1/30/2024 0 Comments Time out boston![]() The winner of the Heat-Celtics series will meet the winner of the Western Conference finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets. “I think where the game lies for us, for them, is who is going to out-tough.” That’s an extremely well-coached team over there. “I think he’s proven that time and again once he gets to the playoffs. “Jimmy’s one of the best players in the world,” Brogdon said. The Celtics are well aware of the level Butler has played this postseason. ![]() In addition, the Celtics did not have Al Horford and Robert Williams, their starting power rotation the last two games against the 76ers, available together for any of the four games against the Heat. Butler missed two of the regular-season games and Love did not join the Heat until the four matchups were completed. The series likely will take on a different look than the regular-season meetings. The Heat, however, are without guard Tyler Herro, due to a broken hand suffered in the first half of the first game of their playoff opener, and guard Victor Oladipo, who is out following a knee injury in the Heat’s third game of the first round. The only player on their injury report is forward Danilo Gallinari, who has been sidelined by a knee injury before joining the Celtics in the offseason in a salary-cap move. Since the teams met in last year’s playoff matchup, the Heat have added Kevin Love and Cody Zeller, among others. In the interim, the Celtics added Malcolm Brogdon, Blake Griffin and Mike Muscala, among others, with Joe Mazzulla replacing Ime Udoka as coach. The Heat went 2-2 this season against the Celtics, with revised mixes for both teams since Boston eliminated the Heat in last season’s East finals. The Heat advanced to the East finals by defeating the Knicks 4-2, closing out that series with a 96-92 victory Friday at Kaseya Center, giving them four days off before opening the series against the Celtics. That was followed by a postseason hiatus until Butler joined the Heat in the 2019 offseason, with three matchups following in Butler’s four Heat seasons. With their Big Three, the Heat then defeated the Celtics 4-1 in the 2011 East semifinals and 4-3 in the 2012 East finals. After the Celtics eliminated the Heat 4-1 in the 2010 opening round, the Heat responded by adding LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade. The teams have a rich playoff history over the past two decades. “If anything,” he said of the Heat, “atone for last year.” “I don’t think Miami’s thinking about last year.”īut he also appreciated potential such Heat motivation. “Nothing about last year matters,” he said.
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