MIAMI — The Celtics by no means appear to fairly get their bearings upon coming into the realm of Erik Spoelstra.
The Miami coach typically retains them off-balance with annoying, random zone protection. He assaults with waves of shooters and, in Bam Adebayo, top-of-the-line playmaking facilities within the recreation. Most of the identical characters are again from 2020, when the Heat eradicated the Celtics in six video games within the Eastern Conference Finals within the Orlando Bubble.
And they now meet on that stage once more, with Game 1 set to tip off Tuesday evening.
“We did mention it,” Ime Udoka mentioned Monday of the 2020 convention finals. “The coaches that were here obviously went back and took a look at that, we talked about it amongst ourselves and then players brought it up as well.”
More current classes apply now, too.
“I think us talking about kind of being caught off-guard in Game 1 against Milwaukee will bode well for us going into this one, understanding there are a lot of differences with the teams we’re facing and what they are all about, but being prepared is the main thing,” mentioned the Celtics coach. “We look at a lack of rest and preparation or whatever, but also look at consistency and kind of some momentum on our side. Tough, hard-fought series just ended, but we have to turn the page and focus on Miami now. Guys have mentioned that. I think there’s a lot of familiarity between the groups and I think that should bode well for us.”
And now for a speedy turnaround in opposition to a comparatively rested Heat staff, and a take a look at the preliminary matchups.
BIGS
Al Horford (6-foot-10, 240 kilos, fifteenth season) vs. Bam Adebayo (6-foot-9, 255, fifth season): In what is going to go down in Celtics lore because the “Al Game” — profession playoff excessive 30 factors, 5 3-pointers, and a colossal dunk whereas elbowing Giannis Antetokounmpo within the chin/throat space in Game 4 — Horford pulled his staff to a 2-2 collection tie. His management and defensive work on Antetokounmpo had been invaluable. And now comes one other distinctive problem. Adebayo performs lots just like the younger Horford, besides with extra offensive upside and a terrorizing presence on the glass. He averaged 14.1 factors, eight rebounds and 5.7 assists over three video games in opposition to the Celtics this season. But then he at all times performs effectively in opposition to the Celtics.
EDGE: HEAT
Grant Williams (6-foot-6, 236, third season) vs. P.J. Tucker (6-foot-5, 245, eleventh season): In what is going to go down in Celtics lore because the “Grant Game,” Williams buried the Bucks with a 27-point Game 7 efficiency on Sunday that thrived on 7-for-18 3-point taking pictures. The Bucks dared him to shoot that many, and he gamely stepped into the chance. And now he faces the participant he was typically in comparison with in faculty. Tucker is a hard-nosed, 3-and-D prototype, and primarily based on the raves Williams drew for his work on Antetokounmpo, he’s approaching as a younger model of Tucker, perhaps higher. Both gamers love physicality — Williams can even get his probability to collide with Adebayo — and shall be chargeable for their justifiable share of fouls and agitation.
EDGE: EVEN
WINGS
Jayson Tatum (6-foot-8, 210 kilos, fifth season) vs. Jimmy Butler (6-foot-7, 230, eleventh season): If he wasn’t there earlier than, Tatum positioned himself within the NBA’s high tier together with his efficiency over the past three video games of the Bucks collection, scoring at a 33.2 clip in that span. Now, although, he faces a Heat staff that has routinely confounded the Celtics with its random waves of zone protection in recent times, together with the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals. And nearly as good because the likes of Jrue Holiday, Wes Matthews and Kevin Durant had been in opposition to him over the earlier two rounds, Butler will make him work even tougher — with assist — for good scoring possibilities. Butler is a good playoff participant. An improved — albeit not nice — shooter, however the Miami ahead is as clutch as they arrive within the postseason. Another nice matchup is on faucet between these two.
EDGE: CELTICS
Jaylen Brown (6-foot-6, 223, sixth season) vs. Max Strus (6-foot-5, 215, third season): Strus, the previous Celtics camper, is nice sufficient that he beat out Duncan Robinson for a beginning job. And Brown needs to be cautious of nodding off when Strus, one of many most interesting spot-up shooters within the league, begins looking for these open spots off the ball. Brown, however, might actually have a breakout second on this collection. Miami’s zone protection apart, there actually isn’t anybody within the Heat lineup who can deal with Brown in isolation, as a result of Butler will possible be busy chasing and bumping Tatum throughout the ground.
EDGE: CELTICS
POINT GUARD
Marcus Smart (6-foot-3, 220, eighth season) vs. Kyle Lowry (6-foot-0, 196, sixteenth season): Befitting the way in which Smart and Lowry sacrifice themselves bodily, each are banged up — Smart with a deep quad contusion and Lowry with a strained hamstring. They’ve missed a respective one and 6 video games this postseason. Smart mentioned he doesn’t plan to overlook one other recreation, and Lowry, clearly in additional hassle bodily, has already been scratched from the Game 1 roster. He’s averaged 6.2 factors and 5.2 assists over 5 video games. Gabe Vincent has crammed in at level guard within the meantime. Smart ought to have loads of room to create his traditional mayhem, though he’s listed as questionable for Game 1.
EDGE: CELTICS
BENCH
Celtics (Rob Williams, Derrick White, Daniel Theis, Payton Pritchard) vs. Heat (Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, Duncan Robinson, Dewayne Dedmon): Miami has as a lot firepower off the bench as within the beginning lineup, and in Herro, the NBA’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year. Oladipo has averaged 12 factors in eight playoff video games, and on most groups, Robinson would nonetheless be a featured sniper. That’s fairly the offensive load for the Celtics reserves to deal with. They typically haven’t been as much as the duty up to now, however the Celtics are a distinct defensive unit now. Of word is the standing of Rob Williams, whose issues with knee soreness have left him with an “if needed” designation. He clearly adjustments the sport defensively, and with Adebayo on the rampage, will run up minutes if in a position to compete.
EDGE: HEAT
COACHING
Ime Udoka vs. Erik Spoelstra: Udoka has completed wonders together with his defensive game-plans, discovering methods to make two future Hall of Famers — Kevin Durant and Antetokounmpo — painfully inefficient. The Heat have extra steadiness than both Brooklyn or Milwaukee. Spoelstra has been excellent over time at throwing the Celtics off-balance together with his personal defensive ploys. These two share Portland (Ore.) roots, and know one another effectively. Let the chess match start.
EDGE: EVEN
Source: www.bostonherald.com