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Post by Admin on May 15, 2022 23:41:01 GMT -5
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Post by quagmire on May 16, 2022 19:51:03 GMT -5
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Post by kdp59 on May 17, 2022 14:11:00 GMT -5
Will Smart play or be held out for game one is the big question .
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Post by cole on May 17, 2022 14:11:30 GMT -5
Will Smart play or be held out for game one is the big question . It came out a couple of hours ago no change, still questionable.
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Post by kyceltic on May 17, 2022 15:21:05 GMT -5
Will RWill start? If Smart is out, I'm assuming White starts ! I wouldn't mind a lineup of, Tatum, Brown, Gwill, RWill, and Horford! Tatum can be the primary ball handler, hell he is anyway!!
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Post by DaCeltics on May 17, 2022 16:39:01 GMT -5
Let's Go Celtics!!!
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Post by DaCeltics on May 17, 2022 17:10:58 GMT -5
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Post by Cabutan on May 17, 2022 17:13:54 GMT -5
Not good. Not good. We got Mini Al but Bam is no joke.
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2022 17:24:14 GMT -5
War on Theis will need to be ready for action ...
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Post by jdm894g on May 17, 2022 17:33:01 GMT -5
Theis, PP, and White will need to step up. Maybe they'll be a Green Kornet and Neismith sightings.
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2022 17:47:57 GMT -5
Bam vs. Boston’s Bigs
Miami’s Adebayo is the best center in the series, but a bullpen of Boston bigs could neutralize his presence.
By wjsy
Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Line up both rosters and the Celtics and Heat look eerily similar:
* Perimeter wing scorers: Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro vs. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown
* Bowling ball point guards: Kyle Lowry (and Gabe Vincent) vs. Marcus Smart
* 3-&-D power forwards: P.J. Tucker vs. Grant Williams
* Utility 6th man: Victor Oladipo vs. Derrick White
* Designated shooters: Max Strus and Duncan Robinson vs. Payton Pritchard
However, where Boston might have a slight edge is in the front court. There’s no doubt that Bam Adebayo is the best big man in the series. All biases aside, Adebayo is a force on both sides of the ball. The 24-year-old isn’t one of those unicorns of the modern NBA, but he does pretty much everything else. What he doesn’t do in shooting, he makes up for as a ball handler and playmaker. He won’t overpower opponents on the block like Joel Embiid or be a rim protector like Rudy Gobert. Adebayo’s presence is more ever-present and lurking. He’s the type of player that, if you forget he’s there, he’ll make you pay.
On offense, Adebayo is a fully formed version of Robert Williams, a dangerous lob threat in the pick-and-roll and a big who loves to pass from the nail. He’s got more of a mid-range game and an assortment of floaters and hook shots than Time Lord, but it’s one we’ll rarely see outside of the paint. The Miami center averaged 19.1 points per game in the regular season on thirteen field goal attempts a night, but that scoring production has been down in the playoffs. Through eleven games so far, he’s only taking nine shots per game and averaging about 15 points. But don’t get it twisted — he’ll be a problem and a key focus for the Celtics.
Ultimately, Adebayo is the spoke of the whirling wheel that is the Heat’s offense. He’s often the initiator at the top of the key, orchestrating Miami’s myriad of dribble hand-offs, throw-and-go’s, and back cuts. At 6’9” with a 7’1” wingspan, he’ll find shooters and cutters against Boston’s switching defense and if they leave him alone for just a split second, he’s rolling to the rim to crash the offensive boards or worse, throw down an alley-oop.
In their final regular season meeting at TD Garden, we saw Adebayo at his best with a near triple double (17 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists) in an good approximation of what he’ll look like starting tonight in the conference finals. He was rarely the primary option on offense, only the metronome that made sure everything was moving at Miami’s pace. He’s not just a solid screen setter, but an excellent passer on a Heat team stocked with shooters.
After a grueling seven-game series against the Bucks, defending Adebayo won’t be the pounding, banging crash test that covering Giannis Antetokounmpo was; “Bam” couldn’t be a less apt description of his style of play. On the other hand, it’s a more cerebral, engaging task to play in that gray area where you’re not just focusing on limiting one player. Against Miami, that could mean switching up onto shooters, tagging and helping on the roll, and rotating out to the perimeter. Keeping Adebayo in check means keeping everybody else in check.
Ironically, on the defensive side of the ball, that’s how Boston could neutralize Adebayo’s impact. Remember Bam’s block on Tatum in Game 1 of the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals? Those quick twitch reflexes make him a very effective switcher on D. However, where as Adebayo is a reluctant shooter on the perimeter, the Celtics bullpen of centers (minus Robert Williams) are more than willing to stretch the floor and shoot from range.
