ASK IRA: Are the Celtics not who they think they are?
Did the Boston Celtics get ahead of themselves when it came to measuring the Miami Heat in this NBA playoff series?
Q: The Celtics have had one of the lowest-adversity seasons you can imagine: no injuries, threes fell all season, lots of easy wins. Sometimes a cushy ride like that is not the best way to prepare for the playoffs. We shall see how they respond now. – Mark.
A: On one hand, you don’t want to poke the bear. And the Celtics were a ravenous bear during one of the best regular seasons in league history. On the other hand, they certainly also have come off as a bit too cocksure for a team that hasn’t won anything with this core, arguably has done less with that core over the last five seasons than the Heat with their core. If the Celtics are who they think they are, they run roughshod over a Heat team lacking Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier. Now there is a seed of doubt. And that doubt figures to grow with every 3-pointer the Heat convert in Saturday’s Game 3. But the history of this series also is that homecourt counts for little. So I wouldn’t necessarily sell quite yet on the Celtics’ chances. But I also would never sell short an Erik Spoelstra coached team.
Q: What a difference a day makes. Yesterday I was thinking-how much Marlins baseball can I tolerate? Tonight I’m thinking-maybe we get Jimmy Butler back with fresh legs for the conference finals. – Ray, Deerfield Beach.
A: One thing with the Heat is they certainly can get you riding the wave, whether it was the 3-point role reversal in the first two games of this series, or last season’s Eastern Conference finals from 3-0 to 3-3 to the Game 7 victory in Boston. The shame this time around is the Heat not being whole, not knowing what this matchup would be or could be with Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier.
Q: Where are all the “blow it all up,” “don’t stand a chance,” “gonna get swept” naysayers now? – Bernardo, Fort Lauderdale.
A: Probably waiting, in their view, for a Game 3 “told you so” on Saturday night at Kaseya Center. In many ways, the way that the Heat won Game 2 was built as a potential one-off. Now, after a regular-season of homecourt futility against the league’s elite, is when a statement could be made. Take it back to Boston 2-2 and it could turn Beantown into sphincter city.