NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Semifinals

#2 Miami Heat vs. #3 Boston Celtics

What a treat for basketball fans around the globe! This will no doubt be the most watched conference semifinals match up of all time. It is quite possible that we will be seeing 7 future members of the Hall of Fame competing on the same court in this series. Here are some key factors at play for each team.

Miami

1. Ability to score in the half court and in late game situations

Miami has struggled in these two departments all year long....and now they get to play against the league's stingiest defense (Boston only gave up 91.1 points per game). How well is Miami going to be able to score if Boston does not allow them get out in transition? Coach Erik Spoelstra did not have to worry about this against Philadelphia, but he will against the Celtics. Team defense is a big reason why the C's have made it to two of the last three NBA Finals, and Miami has yet to show that they can beat good half-court defense on a regular basis. The Heat have also failed to get buckets when it matters most. In fact, no team was worse in the entire league at being able to deliver in crunch time. If the Heat cannot find ways to correct their offensive ineptness, they will have a hard time winning the series.

2. Chris Bosh

LeBron James and Dwayne Wade always seem to do what they do, but Chris Bosh is the guy that will have to consistently do what he is capable of doing for the Heat to move on. He is the Heat's one-and-only third scoring option. If he does not deliver, the results could be disastrous for Miami. What complicates matters is that he will have to produce against one of the best defenders in the history of the game, Kevin Garnett. KG is one of a handful that has enough length, strength, and speed to give Bosh nightmares. The way they can try to make Bosh more effective is by putting him in pick-and-pop situations. He will have to be knocking down his jump shot in order to be effective though. By doing that, Garnett will have to respect the shot fake which in turn will open up driving lanes and other scoring opportunities.

3. Defending Rajon Rondo

Rondo is the straw that stirs the drink for the Celtics. He does so many things well and can put pressure on the defense in a variety of ways. More than that, he is an unbelievably gifted playmaker and brilliant decision maker. Who will Spoelstra choose to put on him? Will the Heat lay off Rondo and dare him to shoot jumpers or will they crowd him to take away the passing angles? Rondo demonstrated how overwhelming he can be, torching the New York Knicks for 15 points, 20 assists, and 11 rebounds in game 3 of the series at Madison Square Garden. How much the Heat are able to limit Rondo's effectiveness will go a long way in determining the winner of this series. It will be fascinating to see if the Heat can implement a successful plan....

Boston

1. Taking care of the basketball

The Celtics will not, I repeat, will not win the series if they turn the ball over a lot against the Heat. There is no better team in the open court than Miami as they turn nearly every live ball turnover into two easy points on the other end. Boston can ill afford to take plays off or be complacent. Every possession will have to be treated of exceptional value. They just cannot allow any careless turnovers. This sounds like a simple concept, but it is absolutely the best way to prevent Miami from hurting you. Efficient offensive production will be a key factor for the Celtics to advance.

2. Bench play

The Boston role players are facing the undesirable challenge of trying to prevents run being made when they have to deal with the likes of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. How will Celtics' bench players Delonte West, Jeff Green, Glen Davis, and Nenad Kristic handle it? Or will Coach Doc Rivers be reluctant to give them much of a chance and thereby rely on his starters to play longer than usual minutes? The Celtics need their bench as much as anybody due to the extreme minutes logged throughout the careers of Garnett, Allen, and Pierce. Jeff Green is the most likely player to shine given the match up against the Heat. He is long, athletic, and could create significant problems for Miami on both ends of the floor. In any case, Boston will want to avoid foul trouble so they don't have to dip into the bench anymore than absolutely needed.

3. Avoiding injury

Anytime you have such a veteran team, injury has to be of concern. As long as Rondo, Garnett, Pierce, and Allen stay healthy, the Celtics have an excellent chance of moving on. They have better team chemistry and a better track record of winning meaningful games (and by meaningful I mean the only meaningful thing.....playoff games). Nothing against Erik Spoelstra, but Boston also has a big game coach. Doc Rivers has an amazing ability to get his players to produce in the most difficult of circumstances. And in late game situations there is nobody better at drawing up plays. The C's have been there, done that. Miami, meanwhile, has accomplished nothing of significance together.

Things I am wondering:

Dwayne Wade averaged just 12.8 points on 28% shooting during the 4 previous encounters this season (of which Boston won 3). Will the Celtics' defensive success continue on one of the league's top talents?

Will there be a fourth guy to step up for the Heat? If so, who will that X-factor be?

Will Ray Allen be allowed to get off shots in late-game situations? (The only reason I ask is because he seems to launch game-winners in every playoff series he plays.)

Prediction:

Seeing these teams play in the playoffs and being reminded of their strengths and weaknesses, I believe the Celtics will advance. They just have a game that is better suited for playoff basketball - not to mention championship experience. It is going to be a fun and exciting six game series. Bring it on!