Boston Celtics: 3 keys to victory over the Miami Heat

2. Come out strong in the second half

During the Raptors series, it seemed like you just knew how the third quarter was going to go for the Celtics. They failed to come out strong following the break, and slow starts to the second half were a big reason why this series went the distance. In the opening game win, the Celtics scored 29 third-quarter points, in the following six games they didn’t score more than 25. But, it was the level of intensity that they came out of the locker room with that was worrying.

In that series, the opponents’ adjustments at the half had the Celtics looking like a different team at times. They were struggling to break them down and settling for low-percentage shot attempts. This isn’t something that they’ll be able to afford against the Heat, and strong starts to the second half in the upcoming series will provide them with a huge boost.

This Celtics team is so often incredibly good at moving the ball and creating their shot. Patience with this will be key while trying to get off to strong second halves. There’s no need for rushed shot attempts, it’s not going to help against a team as aware as the Heat are.

This series could very well be dominated by play on the defensive side of things. The Celtics are the best offense in the playoffs, with a 101.9 rating, and the Heat rank fourth with a 105.4 rating. The importance of the Celtics defense will remain the same, especially coming out after the break, but they need to make sure they’re able to find opportunities in the half-court as well.

This is a Heat team that has plenty of scoring, with the likes of Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro who can absolutely kill you if they get hot at a time where the Celtics are the most vulnerable. Consistent offense and defense need to appear to begin the third, this will play a pivotal role in how games pan out.