Celtics are heavy favorites heading into Eastern Conference Finals vs. Heat
BOSTON -- If the Celtics want to return to the NBA Finals, they'll have to get by a familiar foe in the Miami Heat. It will be Boston and Miami duking it out in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season and the third time in the last four years.
It may have taken the Celtics seven games to dispatch the Philadelphia 76ers from the second round, but Boston heads into the Eastern Conference Finals as heavy favorites to beat the Heat. DraftKings has the Celtics at -525 to win the series, while the Heat are +400.
The Celtics and the Heat split their regular season meetings, with each team taking a game on the other's home court. Last year's Eastern Conference Finals went the distance, with Boston pulling out a hard-fought victory in Game 7 in Miami to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.
But the C's aren't counting on last year's success to lead to a repeat this year.
"Nothing about last year matters," Jaylen Brown said after Boston's Game 7 win over Philly on Sunday. "I don't think Miami is thinking about last year. I think they're coming out and ready to play basketball. If anything, atone for last year. So we've just got to come out with a great fresh mind and execute."
The Celtics own home-court advantage this time around as the No. 2 seed in the East. Miami lost its first game in the play-in tournament before beating the Bulls to clinch the East's 8-seed, and then shocked the basketball world by beating the top-seeded Bucks in five games. The Heat advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals by beating the New York Knicks in six games in the East semis.
Jimmy Butler is a man on a mission this postseason, averaging 31.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game during the playoffs. He's surrounded by a solid crew in Bam Adebayo (who gives the Celtics fits), Kyle Lowry, and Max Strus. Miami will be without Tyler Herro, who suffered a hand fractute earlier this postseason.
The Celtics own the edge in overall talent with Jayson Tatum (fresh off his 51-point performance in Game 7) and Brown leading the charge, with Marcus Smart, Al Horford, and Robert Williams filling important roles in Boston's starting five. Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White struggled off the bench in Game 7, but give the Celtics one of the deepest rosters in the league.
The Heat own the edge in the coaching department though, thanks to the brillance of Erik Spoelstra. Boston's rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla is still learning on the fly and has had some trying moments, but he made the necessary adjustments against the 76ers -- starting Williams over White late in the series -- to get Boston the series win over Philly.
We'll see if the Celtics can keep rolling when the Eastern Conference Finals tips off at TD Garden on Wednesday night.