We’re back here again. Another Game 7. After defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round, confidence is high that the Boston Celtics can replicate their success against the Miami Heat at FTX Arena.
In Game 6, we saw what Miami is capable of when their backs are up against the wall, as Jimmy Butler channeled his inner LeBron James to lead his team to victory. Now, both teams face a do-or-die battle to progress to The NBA Finals and be crowned Eastern Conference champions, so what do the Celtics need to do to ensure they’re the ones who progress to The Finals and face the Golden State Warriors? Here are three keys to Sunday’s game:
Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
Take care of the rock
It seems so simple, right? Stop turning the ball over! But in reality, the Heat are an aggressive team on the defensive end: they jump passing lanes, trap early and often, and consistently alter their pick-up points to break any offensive rhythm. Sill, Miami’s half-court offense is appalling at times, and Boston’s key focus should be on limiting their transition opportunities and forcing them to figure things out against a set defense.
Kyle Lowry isn’t the offensive initiator he once was, and Tyler Herro (if he plays) will be nowhere near full strength. That leaves Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler as the Heat’s only playmaking threats, and let’s be honest, against the Celtics’ defense, that shouldn’t be enough to consistently cause an issue.
However, the Celtics are averaging 14.8 turnovers per game, and against a Heat team that thrives in the open court, that’s unacceptable and more importantly, unsustainable. Making the right read, and finding open passing lanes will be integral for the Celtics’ chances of success on Sunday night, and it starts with ensuring the ball is in the right hands on each possession, which means limiting Jaylen…
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