Celts vs Heat - Round 3, Game 3 - Pregame Thoughts

I wanted to get this one up early as excitement for tonight's game builds.

Game 3 tonight at 8:30 PM will give us an opportunity to take the lead in this series.

What can we expect from Miami?

We are shooting almost 38% from deep while they are around 32% during the playoffs however let's look at the first 2 games a little close.

The Celtics are 31/74 or 41.8% from deep and the Heat are 20/64 or 31.2%.  That represents a 93-60 point advantage for us.

Our death star (db) lineup is awesome.  We have size, length and great athleticism.  That group can defend, rebound, pass and score at all 3 levels.  That group can switch 1-5 against the Heat.

They have to disrupt our offense and find easier scoring opportunities themselves.  I was surprised that they did not pressure us up top as much in Game 2.  Maybe with both Marcus and Al returning to the lineup they were scared to go that route.  Nevertheless they look hard pressed to defend us without exposing the under belly of their defense.  The Celtics know full well that they gave game 1 away and as long as we do not turn into a turnover factory they will not be able to stop us from making buckets.

The most glaring aspect of what the Heat have not been able to do begins with Bam.  He is only averaging 8 PPG and 6.5 rebounds against Boston.  He is only taking 5 shots per game.  They have to get him more involved in the offense but he is not a post up player.  He scores off of PNR' s and garbage points.  He was a 19 PPG guy during the regular season.  Our frontline is better and deeper than their front line and that is probably the reason why he is so limited.  

Jimmy Butler is due to lay an egg.  What's the o/u that it happens tonight?  He has carried the offense for them throughout the playoffs.  Jimmy Butler  has been playing great but I have to say that I feel no apprehension when he has the ball.  Unlike the freak or Durant or even KI.

The Heat are a well coached team that plays the right way.  The Celtics are also a well coached team that plays the right way PLUS we have more talented players and a more complete roster than they do.

Just remember the disappointing feeling after getting beat in the bubble by them.  Although Smart, Jayson, Jaylen, Grant, Daniel and RW were on that team, this year's addition is different and better.  Theis was our starting center, Kemba was our primary PG and GH was a starting wing (when he could actually play)  The big difference is Al's return, the addition of White and developing player PP.  The most significant difference is our coach and more maturity from our players.  

We have to beat them 3 more times to set the record straight.  

We will definitely win tonight.

Just don't want the Celts to start feeling good about themselves. They need to be focused. No repeat of game 5 against the Bucks.

Go Celts!

prakash wrote:Just don't want the Celts to start feeling good about themselves.  They need to be focused.  No repeat of game 5 against the Bucks.

Go Celts!

kash

It is hard for me to even think about game 5 when we have yet to play game 3 and 4.

Also the Bucks game 5 was in Boston but this time it will be in Miami. It will not be the same.

I really do not have a problem with the Celtics feeling good about themselves and then moving on. Whenever the coach and players have spoken about wins and losses there is a consistent theme that there is work to be done. There seems to be a leveling effect in place. They do not let wins or losses impact them mentally. They will not spend any energy thinking about game 4. As Jaylen said, they are focused on staying in the moment and not getting too high or too low.

Ime is a magnificent coach who keeps his team in the right frame of mind.

Dboss,
Good summary/analysis. I just wanted to add a point.
Mia doesn't have a big center a la Jokic, Embiid, etc., that we always struggled against.
Bos, OTOH, have 2 centers, AH and RWIII, that Mia have to deal with. And they have only Bam for that (I'm not counting barely walking Dedmon and their 3rd stringer). I hope Udoka will use this advantage.

AK

They're going to come out angrier than a hive of poked hornets, Jimmy Butler will make sure of that.  We need to match energy and intensity.  We need to understand there are no "games off" in the playoffs.  We have a maximum of 12 games left, a minimum of 7.  We need to play like these are the last games of their careers and they want to go out with Pride.  

Unfortunately, we've seen that we don't always do that.  On the other hand, when we needed to go to Milwaukee and steal one there, we did.  We've already won in Miami.  I am confident, if we needed to win another there, we would do it.

Heat Injury Update, as of Friday, 5/20, 5:40pm:


HEAT POINT GUARD KYLE LOWRY, WHO HAS MISSED FOUR GAMES IN A ROW, AND FORWARD P.J. TUCKER, WHO LEFT THURSDAY’S GAME WITH AN INJURY, TRAVELED WITH THE HEAT TO BOSTON ON FRIDAY AND WERE LISTED AS QUESTIONABLE FOR SATURDAY’S GAME 3 OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS AGAINST THE CELTICS (8:30 P.M., ABC).

