How The Celtics Can Beat The Heat

How Can the Celtics Beat the Heat? 

I'm tempted to say that if the C's simply get back to playing Celtic Basketball, like they did early in the season . . . oh, yeah, I almost forgot, that was a different team.
 

How the Celtics Can Beat the Heat, my friend, Cavaliersfan, titled his thread on the BDC Front Burner Forum.  Many drastic solutions were proffered, and they say that drastic times call for drastic solutions, but somehow, I don’t think that is the case here, with the Celtics.

The total domination in Miami was an anomaly, I think, and we will see better basketball from our Celtics come Saturday night.

And therein lies the problem.  We haven't seen much Celtic Basketball  of that quality since the trade.  OK, they looked pretty good in the last two games against NY, but was that an anomaly?

Better, Harder, Smarter.

It's pretty obvious the Celtics have played badly against Miami, especially Game 2.  They can probably beat the Heat by playing better, harder, and smarter.  Does this call for drastic changes in the Celtic approach?  I think not.

How about, for instance, the Celtics stop missing bunnies, layups, and put-backs from 1 -2 ft. from the hoop.  That would be a nice start.

How about setting effective screens for Ray and Paul so they can get some decent looks and also make Wade and James play some D for a change.

Can Big Baby resist shooting every time he gets the ball?  Can Davis finish at the hoop, maybe 50% of the time, please, can he put an man on his back and rebound instead of getting out jumped?  Can Kristic get some minutes and play effectively. I think the answer is "yes" to some of those questions, "no" to others.

How about protecting the rock?  Each turnover is like an automatic two points for the Heat.  Some turnovers are inevitable against a good defense, but double-digit turnovers will cost the Celtics the game.  Please, no careless turnovers, like dribbling off your legs or feet, no getting caught mid-air without knowing where to go with the ball, no telegraphing passes like a grade-schooler.

Keep the turnovers in single digits, and the Celtics can win.  Avoid late-game turnovers completely.

Match Miami's intensity with intensity.

How about putting some Celtic D on these Heat?  Suddenly, we're giving up uncontested 3-pointers, 2nd chance points on offensive rebounds, and letting players glide to the hoop for a layup and then fouling them for a 3-point play. How about knocking them on their butts and insuring that the ball does not find the hoop?  The Celtic's defense is predicated on Team Defense, Help Defense -- no one can guard James or Wade one-on-one -- it's all about communicating and the Help Defense.

Individual players must play up to their capability and not try to play hero ball.  Mental lapses leading to poor shots, turnovers, missed rebounds, and 2nd chance points will lose the game for the C's.

The Celtics are over-matched physically and athletically by the Heat, and against a team that is superior in these regards, little margin for error exists.

Play Celtic Basketball, guys, and you'll come away with a victory.