After a Game 1 Miami Heat win that saw them defeat the Boston Celtics in the first bout of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals, there were many different opinions. One of the loudest out there was that this game wasn’t a true representation of what the series was to be.
Without Al Horford and Marcus Smart in the lineup for Boston, many said that the Miami Heat wouldn’t be able to play the same if they were there. That might not be the case for Game 2, as Al Horford is officially “available” to play, while Smart is “probable”.
How’s that impact the Miami Heat on both sides of the ball though? While a case can be made on both sides of the ball for Al Horford and his impact, something that will get its proper due in a second or so, Marcus Smart simply brings another stout defensive presence into play.
While some think that Jimmy Butler couldn’t do what he did in Game 1 against Smart, some do.
"It's harder to score on the Defensive Player of the Year fool!"
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 19, 2022
This Shaq-Chuck debate on Jimmy Butler vs. Marcus Smart got HEATED 🍿 pic.twitter.com/b25N7Zzq2l
For what it’s worth, Jimmy G Buckets has done it all postseason long, and no matter who the defender was, though none were the reigning NBA DPOY either like Smart is.
There is that.