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The Miami Heat will square off against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals, which promises to be a cracker. Both teams are incredible on both ends of the floor, which means the series will most likely be won by the team that does the little things many overlook.
Both teams have had incredible runs in the 2022 NBA playoffs so far, defeating formidable opponents to reach this stage.
In the first round, the Miami Heat gave up only one game against the Atlanta Hawks, closing out the series in five games. Although the Philadelphia 76ers tied the series 2-2 after Game 4, they looked out of their wits as the Heat cruised to a 4-2 series victory.
Boston has had the tougher matchups in the playoffs so far, having to go through the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks. They surprisingly swept the Nets while forcing and winning Game 7 against the Milwaukee Bucks despite going 3-2 down in the series.
The conference finals promise to be intriguing, as we will witness the first and second-placed teams in the East go at each other to become the Eastern Conference champions.
#3 Bam Adebayo vs Al Horford
Both teams can score at a high clip, which suggests that the team with the best defense will win this series, and that is where Bam Adebayo and Al Horford come in.
Horford was outstanding against Giannis Antetokounmpo, always making sure he was in front of him and putting his body on the line. While he was not a huge contributor on the score sheet, he stepped up when necessary, knocking down big shots and attacking the rim.
Bam is gradually developing to become a premier center, and was in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year. He also contributes offensively, averaging 14.6 points and 7.7 rebounds.
Although the Boston Celtics have more defensive-minded bigs in Grant Williams and Robert Williams, a lot will come down to the contributions of veteran Al and youngster Bam.
#2 Tyler Herro vs Jaylen Brown
Although it is not going to be up to Tyler Herro or Jaylen Brown to decide the series, they are arguably the second-best players on each team, and their contributions will go a long way in deciding the victors. On nights where the top players struggle, their production will make the difference.
Herro has had a spectacular season, deservedly winning the Sixth Man of the Year award. He is the Miami Heat's second-highest scorer (13.8 points) despite coming off the bench.
However, it is worth noting that he has struggled from beyond the arc in the playoffs, averaging only 27.3 points on 5.0 attempts.
Brown missed the playoffs last year and has come back with a vengeance. He is providing much-needed help for Tatum on the offensive end, averaging 22.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.
The former All-Star has shown that he can step up on nights when Tatum is not having the best game. He showed it in the matchup against the Bucks, registering 25 points in Game 2 against the Bucks on 9-of-10 shooting from the field.
#1 Jayson Tatum vs Jimmy Butler
The Jayson Tatum-Jimmy Butler matchup is undoubtedly the most important in this series. Whoever performs better between the two will place their team in a unique position to clinch the Eastern Conference title.
Butler has been on a tear this postseason, a notable difference from his 2021 playoff performance which saw the Heat get swept by the Bucks in the first round. He has lived up to his name "Jimmy Buckets" this year, averaging 28.7 points.
On the defensive end, he has also put in work, averaging the highest number of steals (2.1) in the postseason.
Tatum has been almost as effective scoring the basket, averaging 28.3 points and providing 6.1 assists. He has been the difference-maker for the Boston Celtics on the offensive end, especially in clutch situations.
While their scoring will go a long way in deciding who wins this Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics series, it will be up to the other guys to strike the defining blow,
