Looking across the NBA, you don’t really see manytruerivalries.
Not the bullshit manufactured ones by ESPN between teams that maybe played 1 playoff series against one another.
I’m talking true hatred between two sides.
When it comes to MIA and BOS, there is legit hatred/bad blood/whatever you want to call it.
Yesterday, even with no Jimmy Butler in the lineup, was no different.
When the final buzzer sounded, the result wasn’t all that different either.
Stop telling me teams like the Bucks or the Sixers are the Celtics' rivals.
No, they are not.
The rivals are the Heat, and that’s not changing any time soon.
I would like you to listen to Brad Stevens in this clip
You got all that right?
We all aligned here?
In 3 games against MIA (3-0) KP is putting up 20.3/7.3/1.7 on 57/50/82% splits.
Here’s the dilemma that KP now creates.
If you switch on him, it’s over for you.
That’s a bucket or a foul every single time.
OK, no worries, the Heat will just go to their patented zone.
That’s something that has dominated the Celts in the past, so surely it would work now right?
KP at the nail kills that defense too I’m afraid.
It’s legit changed everything about this matchup.
What exactly is the MIA solve here?
Try and crush his testicles on a drive or something in hopes it takes him out?
When things bog down and get clunky, just lob it to the 7'3 dude.
Defensively, he’s everywhere.
It’s been better than any of us could have possibly dreamed of.
That is what we saw from Jayson Tatum
Was Tatum efficient?
I’ll take 11-20 (2-6).
When he needed to be.
This is what makes Tatum so tough to guard.
His 9 assists also led the team.
Was he locked in defensively?
I’d say so.
When things got close late, we did not see Tatum force things offensively.
To me, against this team specifically, I see that as growth.
I know Tatum can score against MIA, they’re too small for him too.
In 25 4th quarter minutes, Tatum has just 1 TO.
If that’s not an improvement, what is?
Given what we’ve lived through?
It’s exactly the key in of development we’ve been praying for.
Their 8 losses are the fewest of any team with 18 wins (DEN, MIL).
- Quick question, is this good?
What I continue to love about Holiday’s season is how well he’s slid into this role.
- This may have been Joe’s best game of his career when it comes to his timeout management.
It was as close to perfect as someone can get.
When things looked like trouble was on the horizon, Joe called timeout.
When he needed to stop a run because the Celts were playing stupid basketball, he called a timeout.
If we’re going to be honest, Joe has owned this matchup.
People won’t want to admit that, but the results don’t lie.
Only 106 points on 41/30% splits, it felt like we all needed a performance like this.
Crazy what happens when the Heat don’t get that weird voodoo black magic shooting from deep huh?
Only 9 TOs as a team, it prevented the Heat from getting out and running.
Remember how the Celts gave up 38 fastbreak points against Wizards?
The Heat only had 8 in this game.
It’s a lack of rebounding.
In the 4th quarter alone, the Heat had 4 OREB for 6 2nd chance points.
It’s how the ATL/PHI/MIA series were all extended.
- It really sucked to see JRich and Terry Rozier go down with injuries.
Both looked like freak plays and you never want to see a guy get hurt like that.
Either way, I hope for a speedy recovery for both.
His 3 TOs in the 4th are pretty unacceptable, especially given what we lived through in Game 7.
In this matchup, Jaylen needs to be more of a play finisher than a play creator.
On the other side, when his role is to just score and finish plays, he’s great.
Get tape on how things look so you are ready to adjust if needed in a playoff series.
- Let’s talk dirty plays.
Both plays were fucked.
Was that the right move?
Just more of the same when it comes to Bam and the Heat.
Look, anything that adds more fuel to the fire in this rivalry is A OK with me.
I say embrace it.
It’s what makes the games fun, because there’s real hate behind it.
