The Miami Heat enjoys a great start into the tie, and they already have a 2-0 lead. If the Heat manages to celebrate a victory in Game 3 as well, they would be just one step away from the Grand Finals. On the other hand, this is a must-win game for the Celtics, and we will see if they are capable of coming back into the series.
Miami Heat – Can they pick up where they left off?
The Heat showed an outstanding level of energy in both matches, and they deservedly have a 2-0 lead. Although they didn’t open well either of the games, Miami managed to step up when it mattered the most, they never gave up, and eventually, it paid off immensely. Game 1 went overtime thanks to an excellent last quarter in which the Heat managed to catch up on the 12-point advantage of their rivals. We haven’t seen so much drama in Game 2, but again, the Celtics had a half-time advantage, but Miami had a strong response in the third quarter.
Jimmy Butler was the one who smelled the blood in the water and had the most significant impact on both victories of his team. Besides him, Dragic and Robinson made an immense contribution as well. Dragic has kept Walker while scoring 27 points on average in the series. Robinson got into early trouble due to personal fouls in Game 1, but in the following one, he scored six times behind the arc, with a 50% shooting. His shots are lightning-fast, and it is tough for the opponent to defend that.
The Heat is full of confidence, and they know that the next victory would bring them very close to the finals. Can they handle that pressure and celebrate for the third time in a row against the Celtics in this tie?
Expected Line-Up: Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Jae Crowder, Goran Dragic, Duncan Robinson
with best odds
Boston Celtics – They need to be focused during the entire match
After Game 2’s collapse, the Celtic’ locker room was on fire. Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown had a shouting match against their teammates, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The frustration among Celtics’ players is reasonable and understandable on one hand since they were dominant at the start of both games. They simply couldn’t keep up the passion in the second half and control the match, while the opponents took advantage of their concentration drop. The Celtics are clearly aware that they easily could have been the ones with a 2-0 lead. However, that is not the case, they missed their opportunities, and now Boston treats this game as a must-win match.
Gordon Hayward could play in Game 3, and that would be a significant boost for the Celtics since he would bring ball handling, spacing, and shooting to the game. That is something the Celtics needed in the previous two. It is fascinating that Boston had so many turnovers that the Heat converted into quick points. When we see that the Celtics turned the ball over 21.5% of their possessions, it isn’t surprising that they are 2-0 down. They need to limit their turnovers and return to the regular-season rate when they were the sixth-best team in the league. If the Celtics can do that and remain focused during the entire course of the game, they could win this one and get back in the tie.
Expected Line-Up: Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Daniel Theis, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown
