What you’re about to see may end up being one of the greatest defensive battles in recent history.
After a torrid run through the second half of the regular season, the Boston Celtics finished as the No. 1 defense in the league. The Miami HEAT finished just behind them at No. 4, and when Bam Adebayo was available – he missed 26 games mostly due an injured thumb ligament – they had a defense that would have been No. 1. No teams switched more pick-and-rolls than these two, and no teams forced more isolations. The Celtics allowed the third-fewest direct paint touches per 100 possessions, per Second Spectrum, and with Adebayo on the court Miami allowed the second fewest.