So the Heat advanced into the second round of the playoffs like everyone thought would. Now comes the hard part, shrugging off the win over the less-then-stellar 76ers and focusing all of their attention to the Boston Celtics.
The Boston Celtics. The originators of the big three and the team that has loomed their champion calibre team's shadow over the Miami heat all season long are now ready to give Miami's big three everything they can handle. The chase to the title will have to wait, Miami has a lot of skeletons left to deal with if they want to advance any further.
Miami has a pair of champions on their team, but one has not played all season, so the Heat's sole ring bearing active player is Dwyane Wade. The Celtics have proven that their team is at that championship level that Miami is still hoping to achieve. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett aren't even the big three any more. Rajon Rondo has emerged and made that dynamic trio welcome in a fourth member. Together they have won a championship and almost won a second ring last year.
This year's Heat are looking for that type of success in 2011.
For the second year it seemed as though the Celtics were limping into the playoffs, but after a quick sweep of the Knicks the Celtics seem to be in top form once again. No team should or can sleep on Boston. They are proven as a team, and if Miami wants to be considered a champion, they have to beat the current Eastern Conference Champions just to advance to the next round!
As any good sports reporter would do, I want to analyze both teams. Focus on their strengths and weaknesses as individuals and as teammates. I want to break down every position and try to see which team truly has an advantage over the other.
Let's start with the Point Guards. This time I will focus on the potential starters and reserve the backups all under the bench category.
Point Guard: Rajon Rondo versus Mario Chalmers
When Rajon Rondo is on his game, their is little any PG can really do against him. He isn't the most prolific scorer and because of that defending PGs often give him space and allow him to try to sink long shots. The real Rondo is a pass first type of PG at heart and his crisp passing skills will be the biggest hurdle the Heat will have to overcome in order to beat Boston in this series.
On the other hand, Mario Chalmers is Miami's best defensive PG by a leaps and bounds. It also seems logical to think Chalmers has earned himself a spot back at the starting PG position after a solid game 5 performance where he scored a season high 20 points off the bench. Rio is a much better scorer then Rondo, but needs to work on his assist making skills in order to really strive in this Heat team. With players like Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh it would be in Miami's favor if the ball was in his hands and he could find those players open shots. He has yet to reach that plateau yet, so Miami will have to deal with Rio's great defensive play and hope he can make Rondo look human.
Still, Rondo is the better PG at this time. Advantage: Celtics
Shooting Guard: Ray Allen versus Dwyane Wade
He got game, and it shows more so in the playoffs. Ray Allen has been a headache for D. Wade to guard all season. Not only is Allen one of the best pure shooters in the game, but he is always moving which makes Wade use up all of his energy just defending him. Allen has the Celtics hottest hands from downtown. He is shooting over 65% from behind the 3 point line in the playoffs which can and will hurt any team should that carry over into the next series. In the regular season, Allen has had Wade's number and has limited Flash's performances to that of pedestrian numbers. If that continues it does not bode well for the Heat.
Dwyane Wade should be regarded as one of the best players at his position, but he has yet to have a signature game against Boston all year long. his point per game is under 13 against the Celtics this year which is extremely below his season average of 25 PPG. Wade needs to find his grove against the Celtics and Allen and find it quick. Miami can not afford to continue to start slow and wade needs to be the one to spark that fire under his team. He has proven he is capable of shining at pivotal and important moments in playoff games and the Heat will need Mr. Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. to be at the top of his game if Miami wants to send Boston packing.
Though the regular season has not shown it I still say that Wade steps up in the playoffs for Miami. Advantage: Heat
Small Forward: Paul Pierce versus Lebron James
This battle has happened before, but James was wearing Cavalier colors then. Now Paul Pierce looks to stay on top of his game against one of the hardest players to defend in the game of basketball. Has he done it? in the regular season Pierce has averaged 17 PPG while James has been averaging almost 29 PPG. The simple stats of it all says that in the regular season James has eaten up Paul Pierce, but we are not in the regular season anymore. Pierce who is a much better long ball shooter is capable of defending James well. The truth is a player that always needs to be guarded, he can strike from almost anywhere on the court.
Enter Miami's mercenary. Lebron James came to Miami for one thing: to win a championship. They may well be on their way this year, but James is going to have to wash away the years of defeat that Boston has piled up in his closet in order to do so. Boston has eliminated James in 2008 and in 2010 and the agony of defeat lingers on. No one more then James needs this victory to prove himself as a great player and to vindicate his decision to take his talents to south beach. The once and future king can accomplish this by performing at a level that Paul Pierce is unable to compete against. He can do it, and needs to in order for Miami to make short work of Boston.
There is no other SF in the game I consider better then James, so the choice is simple. Advantage: Heat
Power Forward: Kevin Garnett versus Chris Bosh
Both of these players are the anchors of their respected teams. Kevin Garnett's career speaks for itself. The guy is an outstanding player and still plays at the top of his game even at 34 years old. He is a presence in the paint and the best defender on the Celtics. Look for him to provide double teams relatively quickly. he size and speed is a problem for almost any PF in the game and has held Bosh's game to below his season average.
Bosh needs to take advantage of his speed over Garnett often and early. Garnett recently mentioned that when Bosh plays well, the Heat dominate. True this may be, but it could also be a ploy to get KG pumped in order to play at an even higher level against Bosh. Bosh has such a silky shot, that he may be tempted to pull up and take long range jump shots, but he needs to be aggressive and catch the Celtics in the air so he can go get much needed free throws. This position battle could very well be the deciding factor in the series.
While one player excels in offense the other is slid on defense. It's hard to pick between the two. Advantage: Tie
Center: Jermain Oneal versus Joel Anthony
Jermain Oneal is playing like his knees aren't giving him trouble, and that could spell trouble for Miami if he stays that way. With Shaq still uncertain, the other Oneal has stepped his game up and has looked like the the player Miami was hoping for just a couple of seasons ago. Now wearing the Celtic green, both Oneals are the enemy. Look for Miami to test Jermain the most in the paint and try to get him in early foul trouble.
Meanwhile Joel Anthony has been playing at such a high level it seems crazy to think Miami will keep him on the bench for too long. Big Z might start the game, but you better believe that Anthony is the Center of choice for the Heat. Anthony provides a much needed boost of energy and athleticism in the Center position. He is a ball hawk on the boards and is ever present in his defensive mindset. Joel even provided some very clutch free throws at the end of the Philly series that sent the 76ers to an early vacation. He is not prettiest offensive specimen, but his energy on the defensive side of the ball is very much needed.
I don't expect Jermain Oneal to continue this level of performance for too much longer. I also think it was due to a poor new York team that allowed Oneal such easy buckets. Anthony should erase those stat lines well enough. Advantage: Tie
Bench Players or Role Players:
Here is Miami's biggest and most glaring weakness: the lack of depth on the team. Boston does not have that problem. Here is a list of the player you can expect to play significant minutes on both teams from their bench.
Miami: James Jones, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mike Bibby
Boston: Glen Davis, Jeff Green, Delonte West, Shaq (if healthy)
You may see Carlos Arroyo or Nenad Kristic come off Boston's bench as well. Needless to say the reserves on Boston are much more active. James Jones is the current three point champion and has had a hot hand in the playoffs. He needs to come off the bench and provide some much needed bench points for Miami. Still Boston has more pieces on the bench that allows their star players much needed rest. Advantage: Boston
So what did we have? Two positions in favor of Miami, two in favor of Boston (including the bench as a position), and two ties which means this is going to be a very exciting playoff series. I can't wait. GO HEAT!
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