Poll: Heat vs. Celtics Series Predictions

[keevsnick]

So a lot has been made about this being a rematch of the final four from the bubble. I went back and checked and as far as I can tell only a total of 14 players who logged minutes in the bubble conference finals series will play for the same team this go around.

Heat: Butler, Adebayo, Robinson, Hero
Celtics: Smart, Tatum, Brown, R Will (27 total minutes), G Will (48 total minutes)
Lakers: Davis, Lebron
Nuggets: Jokic, Murray, Porter,

Its impressive that the overall roster of these teams has changed so much, while the CORE (top two-three players) on each team hasn't changed at all.

Fun Fact: V Cancar, deep bench player for Nuggets, was on the Nuggets in 2020 but didn't play. Kentavius Caldwell Pope, currently on the Nuggets, played in the 2020 WCF's for the Lakers.

[trickybilly]

Thank god that Herro is out. He is really the only other guy they have that can get really hot

Really hope that Joe can gameplan to neutralize Butler. The 2-big drop pick and roll coverage won't work as well against Miami because you will have Rob matching up on Love and will be drawn out more. I expect the heat will draw Rob into the pick and roll whoever he matches up on (Love will pop - bad for Rob, and Bam will roll bad for Butler's defender).

I expect there will be a little more experimentation with those big lineups, and if Rob is targeted in pick and roll, we will probably play Grant more.

[cman88]

Thank god that Herro is out. He is really the only other guy they have that can get really hot

Really hope that Joe can gameplan to neutralize Butler. The 2-big drop pick and roll coverage won't work as well against Miami because you will have Rob matching up on Love and will be drawn out more. I expect the heat will draw Rob into the pick and roll whoever he matches up on (Love will pop - bad for Rob, and Bam will roll bad for Butler's defender).

I expect there will be a little more experimentation with those big lineup. but then I looked at his stats this playoffs... and if Rob is targeted in pick and roll, we will probably play Grant more.

I was just thinking how they might use love to try and take the celtics out of the 2 big lineup. But then i looked at his stats this playoffs. in 10 games, hes only had 2 over 10ppg and both were against Milwaukee.

I do think this will be a big Grant series. I also think White matches up better against the Heat than he did against the sixers.

[Kernewek]

One thing that is easy to forget, is that Atlanta beat Miami in the play in game. That does not mean they would have to beat Miami in a series, but Atlanta did beat Miami in a important game.

It’s because Miami is fundamentally quite an unsound team.

This is true, but it is also true that Jimmy Butler can only metabolise one thing: victory.

Ah, how could I forget! His will to win is indomitable, except for all those times he loses

Precisely.

That said, I wouldn't be shocked if the Celtics have a harder time than expected - I voted Heat in 5 as is my new tradition, but I'm expecting the C's to win in 6. We're a much better team and whilst it might be a shorter series than Philly I don't think it's going to be a particularly easy one, especially with Spo and Butler getting their team to play way above expectations.

[SHAQATTACK]

Tatum has height advantage over Butler , that’s who I’d have guard butler , and I d play White on Butler too. If you choke off Butler ….you beat the heat.

Kind of glade Celtics were able to avoid initial series with heat .   I think it’s mental advantage Heat has over Boston plus a coaching advantage now.

Joe vs Spo …

[gouki88]

One thing that is easy to forget, is that Atlanta beat Miami in the play in game. That does not mean they would have to beat Miami in a series, but Atlanta did beat Miami in a important game.

It’s because Miami is fundamentally quite an unsound team.

This is true, but it is also true that Jimmy Butler can only metabolise one thing: victory.

Ah, how could I forget! His will to win is indomitable, except for all those times he loses

Precisely.

That said, I wouldn't be shocked if the Celtics have a harder time than expected - I voted Heat in 5 as is my new tradition, but I'm expecting the C's to win in 6. We're a much better team and whilst it might be a shorter series than Philly I don't think it's going to be a particularly easy one, especially with Spo and Butler getting their team to play way above expectations.

Miami have also long deployed the strategy of cheating on every possession, in the hope that the refs cannot call them all

[celticinorlando]

Heat fans extremely confident they win in 6. These are the same fans that were nowhere to be found all season and disappeared after the first play in game.

[Roy H.]

Heat fans extremely confident they win in 6. These are the same fans that were nowhere to be found all season and disappeared after the first play in game.

Ha.  Yeah.  Those fans don't deserve their teams (Heat and Panthers). 

[Roy H.]

It really is remarkable what the Heat have been doing.  They had the 25th rated offense and the 9th best defense in the regular season, which doesn't suggest a very good team.  Then they lose a 20 ppg scorer along with Oladipo. 

They simply shouldn't be here.

[liam]

I feel like I must be underestimating the Heat. I can't see how we don't just dominate the Heat. We have so much more talent. The Heat beat a banged up Bucks squad and a not very good Knicks team. We beat a Hawks team that beat the Heat in the play in and then we beat the second best team in the playoffs in the Sixers.

[PAOBoston]

I feel like I must be underestimating the Heat. I can't see how we don't just dominate the Heat. We have so much more talent. The Heat beat a banged up Bucks squad and a not very good Knicks team. We beat a Hawks team that beat the Heat in the play in and then we beat the second best team in the playoffs in the Sixers.

I don’t think it is so much underestimating the Heat as it is not trusting the Cs to play the way they should.

[Phantom255x]

I forgot Oladipo was out, but that's kind of big too. I remember in some of the ECF games last year, Oladipo was giving our guys trouble defensively and at times was forcing turnovers even from the Jays. No Herro. No Oladipo.

[celticinorlando]

I think as usual the only way Miami wins this series is if Boston helps them.

I am concerned about game 1 because Boston is not a good team at home in the first game they play there. Lost to the Bucks, Heat, Sixers recently playoffs in their first game at home of the series.

Really worried about them being hung over after that Sixers game 7 and the Heat steal game 1

[liam]

I feel like I must be underestimating the Heat. I can't see how we don't just dominate the Heat. We have so much more talent. The Heat beat a banged up Bucks squad and a not very good Knicks team. We beat a Hawks team that beat the Heat in the play in and then we beat the second best team in the playoffs in the Sixers.

I don’t think it is so much underestimating the Heat as it is not trusting the Cs to play the way they should.

That may be. I think these guys need to keep playing hard and The Garden crowd needs to help them keep pouring it on. I hope they learned from that Sixer series and don't let up. Busting the zone will be a key.

[celticinorlando]

-Miami will junk it up defensively because they cannot guard Boston man up
-Celtics can't turn it over to feed the Heat offense. Make the Heat play half court offense
-Grab rebounds and win the 50/50 balls