Poll

Who Wins?

BOS in 4
3 (3%)
BOS in 5
9 (9%)
BOS in 6
74 (74%)
BOS in 7
8 (8%)
MIA in 4
1 (1%)
MIA in 5
1 (1%)
MIA in 6
3 (3%)
MIA in 7
1 (1%)

Total Members Voted: 99

Author Topic: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions  (Read 10420 times)

0 Members and 0 Guests are viewing this topic.

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #75 on: May 16, 2022, 11:02:14 AM »

Online jambr380

  • K.C. Jones
  • *************
  • Posts: 13755
  • Tommy Points: 2061
  • Sometimes there's no sane reason for optimism
I see the Heat going off from 3 in two of the games, but the Cs being able to easily control the other four games when shots aren't falling for Miami. So, Cs in six.

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #76 on: May 16, 2022, 11:15:41 AM »

Offline slamtheking

  • NCE
  • Walter Brown
  • ********************************
  • Posts: 32322
  • Tommy Points: 10098
whoever said one of the keys is we don't play idiotball I agree

I think ironically the risk might be that, given the Heat have such good shooters, our guys might try to outshoot them. NO!

Another chapter in Ime's young career of overcoming the stupid habits the Celts sometimes fall into.
I think we'll recognise the huge advantage we have inside. Jimmy Butler is the second tallest guy in their starting lineup, as opposed to Milwaukee with Giannis and Lopez. Even Bam is only Horford's size. Tatum & Brown are both too long for Miami if we can effectively space against them.
in theory, if the C's have Timelord playing close to what he was at pre-injury, the C's should be able to control the defensive boards much better than they did against the height of Milwaukee but Bam has shown he can be a one-man force on the boards for Miami.  Miami is very different from the Bucks in that they have more reliable outside shooters.  Can't expect Miami to shoot from 3 as poorly as the Bucks.

would it benefit us to chase them off the 3 line moreso and chance it with them making 2's in the paint or midrange??

I feel like we just never really compromise anything on D. But maybe I'm wrong. Even with Giannis we recovered really well when we gambled.

Sometimes it looks like we're running a zone out there because we're so switchy and well-connected. This is in spite of some of the better shooting teams we'd played in the regular season.
I'd think the C's would be chasing them off the 3 with their shooters.  thing is, they can put 4 shooters out there with Bam (counting Butler as a shooter with how he's doing in these playoffs) so running 4 guys off the perimeter is really tough if Al and Timelord are both out there.  if it's just one big out there for us, Bam is going to be a handful on the boards particularly with our lone big having to shut down any drives to the basket that get past the perimeter D.

I love the optimism on the thread but I just think Miami is being underestimated particularly if they have Lowry

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #77 on: May 16, 2022, 11:46:07 AM »

Offline nebist

  • Jaylen Brown
  • Posts: 582
  • Tommy Points: 67
I would pick the Celtics in 6 in a hard-fought series. The Heat are very good.

Spoelstra is an excellent coach. He will certainly work to adjust and give the Heat every advantage he can.

They have toughness (Butler, Tucker, Bam, Lowry, etc.)

They have shooting (Herro, Strus, Lowry, etc.)

They have elite defensive stoppers (Butler, Bam).

They have a closer/star (Butler).

In our favor, we really have no weaknesses if we play our best.

We don't really have a single defensive player to mismatch-hunt (maybe Pritchard, but he plays limited minutes and he competes). We should be able to hunt Herro and Strus at times, and they both play big roles for the Heat.

While the Heat are tough and physical, they do not have the team size of the Bucks. Tatum and Brown should both be able to get to the rim more than the Bucks series.

While Butler is an excellent player and definitely a star and closer, he is not the shooter that Tatum is. Butler is a challenge no doubt, but being able to close him out under control as opposed to having to fully run him off the 3-point line is the kind of detail that can swing a series.

Bam has always killed us. Horford is going to have to be huge against him. We could really use Timelord back as well.

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #78 on: May 16, 2022, 11:50:13 AM »

Offline Birdman

  • Danny Ainge
  • **********
  • Posts: 10312
  • Tommy Points: 465
I really believe Milwaukee are better than Miami but they didn’t have Middleton thou..but we beat 2 of the best players in NBA in Durant & Giannis
C/PF-Horford, Baynes, Noel, Theis, Morris,
SF/SG- Tatum, Brown, Hayward, Smart, Semi, Clark
PG- Irving, Rozier, Larkin

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #79 on: May 16, 2022, 11:52:41 AM »

Offline 86MaxwellSmart

  • NCE
  • Ray Allen
  • ***
  • Posts: 3995
  • Tommy Points: 395
Dedmon gave us trouble the last game.
Larry Bird was Greater than you think.

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #80 on: May 16, 2022, 01:12:17 PM »

Offline Drucci

  • Global Moderator
  • Tiny Archibald
  • *******
  • Posts: 7223
  • Tommy Points: 439
I hesitated between Boston in five, assuming the team is not too banged up/tired from the 7 game series with the Bucks, and Boston in 6, assuming they are at least a little bit so I finally voted for the second option.

Maybe I'm being way too optimistic but I really think the team is craving for some revenge on the Heat and we got way better, both skills-wise and mentally, than two years ago. Plus we have Al now, as well as gritty role players like PP and Grant, who is now all improved.

