If we’re being honest, I think most Celtics fans were a little disappointed and underwhelmed when the NBA schedule came out, and we saw that the team’s Christmas Day matchup was a 2:30 tilt with the Heat. Sure, the Celtics and Heat have had plenty of big games and bad blood over the last decade, but a lot of the key players on both sides are gone, and things have really cooled off in the last few years.
But that should change again after this offseason. Boston and Miami were the two teams most closely rumored to be chasing a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. The interest on Boston’s side didn’t seem that real for a while, but they very clearly put Jaylen Brown plus draft capital on the table and made a real push to pair the Greek Freak with Jayson Tatum.
The Heat, obviously, were much more out in the open with their pursuit, ultimately putting almost everything they had on the table and landing the big star by giving up a haul of draft picks and young players.
Not only did Miami beat out Boston for Giannis, but the move also proved to be the beginning of the end for Brown’s time as a Celtic. Following the trade, Brad Stevens essentially opened up the Jaylen sweepstakes, shopping him around the league until he found the deal with the Sixers, and the rest is history.
Giannis adds fuel to renewed Heat-Celtics feud
So, add this new wrinkle to the Heat-Celtics rivalry, and with Giannis in town, they should be much more relevant than they have been in a long time. Maybe not title contenders, but they have a legitimate superstar and top-five player for the first time since LeBron James left back in 2014.
And Giannis is already talking the talk and appears motivated to get the Heat back into the conversation. In a recent interview, he talked about how he’s ready to prove he’s still one of the best and that the Heat are back.
“This season I will dominate. The things I want to prove are that I’m one of the best players in the NBA. To the fans, I want to say, we’re bringing back the Heat. My new season mindset is winning. When the opportunity comes, I will dominate. Miami, get ready for an exciting season”
Then, he was specifically asked about the Christmas Day game and gave the Celtics a bit of early bulletin board material.
Giannis: "I'm going to get a win" over Celtics on Christmas
“There’s nothing better than a little kid opening his gift and then turning on the TV watching NBA games. I’m excited for that and gonna put on a show. I’m going to get a win too.”
Antetokounmpo is just yapping here and having fun with an offseason interview, but he’s also guaranteeing a victory over the Celtics on Christmas. If I know Joe Mazzulla, he’s going to have this one in the back of his mind and will surely have this quote pinned to the wall ahead of their December 25th matchup.
The Celtics shouldn’t need any extra motivation after being snubbed from the Christmas slate last year, but every little thing helps, and if Mazzulla can find even the slightest edge, he’s going to take it. There’s already some bad blood between the teams and some of the players, and with Giannis calling his shot months in advance, that just adds fuel to the fire.
This season, the Celtics have a lot to prove and a lot of revenge to extract. Everyone is focused on the rivalry with the Sixers, and rightfully so, but let’s not forget the hated team from South Beach and the whole Giannis mess that started this whole crazy offseason.
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