NBA Playoffs 2012: What the Boston Celtics Must Do to Beat the Miami Heat

Both having endured hard-fought battles in their respective Eastern Conference Semifinals series, the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat are meeting once again in the playoffs.

Last year, the Heat bounced the Celtics in five games in the second round. This time, the two teams will be meeting to decide which will represent the East in the NBA Finals.

Most people—fans and media pundits alike—have already written off Boston, claiming that it has no chance against the younger and more athletic Miami squad. However, while the Heat may have the physical edge, there are several key factors that could swing the series in the Celtics favor. At the same time, though, there some aspects that can hurt Boston, as well.

Let's go over each of these factors for the C's.

1. Injuries

For the second consecutive year, Boston will be playing as a banged up team. Last year, Shaquille O'Neal had a bad Achilles, and Rajon Rondo had his elbow gruesomely dislocated in Game 3—a moment I am sure we all vividly remember.

This time around, Avery Bradley is out after undergoing surgery on both shoulders, Paul Pierce is still gimpy on that sprained MCL and Ray Allen looks 10 years older due to the bone spurs in his right ankle.

The Celtics aren't the only team in this series dealing with injuries, though. There is still no exact timetable on Chris Bosh's return, as he has been out with a strained abdominal muscle. He may come back later in the series, or he may not return at all. That is obviously huge for both teams, and I'll get into that later.

It's unfortunate that these two squads will not be playing each other at full strength, but that is the nature of the sport.

2. Kevin Garnett and Rondo Could Dominate This Series

I don't think I'd be breaking any news by saying that the Heat have no answer for Rondo. He is an impossible cover for Mario Chalmers, and I don't care how much everyone talks about the fact that LeBron James can defend almost any player in the league—he cannot defend Rondo. Rondo is just too quick, and his quickness would open up things for Pierce.

The same goes for Garnett.

K.G. generally abuses the Heat's frontcourt even when Bosh is in the lineup, but without Bosh, Garnett may end up having a field day. He will see a steady dose of Joel Anthony, Udonis Haslem and Ronny Turiaf, so it would not be the least bit surprising to see Garnett have his way in this series.

Also, keep in mind that with Bosh out, K.G. can now roam a bit defensively and make life more difficult for James and Dwyane Wade when they attempt to get to the basket. Having Bosh off the floor essentially eliminates the bailout for LeBron and Wade, as they like to kick the ball back out to their sharp-shooting big man when the defense collapses.

If the Celtics are going to win this series, they are going to need to continuously exploit these mismatches.

That means isolating Garnett in the post and letting him go to work. That also means Rondo being aggressive and keeping Miami's defense back on its heels. Everyone likes to say that Boston wants to slow the pace, but while that may be true in some circumstances, I think the C's are at their best when Rondo can get out and run in the open court.

3. Allen May Have Built Up Some Confidence

After starting 0-for-5 from three-point range in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers, Allen drained two colossal treys in the fourth quarter, just two of the seemingly thousands of clutch threes he has hit over the course of his illustrious career.

Even though Allen is clearly not 100 percent, those two shots may have gone a long way to getting his confidence back. I can't remember the last time this postseason he hit back-to-back threes. That could end up paying huge dividends against the Heat, and, trust me, Boston is going to need Allen to score against Miami.

If he can get going, it will completely change the complexion of this series.

4. Bradley's Absence Will Hurt

Bradley became Boston's Wade-stopper this season, severely limiting Wade this year when he faced off against the All-Star guard.

Now, with Bradley out, Boston has to search for a defensive answer to the explosive scorer.

Given Allen's health, there is no way he can keep up with Wade over the course of the series, and that means bench players like Mickael Pietrus or Marquis Daniels are going to have to step up and provide what could end up being some of the biggest defensive stops in this series.

Both Pietrus and Daniels are capable defenders, but Wade is a different animal when he is feeling it. At least one of those two (probably Pietrus) is going to have to bring their A game in this series, and they could ultimately be the X-factor in determining how tough the C's play the Heat. If they can at least inhibit Wade, Boston has a great chance.

It's not as if Miami has many other scoring options outside of Wade and James.

5. The Celtics Won't Be Playing Down to Their Competition

Ever since the Big Three was established in 2007, Boston developed the nasty habit of letting inferior teams drag out playoff series. For example, in the Big Three's first year together, the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers took the Celtics to seven games. Of course, the C's would go on to win the title that year, but neither the Hawks nor the Cavaliers had any business stretching either series that far. But, they did.

Then, this year, Boston could not close out Atlanta when it had a 3-1 series lead, and had to finish the Hawks off in a nail-biter of a Game 6 at home. Following that, the C's allowed the 76ers to push them to the limit in the semifinals before eliminating Philly in Game 7 in Boston.

For some reason, though, the Celtics level of play completely changes when they play a team they know is more than capable of beating them. I guess you can call it human nature, but Boston always plays better when it feels legitimately threatened.

You can obviously count the Heat as a legitimate threat.

I expect the C's to play inspired ball in this series, if for no other reason than this last factor.

6. The Last Hurrah

We have been over this countless times, but barring any unforeseen circumstances in the offseason, this postseason is the last time we will be seeing Garnett, Pierce, and Allen wearing the same uniform.

They know the stakes, and you can bet that they are going to leave every ounce of themselves on the floor in this series.

The fact that the Celtics are playing Miami in the conference finals is extremely fitting. Either they lose the series and fully pass the torch to the Heat for Eastern Conference supremacy or they upset them and provide basketball with a feel-good story—the wily veterans who move on to their third NBA Finals in five years.

Conclusion

This is going to be a good series. Regardless of the fact that Miami may be the more spry (and more well-rested) group, Boston is not just going to lie down. The C's will make this a very competitive series, and it would not surprise me to see them beat the Heat.

I am not saying that I expect it, but I am not gasping at the possibility.