The Miami Heat have won an amazing 23 straight games and are, hands-down, the best team in the Eastern Conference, but who’s next in line?
[caption id="attachment_1284" align="alignleft" width="162" caption="Jeff Green had a career-high 43 point game against the Heat"]
[/caption]
After Monday’s 105-103 loss to the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics made a strong case for that second best team in the Eastern Conference. Now their regular season record would not reflect that, but their record against the Heat would make for a great argument.
Before Monday’s game, Miami was 15-32 all time in games in Boston, including losing the previous 10 that they have played at the TD Garden.
The Celtics have the Heat under control on their home court, something that most teams can’t say.
Last season, the Celtics were up 3-2 on the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals- on the verge of going to the NBA Finals. Only problem was the final two games were to be played in Miami and the Heat closed out the series en route to an NBA Championship.
In a seven game series, there aren’t many teams that will bring the Celtics down. They have the experience and players to win four out of seven games against a single team; and the Celtics have the skill to adapt and find the weakness of their opponent to best them come playoffs.
If the season were to end today, the Heat would be the obvious first seed and the Celtics would be the seventh seed, benefitting the Celtics immensely- but why, you ask?
If this prediction were true, Boston wouldn’t have to meet up with Miami until the Eastern Conference Finals again. And don’t think that Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have forgotten the feeling of being ousted by the Heat last season in the Eastern Conference Finals.
[caption id="attachment_1287" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Kevin Garnett is the catalyst of the team that will carry them far into the postseason "]
[/caption]
Head Coach Doc Rivers is one of the best in the NBA at knowing what his team is capable of and how to manage them in the regular season. For example, Rivers has given 17-year veteran Kevin Garnett nights off in the second half of the season to insure that he is 100% ready/healthy for the playoffs.
With 16 games left in the season, the Celtics look to stay consistent in the sixth-seventh seed range as that guarantees not having to see the Heat until the Conference Finals—something that bodes well for Boston.
There is a lot of basketball left to be played, but things could not be looking better for the Celtics as they make their final push into the postseason and establishing themselves as the second best—record aside—team in the Eastern Conference.
Back to the Boston Celtics Newsfeed