 PO 2011 2nd Round : Heat (2) vs Celtics (3) |
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posté par Baz : | Rapid reaction: Feeling the HeatBy Chris Forsberg (ESPN BOSTON)
Dwyane Wade and the Heat prepare to dance with Rajon Rondo and the Celtics, again.
Rapid reaction after the Miami Heat defeated the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night, winning that Eastern Conference first-round series, 4 games to 1 and setting up a semifinals battle with the Boston Celtics:
1 --SAW THIS COMING ALL ALONG--
We all knew it would come to this, right? Even from the start of the year, it seemed impossible that Boston and Miami could navigate the postseason without bumping into each other at some point. Now the series everyone drooled over in September is here and the only question is whether it can live up to sort of hype that existed when the two teams first met on opening night. Buckle up, the hype machine will be spinning out of control before Sunday's Game 1 tip-off arrives (3:30 p.m., ABC). This ought to feel a lot like Boston versus Cleveland last season ... on steroids.
2 --REGULAR-SEASON RECAP--
The Celtics won the first three meetings of the season, two of which came in their first nine games of the season. Rajon Rondo stole the show in the third encounter of the year, producing a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, all while guarding LeBron James for a stretch in the third quarter of an 85-82 triumph at the TD Garden. With the No. 2 seed hanging in the balance, Miami got 27 points from LeBron James en route to its only win of the regular-season series, a 100-77 victory earlier this month at American Airlines Arena. Confidence might be the biggest thing Miami gained from that win, or as coach Erik Spoelstra bottom-lined it after that game: "We proved we can beat them tonight."
3 --BIG FOUR > BIG THREE?--
So we'll hear plenty about triumvirates this series (Garnett-Pierce-Allen vs. James-Wade-Bosh). All of which almost assuredly leaves Rondo as the X-factor (though don't discount the impact of Jermaine O'Neal going up against his old squad). If the Celtics get playoff-engaged Rondo, the one who was the best player on the floor in Round 1 against the Knicks, the Heat are going to have to pick their poison in terms of who they want to shut down. History suggests teams will challenge Rondo and he'll have to figure out how to be aggressive even when defenses pack it in (particularly if Miami takes away transition). Rondo must exploit his point guard matchup, something he didn't do against Mike Bibby in the final meeting of the regular season.
4 --HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE?--
Celtics coach Doc Rivers was quite pleased with the way his team played in a hostile environment in New York this past weekend. Even with Madison Square Garden rocking for the first playoff game there in seven years, Boston took control early in Game 3 and played maybe its best offensive game of the year. Over the last two seasons, the Celtics have absolutely thrived on the road (at least when it's not the second night of a back-to-back). That puts the pressure on Miami in Games 1 and 2 to protect home-court advantage.
5 --DEFENDING AGAINST THREE STARS--
The Celtics maintain that they don't change their defense for any player or team. But Boston's recipe for success in recent times has been taking away one star player, then challenging the supporting cast to beat them. They got a small taste of defending multiple stars against the Knicks, but injuries to Amare Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups left Boston able to focus its energies on Carmelo Anthony. Things won't be that easy against the Heat. Dwyane Wade and James can win games by themselves. The Celtics are likely to do all they can to limit those two, while putting the pressure on Chris Bosh (who will be matched up with Kevin Garnett) to beat them. Of course, making that happen is easier said than done. |
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