If they can lift Adebayo out of the paint with a stretch big, that’ll open up the floor just as it did against the Bucks. The Celtics have a number of actions that come out of their Point Flash sets where Horford and two guards and/or wings use Big Al as a decision maker, not unlike Bam and the Heat. It could be a dribble hand off to Horford with a screen for the screener or an off-ball pin down. It’s all meant to engage the opposing big and keep him above the break. Plays like that limited Brook Lopez’s rim protection and Antetokounmpo’s rover opportunities, giving Tatum and Brown driving lanes. [Admin Note: It will have to be Grant or Theis now]
And as NBA.com’s John Schumann notes, like with the Bucks’ defense and the Celtics shooting 55 threes in Game 7, three-point shooting will be front and center in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat gave up the second most threes percentage-wise in the regular season and Boston could oblige Miami like they did with Milwaukee.
We’d be remiss to not mention Grant Williams here, too. Mini Al — or “Grant Curry” — made history on Sunday afternoon taking and making more three-pointers in a Game 7 than any other player in league history. He’s also got some history with Adebayo back in their North Carolina high school days. Check out this snippet from former CelticsBlogger and The Athletic’s Jared Weiss:
Their first matchup came over Thanksgiving break, a primetime, standing-room-only tip at the 2015 Charlotte Hoops Challenge tournament. High Point was ranked 12th in the nation at that point, while Adebayo, who was then still known as Edrice instead of Bam, was the sixth-ranked recruit in the country and committed to Kentucky.
Yet the relatively unheralded Williams helped Providence Day get out to a 20-5 lead for a wire-to-wire win as he battled Adebayo and pulled off the upset. In typical fashion, Williams only had 13 points and took the brunt of the abuse under the rim, but he enabled his teammates to thrive.
“Grant was incredible,” Providence Day coach Brian Field said. “They went head-to-head and I’m sure he got dunked on a couple times, but he didn’t let it bother him and just kept going right back at Bam. That was a great win for our team and we were like, man, we got a chance to win this thing.”
Check it out. It’s a great read for us Grant stans.
Boston obviously has more bodies to throw at Adebayo, too. Robert Williams is coming off of a bone bruise, but is a full-go heading into the ECF. He’ll occupy Adebayo’s attention as a vertical threat. Daniel Theis went 6-for-6 in that March meeting and is another versatile big that he’ll have to contest with. The hope for the Celtics is while they may not have the best five-man on the court, they’ll throw enough different looks with their bullpen of bigs that will keep Adebayo busy.
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2022 18:12:18 GMT -5
Starters?
White - Brown - Tatum - Grant - Rob
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Post by fierce on May 17, 2022 18:13:39 GMT -5
It's a good thing it's Miami and not the Bucks.
Theis is capable of filling in Horford against this Heat team.
Put Grant on Bam and Theis on Tucker.
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Post by fierce on May 17, 2022 18:14:19 GMT -5
Starters? White - Brown - Tatum - Grant - Rob That's what Udoka said.
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Post by quagmire on May 17, 2022 18:26:43 GMT -5
It may be a blessing in disguise that big Al is out. His 35-year-old body may need a couple days rest to rejuvenate.
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Post by fierce on May 17, 2022 18:28:21 GMT -5
It may be a blessing in disguise that big Al is out. His 35-year-old body may need a couple days rest to rejuvenate. True. It may be shocking when you first hear the news, but yeah, a couple days rest might be good for Al.
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Post by hedleylamarr on May 17, 2022 18:47:28 GMT -5
Whoever said sweep jinxed us
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2022 18:48:49 GMT -5
Per Brian Robb: Horford has entered health and safety protocols, according to the team. It is the third time this season he has entered NBA health and safety protocols, in October during training camp and then again in December. He said in an interview with the Boston Globe back in April that he was vaccinated. Robert Williams or Daniel Theis is likely to start in Horford’s place at center. Williams has not played for Boston’s last last four playoff games due to a bone bruise in his knee. However, Udoka said Monday that Williams is feeling better and would have no restrictions during the series. Grant Williams is also expected to remain in the starting lineup at power forward as well for the matchup with Horford out. Derrick White should get the nod at point guard in Smart’s place. It would be his second start of the postseason after Smart missed Game 2 with a quad contusion.