LOWRY’S HAMSTRING INJURY HAS SIDELINED HIM FOR EIGHT GAMES THIS POSTSEASON; HE HASN’T PLAYED SINCE GAME 4 AGAINST PHILADELPHIA NEARLY TWO WEEKS AGO. BOSTON’S 127-102 GAME 2 WIN WAS THE HEAT’S FIRST LOSS WITHOUT LOWRY THIS POSTSEASON.

MEANWHILE, THERE IS HOPE THAT TUCKER CAN PLAY THOUGH A LEFT KNEE CONTUSION. HE SUSTAINED THE INJURY IN THE FIRST HALF OF THURSDAY’S GAME, TRIED TO PLAY THROUGH IT BUT LEFT FOR GOOD IN THE THIRD QUARTER. ERIK SPOELSTRA HAS SAID THAT TUCKER WANTS TO PLAY THROUGH THE INJURY.

MAX STRUS AND GABE VINCENT ARE LISTED AS QUESTIONABLE WITH HAMSTRING INJURIES - AS THEY WERE BEFORE GAME 2 - BUT BOTH ARE EXPECTED TO PLAY.


Bob


.

Robert Williams (left knee soreness) – QUESTIONABLE for Game 3

Bobh

No doubt we have to come out with a high level of intensity.

Rob may not play so that alters the rotation.

The Celtics just need to remember that sick feeling that had after losing to them in the Bubble.

This series has a high probability of attrition with all the bumps, bruises and other assorted injury and health concerns.

First and most importantly, bring up the Rudy T. Rule and apply it to Coach Spo.  He's going to come to tonight's game with a top tier game plan to knock us off our perch.  As MIL found with Coach Bud, it's easier than it looks.  It doesn't take much to open up our Pandora's Box of past horrific performance goblins blow a game we should win going away.

Here's a chance to show we've learned and made some progress from the last series.  If we lose tonight, no progress has been made nor nothing learned.  We've seen this movie in the last round at this exact point in the series.  As I've posited before, I believe we've seen the Finals already last round.  IMHBAO, MIA is either a side-step or a step down from MIL.  Jimmy Butler is at best a Giannis, Jr. or Trey.  

I'd like to see Coach Spo with bags under his eyes from not being able to sleep from having to come up with the perfect game plan to beat us in G3 and have its execution produce absolutely nothing.  Not only that but have it result in an even worse loss than the one administered in G2.  Even though a loss only counts as 1 game of 4, an AW back-to-back will be like a knife stab to the MIA heart and soul accompanied by a twist.


Gotta have it.  Order it up, dboss!!  

db

P.S.  The Lowry news I believe more than the BS news out of BKN during that series around this same time.  Clearly Spo is a much better coach than Nash will ever be given the look on Spo's face during and after G2.  He realized MIA can't win this series as currently constructed so time to move Lowry back in, ready or not.  Expect to see Lowry on the court tonight.  New wrinkle. This is the Spo Pocket Aces play.  Ime needs to be ready to counter-counter.

Lowry won't be able to run. Attack that weakness.

That's what I was thinking, worcester.  Run our offense right through out of shape Lowry and foul him out.  

It's a great move by Spo to throw a monkey wrench into our works today.  You don't win three championships (even though any of us could have coached MIA to those championships with LeBron, DWade and Bosh) and not know at least a little bit about what you're doing.  Ime will counter.  BOS (-6) still.

Actually, the more I think about it, the sans RWIII line up tonight will work more to our advantage. That core has played a lot of games together.    

db

The more I think about it, this game tonight is all about Ime.  The Lowry Change, as I will call it, is a monkey wrench launched to a rookie coach from a seasoned coach at the last minute.  If Ime figures this out on the fly and proceeds to win this game or blow the crap out of MIA, while not a big deal if it results in a loss by us, it's a potential sign of maturity for Ime.  It could resurface later in another form at another time, but it's just a test for right now in this moment.  It's like a guy/gal at the poker table betting into you after you've raised initially.  Do you fold, just call or push all-in and shut him up for good?  Just a small test, that's all.  Let's see what happens. This is after two beers and a great steak and chicken dinner with the fam tonight!  

db

We need more offense and an active big who, like RWilliams, can provide some shooting( Williams has good shooting form) who can stay on the floor.

Consistency, wherefor art thou?

Fork me. I don't get this team.

Nothing resembling a run for us in the first hakk. I hooe the players are embarrassed.

jrleftfoot wrote:Nothing resembling a run for us in the first hakk. I hooe the players are embarrassed.

If you are looking for the game thread it is in Game On! 2021-22.

prakash wrote:

jrleftfoot wrote:Nothing resembling a run for us in the first hakk. I hooe the players are embarrassed.

If you are looking for the game thread it is in Game On! 2021-22.

                                                                                Thanks. I get too hyped to do game thread  and type at a snail's pace. Enjoy reading them after wins. This was just dumb venting. What a roller coaster these playoffs have been. Appreciate the gesture. Be well'