Extinguishing The Heat Starts On Defense For Celtics
BOSTON (CBS) – The Boston Celtics embarrassed the Miami Heat last time the two teams squared off in Boston.
Doing so again Tuesday night, this time in Miami, will be tougher, but if Boston's defense continues their dominant stretch over some of the league's best talent it is not completely out of the question.
The Celtics pride themselves on defense, and have been winning some of their biggest games of the season because of it as of late. Last time against the Heat, Boston allowed just 72 points, Miami's lowest scoring total since their Big Three came together last season.
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The Celtics are third in the NBA, allowing 89.3 points per game this season, just one of three NBA teams to hold opponents to less than 90 points per game. Since taking on Miami, the defense has gotten even better, holding their last five opponents (all playoff teams) to 80.6 points per game. In their last four wins, no team has eclipsed the 80-point mark.
"The defense is just really good; guys are locked in," head coach Doc Rivers said after the Celtics beat the 76ers 103-79 on Sunday. "You know your offense will fail you, you know that. I don't care how well you play your offense will fail you sometimes. But if you come in with the right mindset your defense never should, and it will always give you a chance to win a game."
"I think what you see is us coming together," said center Kevin Garnett. "As far as consistency, I think the defensive pressure has been there. The effort, the strategies, everyone understands what we're doing. It's all coming together."
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Garnett is a huge part of the defensive dominance. The Celtics defense began coming together as soon as he was moved to center, and has thrived even more with the defensive-minded Avery Bradley inserted into the starting lineup. With Bradley and Rajon Rondo playing alongside each other, opposing guards -- and even some forwards -- have been in for long nights on the floor.
Now the Celtics have to go out and prove they can do it to the Heat, again, but this time in Miami. That is no easy task, with the Heat 24-3 at the American Airlines Center. They recently won 17 straight at home, before the Memphis Grizzlies ended that streak last Friday.
Holding Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in check is never an easy task, but the Celtics had it down to a science two weeks ago. They turned Miami into a jump shooting team and James was the only starter to hit more than half his shots from the field. As a team, Miami shoot just 34-percent from the field.
For the Celtics, that has been the norm. They lead the NBA in both opponents field goal percentage from the floor (41.8-percent) and from beyond the arc (29.8-percent). Over the weekend, they held both the Pacers and Sixers under 40-percent.
While a win against Miami would be big for Boston, as they hold a two-game lead over the 76ers and Knicks for the Atlantic Division and trail the Pacers by just a game-and-a-half for the three-seed in the Eastern Conference, a hard-fought defensive effort will be just as uplifting. The Celtics will (likely) have to eventually win a game in Miami if they want any shot at an NBA title, or a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals to be a little more realistic, but setting a defensive tone Tuesday night will be the start of that process.