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2022 18:54:06 GMT -5
Wojnarowski also reported the Celtics expect Horford to be out through at least Game 2, which is 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2022 19:03:32 GMT -5
3 keys to a Game 1 victory in Miami vs. Heat by Austin DeCouta
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Boston Celtics key to victory No. 1: Robert Williams’ presence
Even without Robert Williams III for the last four games of round two, the Boston Celtics were still able to hold it all together. As he continues to get back to 100%, Williams will be an important key to success in the Eastern Conference finals.
According to Ime Udoka, Williams is available against the Heat without a minute restriction. This is a big bonus for the C’s as the Timelord’s rim running ability is a huge plus.
During Miami and Boston’s last battle on March 30th, the former first-round pick was sidelined with a torn meniscus. Boston lost 106-98 at the T.D. Garden.
Bam Adebayo was effective during that matchup posting seventeen points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. The offense ran through the big man as he made it look easy without Rob’s presence in the paint.
Having Williams will make it much tougher on Bam to score in the paint and get in position to distribute from the post.
It allows Boston to have Al Horford play fewer minutes guarding Bam and banging around on the block. Although Al looks like he has not aged a minute this season, it would be beneficial for him to play more minutes at the four rather than the five.
The return of the Timelord helps Boston match up well at the rim on both ends of the floor.
(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics key to victory No. 2: Get Jaylen Brown going early
Jaylen Brown has been nothing short of great this postseason for the Boston Celtics. During the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cs may need him to be stellar.
Some of Brown’s best games have come when he gets off to a quick start in the first few minutes. Oftentimes, #7 ends the opening 12 minutes with double-digit points.
Game 7 may have been the “Grant Williams” game but Brown was nothing short of great in his own right. He dropped 19 points while shooting 50% from the floor. He was also a +15 on the night.
If the Celtics can get Brown going in the first, it could ease the pressure on Jayson Tatum.
It has been documented this postseason that role players like Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard have better games at home rather than on the road. A good start by the 2016 first-round pick would relieve Grant or Pritchard from having to shoulder a large load like the previous game.
Brown’s last outing against the healthy Heat came on March 30th, where he posted 28 points, on a less than impressive 9/29 shooting night. A positive from that game was his 5/9 mark from downtown.
Brown is a superstar just like Tatum, and if he can get going early on, he could put the C’s ahead and the league on notice.
(Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics key to victory No. 3: Keep Jimmy Butler in check
Jimmy Butler is truly one of the most underrated players in the NBA. Since the Heat’s Finals appearance back in the bubble, the former Bull’s first-round pick has finally gotten the respect he deserves. Apparently, the 76ers missed that memo as they were unable to stop the man they once employed.
While Butler is nowhere near as dominant as Giannis Antetokounmpo, he is still a superstar. Butler is capable of dropping 30 on any given night, evident by the fact that he has five 30-point games in 10 playoff battles in 2022.
In order for the Cs to slow Butler, it will take a team effort. He’s not a guy Boston needs to triple-team or even double every time as they did to Antetokounmpo. However, Butler commands a defensive game plan to be centered around stopping him.
It will be interesting to see how Ime Udoka plans around the former Timberwolves forward. How many possessions will the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart guard Butler?
Or, perhaps, Udoka will throw the ‘Jays’ on Butler and see if the two-way stars can lock down one of the best in the association.
Only time will tell how the former Spurs assistant gameplans to stop Butler. Whatever the plan may be, it will undoubtedly be centered around stopping the six-time All-Star.
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Post by fierce on May 17, 2022 19:05:20 GMT -5
Whoever said sweep jinxed us I didn't see anyone here who predicted a sweep.
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2022 19:06:32 GMT -5
Re: Oladipo
So far into the playoffs, he has consistently been looking to tack on some extra digits to his next annual salary number with his brand of production, and, heading into this Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the Boston Celtics, he’ll continue to try and elevate his game to help aid in the efforts to achieve both his personal as well as his team’s goals. An individual who, just two years ago, was viewed as a legitimate franchise-caliber player, Oladipo has certainly shown flashes of his old self throughout the playoffs, seeing a 23-point and three-steal performance on 50 percent shooting from deep during his lone start and overall averages of 12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and almost half a block per game since closing out the Atlanta Hawks in Game 5 of the first round.
hardwoodhoudini.com/2022/05/17/role-miami-trouble-boston-celtics/3/
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2022 19:09:12 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2022 19:11:10 GMT -5
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Post by hedleylamarr on May 17, 2022 19:13:18 GMT -5
Whoever said sweep jinxed us I didn't see anyone here who predicted a sweep. Sure E: .... and what exactly does my tagline say? (HINT: Cs in 4 over Heat maybe!) And don't use your doggone cell phone either! Pud
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