Eastern Conference Finals: Celtics vs Heat rivalry, key players and storylines

The highly-anticipated Eastern Conference Finals will begin on Tuesday, 6:30 pm EST (Wednesday, 4:00 am IST) as the No. 5 seed Miami Heat will square off against the No. 3 seed Boston Celtics. This will mark the fourth time the Celtics and the Heat meet in the Eastern Conference Finals. This is the first occasion in NBA history that no top seed has reached the ECF, as the Milwaukee Bucks (4-1 series) and Toronto Raptors (4-3 series) were knocked out in the earlier round of the playoffs. 

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Celtics vs Heat head to head and rivalry leading up to the Eastern Conference Finals

The Celtics and Heat clashed in the playoffs three seasons in succession (2010 to 2012). Their last series was the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, where LeBron James forced a Game 7 against the Celtics and won Miami the championship. While the Heat missed their playoffs last year, Jimmy Butler has propelled the team to the finals this time, with Miami pulling off an impressive 4-1 win against the No. 1 seeded Bucks during the Conference Semifinals. This will be the first time since the 2013-14 season that the Heat will play the Conference Finals. On the other hand, the Jayson Tatum-led Celtics, who are familiar faces in the playoffs, will play the ECF for the third time in four seasons. Tatum, Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown will look to push Boston to the finals, with a view to extending the franchise's record to 17 NBA championships. 

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Celtics vs Heat storyline

While the Celtics could have used Gordon Hayward in their lineup for Game 1, the forward has been sidelined due to his sprained ankle. However, Hayward is likely to return for the rest of the series, giving the Celtics a much-required edge over the Heat and Butler. Apart from Butler, young NBA stars like Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro have been supporting the Heat's defence and offence both, while traded players like Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder have helped balance the team's attack. With a balanced group of players, the Heat could secure the Celtics' perimeter attack led by Tatum, Walker and Brown. 

Also read | Celtics' young core heads back to Eastern Conference finals, once again: Celtics vs Heat head to head

Celtics vs Heat key players

Butler stands at the centre of the Heat's game with his reliable defence and developed offence. The five-time NBA All-Star has led the team to the postseason during his first campaign with them, averaging a team-high 21.1 points during the playoffs. While Nunn, Herro and Robinson have helped the Heat, Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic have come alive during the postseason. Dragic has scored consistently during the playoffs and was key in the Heat's win against the Bucks. 

Tatum, who started his NBA career in 2018, is leading the team with 25.3 points per game in the playoffs and will play the Eastern Conference Finals as an NBA All-Star. Walker, who landed with the Celtics after eight seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, will play his first Conference Finals. With the Hornets, Walker never won a playoff series. Brown too, is a key offensive player for Boston, along with Marcus Smart. 

Celtics vs Heat predictions – Celtics advance to the NBA Finals after a seven-game series

With both teams excelling defensively, the series could extend to a Game 7. Game 1 will not decide the entire series but the Celtics roster boasts more postseason experience. To win, the Heat might have to figure out a way to defend the Celtics' perimeter attack and will need Herro and Robinson scoring consistently while Butler and Dragic will need to come up with big numbers. The Celtics might have a slight edge over the Heat but it won't be easy to penetrate a defence crafted by head coach Erik Spoelstra. The fact that Miami ranked 12th in defensive efficiency in the regular season though, does not quite spell out a dominant defence. 

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(Image credits: Boston Celtics Instagram, AP)