The Miami Heat were the first team to advance to either of the NBA Playoffs Conference Finals. While Golden State was able to do so on Friday night in the West, the Miami Heat handled their business a night earlier, allowing them to go home and rest up a bit for their next opponents.
Speaking of their next potential opponents though, the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are now headed to a Game 7 deathmatch to determine who will actually move on to face the Miami Heat. Well, not that it matters though, as many have pegged the Boston/Milwaukee matchup as the pseudo-Eastern Conference Finals.
Yes, that’s dripping in sarcasm. However, you do love that they are taking each other to the brink, tiring each other out along the way, and allowing for the Miami Heat to sit back, see as much as they can, and figure out the plan of attack for either of them.
This next question is worth an ask though. Do the Miami Heat have a preference as to which team they play?
The answer is “probably not”, but that’s why we are here. Welcome to the latest AUCH Roundtable, where today, we take on who we would rather see Miami play in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Miami Heat: Bucks Or Celtics ECF Preference? – Noah Says Milwaukee Bucks
After a small scare, as Joel Embiid returned to action in the absence of Kyle Lowry, the Miami Heat proved that they are a better team than the Philadelphia 76ers. The Heat advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals and they will face the winner of the Bucks and Celtics series.
Noah’s Take (@ndeckerbuckets) – Milwaukee Bucks
Both are great teams and great rivals for the Heat to go up against. No matter who they face, this will be the toughest series for the Miami Heat, so far, in these playoffs.
As great as it would be to see another episode of the Heat-Celtics rivalry, I would prefer to see the Heat face the Milwaukee Bucks this postseason. In 2020, the Heat defeated the Bucks and ultimately advanced to the NBA Finals.
Last season, the Bucks got their revenge by sweeping the Heat and ultimately winning the championship. It is time for the tiebreaking series for this new and exciting rivalry.
In addition, it would be great to see the Heat take down the defending champs. The Bucks are led by Giannis Antetokounmpo and play excellent physical basketball.
However, the Heat actually have a great chance to beat this team and make it back to the Finals. When they were able to defeat the Bucks, they did so by building a wall in the paint to limit Giannis, while daring shooters to beat them.
Last season, that strategy did not work as well because their shooters were making shots. So far this year, Pat Connaughton has been the only consistent shooter for the Bucks.
Miami’s interior defense has drastically improved. They look like a team that is capable of limiting Giannis.
Their defense, combined with solid shooting from their deep roster, should be enough to beat the Bucks. The Heat are so close to their ultimate destination—the NBA Finals.
The next round will be the ultimate test for them, but if their play so far is any indication of how they will look in the Conference Finals, the Heat will be ready to face their opponent. Let’s hope for an exciting series!
Miami Heat: Bucks Or Celtics ECF Preference? – Will Says Boston Celtics
The Miami Heat are sitting in the Eastern Conference Finals, just waiting to see who they’ll play. It’s either the Boston Celtics or the Milwaukee Bucks.
Will’s Take (@crackseason) – Boston Celtics
Right now the series is 3-3 and if you’re Miami, you should probably hope for a Celtics victory in Game 7.
Don’t get me wrong, as you should, surely, want the smoke from either of them, either way. It’s always beautiful to send Boston home and it would be amazing to get revenge against the Bucks.
With the way Jimmy Butler is playing, you have to think that the Miami Heat can hang with anyone, so again—give us all the smoke.
There does have to be an answer to the question though and for me, it’s easily Boston.
Both Boston and Milwaukee are great teams, but I think Boston is easier to gameplan against. You know their offense.
It’s, arguably, the most predictable offense that’s left in the playoffs, in my opinion. If Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are off, there is no way they win a game and we’ve seen both go cold multiple times.
That stands, not only, in the regular season but in the postseason as well.
Yes, their defense is a problem, but we haven’t really seen it bother Miami. Boston may have won the regular-season series, but the first game was in November, the second game was in Boston with no Jimmy Butler or Kyle Lowry, and the third game Miami won in Boston.
So, we haven’t really seen a healthy Boston and Miami matchup this season, to be fair.
Now, I’m not saying that Miami is for sure to win because Boston is outstanding, but I’d rather see Jayson Tatum more than Giannis Antetokounmpo in a seven-game series. Again, you want all the smoke, regardless, because you know that whomever it is—Miami is built for this.
Miami Heat: Bucks Or Celtics ECF Preference? – Kenneth Says Boston Celtics
Let’s be fair, you can go either direction here. However, you also have to be honest with yourself.
Kenneth’s Take (@K_Said_Que) – Boston Celtics
If the ultimate goal is to win a title, then you want the path that most suits you. Let’s be clear, the Miami Heat can beat either of the two teams that may end up before them in the Eastern Conference Finals.
They shouldn’t be scared of anyone or either team. Again though, the path that seems to be the most efficient for them would run through Boston.
While both teams are tough and though Milwaukee doesn’t have their second-best player going, at the moment, in Khris Middleton, they still have that dude over there called The Greek Freak. He is a load to manage and though Boston has shown able to deal with him across six games, thus far, he’s still a different animal.
When it comes to Boston, yes, they do play really solid defense. Yes, they have beaten Miami quite a bit during this past regular season, including a massive blowout in Boston right after Bam Adebayo returned from his thumb injury absence, but they still don’t scare you.
The Miami Heat played them early in the year and then while they weren’t at full strength, missing some of their guys but when all things were equal near the end of the season in their contest against each other, where the teams were as close to the playoffs version of themselves that they would be, the Miami Heat handled their business.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford and the crew can be tough to deal with, but they are also the easier group to defend. For that reason, the answer has to be them.
Again, the Miami Heat can beat either team, while the trilogy between Milwaukee and Miami would also be epic. So, there’s that.
Either way, the Miami Heat can sit back and wait on whomever, as both teams are still trying to get where the Miami Heat are already currently at. It should be fun!