1750740535042588727

I posted this on the game thread, but apparently it wasn’t only Joe who went straight to the locker after the game. All the players and coaches of both sides didn’t shake hands? Has this been the case with recent games or was last night a first? This rivalry is turning out to be real personal. Even Spo said something like “you know how we feel about them and they feel the same way about us”.

[Phantom255x]

https://twitter.com/CelticsUnite18/status/1750740535042588727

I posted this on the game thread, but apparently it wasn’t only Joe who went straight to the locker after the game. All the players and coaches of both sides didn’t shake hands? Has this been the case with recent games or was last night a first? This rivalry is turning out to be real personal. Even Spo said something like “you know how we feel about them and they feel the same way about us”.

Both teams have played 3 of the last 4 ECF's which seems crazy but it's true. And honestly, it seems to be trending that it could be the 4th time in 5 years this is the ECF matchup.

I don't think it's pure hatred but it's definitely become a legit rivalry again just like the "Big 3" days (2010-2013). I remember last year when both teams would do the "call a timeout" gesture toward the opposing bench when up big, and obviously the back and forth with the 3-0 lead, to 3-3, then Game 7. Lots of ebbs and flows. 2020 took 6 games at the bubble, but the last two years have gone 7 games. Miami has the edge since they won 2020 + 2023 compared to our 2022, but it's not like anyone's been swept or lost in just 5. It's a competitive rivalry

[tenn_smoothie]

I like seeing two teams acting like actual competitors.
I hate the now-routine hugfest among opponents after NBA games these days.
I remember Larry Bird commenting on his disdain for this practice as well in an interview a few years back.

[ozgod]

I like seeing two teams acting like actual competitors.
I hate the now-routine hugfest among opponents after NBA games these days.
I remember Larry Bird commenting on his disdain for this practice as well in an interview a few years back.

I hear you Tenn..the players are definitely friendlier with each other these days than in the past. I think the problem is they just know each other too well now...they've grown up playing each other in AAU, they share the same agent, they text each other through the season. Back in those days, no social media, no cellphones, nobody really interacted with anyone outside their own team, and maybe not even then. Now they hang out in the summer, they play those pickup games in LA, plus there's so much more player movement between teams these days compared to back then, so someone who is on a team you're supposed to hate might have been your teammate a couple years ago (e.g. Josh Richardson in Miami, GWill and Cryrie in Dallas, Smartacus in Miami, Timelord in Portland, etc). The NBA has turned into such a trade-heavy league that most players probably know people on other teams.

I don't think it's just an NBA thing, it's just how it's become with most professional sports these days. Even in international sports, like soccer and rugby, where players play for national teams, there's much more cordiality post-game than before, even with teams that should legit hate each other like Brazil and Argentina or England and Germany because their players all play with each other in the professional leagues and they all text each other. Far cry from when El Salvador went to war against Honduras after losing a soccer match in 1969...this would never happen today.

Personally I'm ok with them being friendly after the game as long as they act as competitors during the game...like Tatum did here with GWill in our game against Denver recently:


https://youtu.be/AXgAyrq0fp0?si=EzI5VGhXU_21beKX

Love the spray he gave him at the end 

[Big333223]

I like seeing two teams acting like actual competitors.
I hate the now-routine hugfest among opponents after NBA games these days.
I remember Larry Bird commenting on his disdain for this practice as well in an interview a few years back.

Meh. The old guys love to complain about players being too friendly today but Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain used to eat at each others' houses and Magic and Isiah used to kiss in the beginning of games. Players have always been plenty friendly.

Was Bird friendly? No, Bird was maniac. But even Bird became friends with Magic the first time he ever had an opportunity to spend time with him away from basketball a bit.