Miami Heat: Was a new team rivalry born in 2017-18?

The Miami Heat broke the Boston Celtics’ 16-game winning streak last year, leaving a bit of bad blood between the two teams.

Miami Heat president Pat Riley once said he wants the team to be known as the “nastiest, hardest working, and most disliked” in the NBA.

And while it’s the Golden State Warriors that seem to have at least the last part down pat, the Heat still managed to make themselves a few enemies last season.

At first glance, it seems like the organization’s biggest competition should be the Philadelphia 76ers. And maybe it is. Between Hassan Whiteside and Joel Embiid‘s continued beef on and off the court, and Justise Winslow‘s newfound aggression that came out during their first round 2018 playoff matchup, the two ball clubs clearly have a rivalry brewing.

However, there’s nothing friendly between Miami and the Boston Celtics either.

The two teams met three times during 2017-18 regular season play, games that all pretty much came down to the wire.

Almost doesn’t count

Their first meeting was at home, on October 28, 2017, with the Heat ultimately failing short, 96-90.

It was a tight race almost all the way through, but Miami simply couldn’t hold it together in the fourth quarter, even despite Goran Dragic scoring 11 of his 22 total points in the final period. The veteran shot 9-of-15 from the field that night, alongside three rebounds and fours assists.

Josh Richardson had himself a pretty game too, totaling 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting, while fellow draft class companion Justise Winslow grabbed a whopping 12 rebounds in 23 minutes of play.

Sure, there may not have been any hardwood wrestling matches or punches thrown, but it was obvious both wanted to prove their worth. And badly.

James Johnson went hard at the rim on several occasions, without a care in the world as to who was in his way. Kelly Olynyk denied Terry Rozier hard at the rim. It was a team effort, through and through.

What streak?

By their next matchup on November 22, 2017, the Celtics came into the contest on a 16-game winning streak; something the Heat cared nothing about.

Especially Dion Waiters.

The guard scored 26 points on 11-of-24 shooting in 35 minutes, including eight points in the final three minutes, which ultimately sealed Miami’s fate.

Waiters did a little bit of everything that night… splashed deep 3’s, drove through traffic and even dunked right in Kyrie Irving‘s face.

And just like that, with the help of Dragic who provided 27 points in 30 minutes on 8-for-17 shooting, the Heat came out victorious, 104-98.

Welcome back

The third and final duel between Miami and Boston came in TD Garden, on December 20, 2017.

Which naturally signaled the return of Olynyk in the city.

He went crazy against his former team, finishing with a career-high 32 points in 37 minutes of play, shooting an amazing 12-for-15 from the field and 6-of-8 from downtown. He also grabbed seven rebounds.

He scored 14 points in the fourth quarter alone, determined to come out on top, stopping at nothing to get the job done; late in the final period, he slammed one in over Jaylen Brown, re-energizing the entirety of his team.

The 7-footer even caused Al Horford to foul out, pestering him all evening.

Tyler Johnson was also a defensive nightmare for the Celtics, grabbing 11 rebounds on the night. And ultimately, they came out winners, finishing 90-89 over Boston.

Coming up

The Heat only have 11 televised games come 2018-19, and one of them happens to be against the Celtics.

On January 10, 2019, Miami will host the men in green, and TNT will be there to capture it in all of its glory.

Things may be a little different this time around, with both Irving and Gordon Hayward returning from injury. But nevertheless, it’s safe to say guys like Waiters and Olynyk are ready to do whatever it takes, to knock Boston down all over again.

The Miami Heat were made for this.