My biggest concerns are Spoelstra's coaching and Miami's shooters going incandescent against us. 

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #81 on: May 16, 2022, 01:50:12 PM »

Online Who

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 52857
  • Tommy Points: 2569
My biggest concerns are Spoelstra's coaching and Miami's shooters going incandescent against us.

I don't think Miami has much shooters as they used to. The losses of Meyers Leonard and Olynyk hurt them to my mind. That gave them two legit bigs who could really space the floor. They don't have that anymore. Now they have no bigs who can shoot.

So they gotta go small all the time.

Jimmy is a sketchy shooter. PJ Tucker is only useful as a low volume corner shooter. Herro and Strus are legit. Duncan Robinson barely plays anymore which removes another shooter from the equation. Oladipo is a dodgy shooter. Gabe Vincent is a dodgy shooter. Caleb Martin is a maybe shooter.

This is not the same team that made the Finals two years ago. The losses of Leonard and Olynyk. The drop-off from Duncan Robinson. They are not as good a three point shooting team as they used to be.

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #82 on: May 16, 2022, 01:54:34 PM »

Offline seancally

  • Bill Walton
  • *
  • Posts: 1097
  • Tommy Points: 119
Are we gonna see Grant on Butler?
"The game honors toughness." - President Stevens

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #83 on: May 16, 2022, 01:56:46 PM »

Offline Drucci

  • Global Moderator
  • Tiny Archibald
  • *******
  • Posts: 7223
  • Tommy Points: 439
My biggest concerns are Spoelstra's coaching and Miami's shooters going incandescent against us.

I don't think Miami has much shooters as they used to. The losses of Meyers Leonard and Olynyk hurt them to my mind. That gave them two legit bigs who could really space the floor. They don't have that anymore. Now they have no bigs who can shoot.

So they gotta go small all the time.

Jimmy is a sketchy shooter. PJ Tucker is only useful as a low volume corner shooter. Herro and Strus are legit. Duncan Robinson barely plays anymore which removes another shooter from the equation. Oladipo is a dodgy shooter. Gabe Vincent is a dodgy shooter. Caleb Martin is a maybe shooter.

This is not the same team that made the Finals two years ago. The losses of Leonard and Olynyk. The drop-off from Duncan Robinson. They are not as good a three point shooting team as they used to be.

Good points, I guess it's reassuring me that I may be worrying too much about their shooting. Plus, they don't have Dragic anymore as well :P

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #84 on: May 16, 2022, 02:19:56 PM »

Offline liam

  • NCE
  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 45920
  • Tommy Points: 3340
Are we gonna see Grant on Butler?

With all the switching we'll see everyone on everyone....

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #85 on: May 16, 2022, 02:42:33 PM »

Offline Boston Garden Leprechaun

  • Sam Jones
  • **********************
  • Posts: 22096
  • Tommy Points: 1775
Are we gonna see Grant on Butler?

With all the switching we'll see everyone on everyone....

check your inbox dude
LET'S GO CELTICS!

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #86 on: May 16, 2022, 02:52:43 PM »

Offline Walker Wiggle

  • Jaylen Brown
  • Posts: 613
  • Tommy Points: 125
Things that give me optimism:

- Celtics back in 2020 were awful against their zone. They've roasted zones this year, by comparison. I would be shocked if they have the same level of trouble.
- If the Heat play man defense, they have a lot of guys you can pick on, most notably Struss and Herro.
- You've got a lot of mobile bigs who can compete with Adebayo. Not just Al and Grant and R Will (if he's healthy), but also Theis whom I believe will look a lot better in this series now that he's not going to be exposed by Giannis.
- Lowry is the kind of player that can really junk up a series. Him not playing at the beginning of this one, at least, is a really good sign.
- The Heat have an offense that the Celtics' switching D is tailor-made to hang with. They don't have any dominant one-on-one player. But you've got to chase around shooters everywhere. This is a series for five good defenders who are all connected and all communicating with eachother to really shine.

Things that make me nervous:
- R Will's knee health.
- Smart's foot/quad.
- Herro and/or Butler going off one-on-one. Neither of those guys is Durant, of course, but they're capable of getting hot for stretches.
- Spoelstra pulling a rabbit out of his hat.

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #87 on: May 16, 2022, 02:55:19 PM »

Offline Walker Wiggle

  • Jaylen Brown
  • Posts: 613
  • Tommy Points: 125
Are we gonna see Grant on Butler?

With all the switching we'll see everyone on everyone....

Exactly. And the playoffs is where a team that has the personnel, coaching, and experience to switch everything has a huge advantage.

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #88 on: May 16, 2022, 03:38:27 PM »

Offline liam

  • NCE
  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 45920
  • Tommy Points: 3340
Are we gonna see Grant on Butler?

With all the switching we'll see everyone on everyone....

Exactly. And the playoffs is where a team that has the personnel, coaching, and experience to switch everything has a huge advantage.

Both teams do that but the Heat have more one way players than the Celtics. Hero and Robinson can't guard anyone on the Celtics.

Re: Poll: Celtics vs. Heat Series Predictions
« Reply #89 on: May 16, 2022, 03:43:23 PM »

Offline gift

  • NCE
  • Antoine Walker
  • ****
  • Posts: 4086
  • Tommy Points: 297
I predict the Heat are very frustrating to play against, but ultimately the Celtics prove too much for them.