Boston Celtics Not Scared of the Miami Heat

Even if the Heat could be the toughest first round matchup, it is not one the Celtics should actively avoid

There is no denying that this run that the Miami Heat currently are on is maybe the most impressive in the NBA this season. After a start that made them look like good competition for the Nets in the lottery, they have been winning as much as anyone, and find themselves fighting for that final playoff spot.

Right now, there really is not much of an argument against them being the worst first round matchup. They really have been much more competitive and consistent than any other team in the bottom four of the eastern playoff race. That being said, just because they may be a bit more difficult than the other matchups, does not mean it is something the Celtics should be worried about.

The Heat have kept it close, but the Celtics just finished a season sweep of them. The Celtics have had all the success this season, and there is nothing in this matcup they should fear a lot. The Heat can certainly cause problems, but the Celtics are more than equipped to handle any of it, ensuring that if they play their best, a series against Miami would be nice and short.

First and foremost, the Celtics have the defense to completely shut down their back court. Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters and Tyler Johnson have all been phenomenal on this run, but Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley have a pretty clear edge in that matchup, with the possibility of getting help from Jae Crowder or Jaylen Brown if there are any problems.

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Hassan Whiteside can cause problems for anyone, but with how well Al Horford and Amir Johsnon have been on the defensive end, they can prevent him from destroying a series. Add on that Horford’s ability to stretch the floor will pull Whiteside out of the paint and that opens a lot up for the Celtics.

On top of that. Thomas has shown an uncanny ability to not only attack seven footers, but to be effective in finishing over them. Thomas has proven he can produce in the paint against Whiteside, and if that happens there really is not much the Heat can do to slow them down on offense.

The Heat have earned the respect of the league, and if a team could hand pick their matchup, chances are the Heat would be at the bottom of the list. Even if the Celtics would prefer to avoid the Heat, do not let that fool you into thinking that they are going to change anything in their approach to accommodate that phantom worry.

It has become clear that if the Celtics do not show up and play poorly, they could lose to really any team in the league. If the Celtics do not play their best, then the Heat could certainly surprise them. That same thing, however, applies to any team they play.

The opposite is also true. Whether its the Heat, or the Pacers or the Bucks, or whoever they could play in the first round, the Celtics have proven that their highest level is much better than any of those teams, and they do not need to be concerned about that first round opponent.

Instead, there is only one priority left for the regular season, that number one seed. Even if it was guaranteed that they would play the Heat by finishing as the top seed, there is no doubt that they would still want that first seed.

The Celtics have proven that they need to be concerned about themselves, and the way that they play, rather then their potential opponents. The same goes for looking at the Wizards or the Raptors in the second round. There are a lot of different ways to speculate which matchups they may be better off with, but too much of that is out of their control.

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The Celtics need to make sure that they keep winning games and continue to build themselves up while growing into the best possible version of themselves. Whether or not they are playing the Heat should not cross the minds of the players because, at this point, being concerned about themselves will lead to a lot better results then trying to look ahead and predict potential match ups, particularly when the so called feared matcup is one they swept this season.

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