Celtics at Heat
THE STORY: This is the series that everyone wanted to see before the season started - it’s just taking place a round early. The Boston Celtics are the reigning Eastern Conference champions and the Miami Heat are the mercenary All-Stars who were designed specifically to win NBA championships. The Celtics are experienced while the Heat put more talent on the floor than any other team in the league. Both clubs dominated at times in the first round, and both showed some weaknesses. The battle begins on Sunday afternoon when Miami hosts Game 1.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE HEAT: Instead of rolling right through the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, second-seeded Miami struggled in each game and played without the sense of urgency that it will need in order to advance. The upstart 76ers were able to keep the Heat out of their transition attack by using their length on the wings and pounding the ball inside to Elton Brand. But when it came down to it, Miami was just too strong with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh filling up the box score. The end of the game was a concern throughout the regular season and cropped up again in the first round, especially when the Heat squandered a six-point lead in the final 90 seconds of Game 4.
ABOUT THE CELTICS: Third-seeded Boston swept the New York Knicks in the first round and displayed the offensive balance that makes it tough on opponents by having a different leading scorer in each game. The only NBA team to sweep its first round series, the Celtics closed out the Knicks by holding them to 34 percent shooting in Game 4. After struggling in the first two games at home, Boston turned it up at Madison Square Garden and sent New York home with ease. The full week off between games gave Shaquille O’Neal even more time to nurse a calf injury, though it is still not certain if the veteran will be able to go on Sunday.
WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Wade averaged 26.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists over the final three games of the first round for the Heat. Rajon Rondo averaged 19 points on 50 percent shooting (31-of-62) to go along with 12 assists in the opening round for the Celtics.
KEY STATISTIC: Opponents field goal percentage. For all the offensive talent on both rosters, Miami and Boston have gotten this far with strong team defense. The teams finished the regular season in a virtual tie for second place in the NBA in opponent's field goal percentage at .434.
SEASON SERIES: The Celtics took three of the four meetings in the regular season, holding Wade to 12.8 points on 28.1 percent shooting in the process. But the Heat dominated the most recent matchup, 100-77, on April 10 to jump into the No. 2 spot in the East.
LAST WORD: “Now we move on to a series that everybody will be excited about,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.