He was awesome but idk. Tatum played three of these games so within himself and what the Heat were loaded up to give him and he didn’t take the bait and made the right play. He was the engine offensively while playing great defense. We haven’t always seen this from him though we have seen it. But in this series we saw it a lot. By being unselfish and making others around him better, this team becomes borderline unstoppable.
Last year’s team had a hobbled RW and Smart and no PP and Hauser playing to the level they’re at now. Totally different. Doesn’t mean they can get to the promised land without KP but they should clear the East unlike last year even if barely (bc of no KP).
Completely different team, agreed. Just noting that defensive effort is a difference-maker for both teams. It was crystal clear in this series, where they only dropped the game that they mailed it in. First three games of last year's ECF, Miami put up mad points. Then the D buckled down, and they didn't in the next three. Only in game seven with everyone half-dead did Miami win a game against defensive effort. This year's team is strong enough, smart enough, and focused enough to keep the gas pedal down and bulldoze this in five.
I was actually shocked to see this. When the lead ballooned to 30 in the first half, the Heat immediately cut it to 19. I figured they just wouldn't ever really go away - that similar to the other games, they might lose by 20, but not 30+. Did not happen last night. The Celtics broke them.
Once the Celtics responded to Miami's slowing the game down, the Heat literally had zero answers other than start hoping impossible shots start going in. The gulf in talent between these two teams really is huge with Butler out.
I made this point to my brother in law after game 2. That we'll see how the series plays out, but if the Celts end it in 5 going away, we won't care looking back whether the game was in Boston or Miami. It will be a footnote on their path to the title. We might not even remember it to be honest. At least not the same way we remember that the 2008 team lost their first 6 road playoff games.
That 2008 Hawks team wasn't as bad as their 37-45 record indicated, with some young players that would form the core of a roster that soon became a difficult playoff team in the Eastern Conference. Probably a better roster than Miami's sans Butler and Rozier. And then the Celtics next 3 road losses came against team with a generational talent earning his #23.
Who had "Kornet would be the most effective Bam defender of the night" on their bingo card?
All fair but that Celts team went 66-16 then lost 6 in a row on the road. That was crazy town.
Yeah but it deprives us of a Moses Malone "Fo Fo Fo Fo" bid.
When it got up over 30 after 3 minutes of the second half, that was it. They weren't going to get it down to a reasonable number a second time (15-19 range) and still have something left in the tank to make a closing run.
Moses Malone eats shit.Yeah but it deprives us of a Moses Malone "Fo Fo Fo Fo" bid.
There's always next year!
Celtics are 16-7 on the road in playoffs since 2022. That’s a 57 win pace on road against playoff teams. If only they can replicate that at home.
Right, to be clear the recent Celtics have had relatively more problems at home than the road. They've been road killers.
To be fair in the afterlife all all time star game I will use my early picks on guards while Wilt, Kareem Shaq get picked early and then I select peak Moses and win the whole thing.
Not to harp on Herro, who was one of only two guys who were offensive factors at all for Miami, but 20.8 on 17.5 and giving back most of those points on the other end being bullied like a 7th grader was not super impressive. I don't think that anyone was for them.
He just thinks he’s a lot better than he is.. and his ‘on paper’ comment may have re-focused a Cs team even more after the game 2 loss.
The best thing about Herro is that he was great, great practice for Mitchell and Garland. The Cs got to really dial in the details of their drop schemes against a good off-the-dribble shooter.
We'll remember that the game was in BOS only because Mike got a standing O at the end.
I was sitting at the bar last night after a round of golf, and one of the young guys sitting near me said "I've never seen so many people so nervous with a 30 point lead."
Why would they? Their whole lives have been Boston teams winning championships for the most part… it’s more of a surprise when they get their and don’t win.
You mean losing a clinching title game with a 2 run lead in the bottom of the 10th with 2 outs and 2 strikes?
How about this one:
Yes, I mean like that. Shit, my son, who is now 16, wasn't even alive when the Pats perfect season ended against the Giants. We are getting so fucking old.
I think the 2020 series, where the Celtics blew all those big 4th quarter leads, permanently scarred the fanbase wrt Miami.
I can't say I was nervous AFTER he stepped on the bag, but when the ball was off the bat, immediate reaction was "uh oh cue shot this is going to take a weird bounce"
I wouldn't be too sure that Cleveland will be the matchup here. That Orlando team is dangerous and could very will win the next two.
Yes. I meant "if they play Cleveland."
I initially read that as sludgefest which seems like it could also be a possibility.
I got nervous any time the lead dipped below 30 in the second half. I recognized and acknowledged that that was irrational, but people our age have a lot of scars.
Me too. I was nervous that, as in Game 1, the Celts would let Miami have a big 4th quarter where they could take that momentum into Cancun.
Being a person of that age, I note that if the lead was increasing (and above 19), the nervousness was dampened
