Shaq and Kenny pick Celtics in 6, Barkley picks Heat in 5.

[kp4000]

This is a pick-em series. Both teams are dealing with injuries as well as lack of production from both benches.

[hwangjini_1]

Best starting 5 in the past decade? I'd put the 08 clerics against that team every night of the week.

"clerics"?? wow, i didnt know that god fielded a team in 08!! well, in that case i guess that team would win for sure.

by the way, was this one of the players on that team?  

http://www.theonion.com/articles/christ-returns-to-nba,1996/

[ram]

The Heat have 8 players with more than 17 MPG in the playoffs plus Turiaf with 11 per. Granted, 1 of those is Bosh.  They also have James Jones who killed the Celts in Game 1 last year. I hope they leave him on the bench b/c he scares me more than Miller.

Furthermore, it doesn't matter as much to the Heat who is in other than 2 players. The rest are interchangeable. For the Celts, they rely on all 5 players for both the offense and defense to be effective. The Heat just need their scrubs to play good D. There was 1 game vs Indy that hardly anyone else scored in the 2nd half other than the 2.

When KG goes to the bench halfway through the 1st quarter and Hollins or Steamer comes in, Wade and Lebron will just be getting warmed up.

[snowball]

This is a pick-em series. Both teams are dealing with injuries as well as lack of production from both benches.

This is certainly NOT a "pick-em" series.
I don't feel comfortable posting real-time
odds here, but the Celtics are 4-1 underdogs.

[SHAQATTACK]

This is a pick-em series. Both teams are dealing with injuries as well as lack of production from both benches.

This is certainly NOT a "pick-em" series.
I don't feel comfortable posting real-time
odds here, but the Celtics are 4-1 underdogs.

I like our chances , I 'll take those odds.

[hpantazo]

Best starting 5 in the past decade? I'd put the 08 clerics against that team every night of the week.

"clerics"?? wow, i didnt know that god fielded a team in 08!! well, in that case i guess that team would win for sure.

by the way, was this one of the players on that team?  

http://www.theonion.com/articles/christ-returns-to-nba,1996/

yea, I hate how stubborn the iphone is with autocorrect on the word "celtics" to "clerics", I mean, come on, celtics should be programmed into it as a priority

[Celtics18]

This is a pick-em series. Both teams are dealing with injuries as well as lack of production from both benches.

This is certainly NOT a "pick-em" series.
I don't feel comfortable posting real-time
odds here, but the Celtics are 4-1 underdogs.

If we win tonight, the odds are bound to go up.

[kp4000]

Match up:
MIAMI
MIAMI
BOSTON
BOSTON
MIAMI
BOSTON
MIAMI

In order for the C's to win this series or make it interesting. The Celtics would have to win a least one game in Miami; 1,2,OR 5. Celtics have to win both games in Boston, which is very possible.

[Tgro]

I think because the 10-11 season ended so poorly people forget just how scary good that team was when it started the season. If Shaq could have stayed healthy, along with Rondo, I have no doubt we'd be shining the trophy today. When that team was healthy it was dominating.

As for this year. MOST everybody has counted the Celtics out of this. Heck, a lot of people on our own blog didn't think we would make it this far. The fact we are here shows us how much resolve this team has. I think the loss of Bradley made this about an even chance. I think with Bradly we blow by the Heat. But we really need A games from everybody to have a chance. Lets be real. But even still, we are here and I really think this is what the Celtics wanted all year.

I still like our chances.

[wiley]

I think we'll beat them twice on their floor and they'll beat us once on our floor....does that equal Celtics in 6 games?   

[green7]

This kind of reminds me of the big 3 era celtics,a little in the beginning tho Miami keeps failing. lol

2008:Celtics big 3 forms win a title
2011: Miami big 3 forms fail in the finals

2009: celtics lose their PF (KG) fails to make the finals
2012 : Miami lose PF (Bosh)

^ pretty similar if you look at it

[Q_FBE]

I know we will not rest on our laurels considering that not many talking heads picked the Celtics to get here to the ECF. We should cherish this wonderful opportunity but we also should follow through with Level 33 effort as this could be the last opportunity we get for a long time. Heck, my next opportunity might be from the nursing home or worse from Red Auerbach's or Johnny Most's office.

Take your vitamin 33 and give it all you got!

[FLCeltsFan]

Charles picking the Heat is as good as the kiss of death for them.   He picked the Sixers in the last series and often has a talent for picking the losers.   

[wahz]

hmmm why are people picking us, I wanted to be the clearcut underdog....we should not be picked by anyone, ugh

Well Shaq did predict we will make the finals back on Christmas day so I think he's simply following through his pick. I don't know why Kenny picked the C's through. Maybe it's the advantage Rondo has and how KG can exploit opportunities to score down low. I didn't see this part of their broadcast so I am not sure 100%.

Kenny's mantra for years now has been "they know how to win" talking about Boston. He says it every occasion its pertinent to discuss.

Let's do it.

[slamtheking]

Match up:
MIAMI
MIAMI
BOSTON
BOSTON
MIAMI
BOSTON
MIAMI

In order for the C's to win this series or make it interesting. The Celtics would have to win a least one game in Miami; 1,2,OR 5. Celtics have to win both games in Boston, which is very possible.

Considering how inconsistent this team is, I think winning 2 in Boston is a pipe dream to be honest.  I still think the C's could pull off the series win but it would take KG continuing to have monster games, Rondo showing up in every game, either Ray, Paul or both having a good shooting night and Bass hitting his shots consistently.  Also, C's bench needs to produce at least 20 points a night.  anything other less than that, I don't see them winning.