Celtics vs. Heat: 5 Players Key to Boston Upset in Game 2

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals was dominated by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. The Boston Celtics will face an uphill climb to defeat the Miami Heat in the Conference Finals, especially with the injury that Ray Allen is playing through.

The Heat are firing on all cylinders currently, winning their past four games, but they can be stopped, as the Indiana Pacers showed, by winning two of the first three games during their series.

If the Celtics are to even the series tonight as the series heads back to Boston, here are five players who must perform well.

No. 5: Ray Allen, SG

The all-time three-point leader would be higher up this list if not for the injury to his right ankle, which has limited his contributions during the postseason.

In a typical series, Ray Allen could easily determine the outcome of a game with his lights-out, clutch shooting ability in the fourth quarter.

He still could be a candidate to take a late-game shot if the score is within striking distance, but his limited mobility will cause head coach Doc Rivers to sit him a bit more than usual because he is not offering much in terms of defense at the current time.

In Game 1, he was held to 1-7 shooting, including 1-4 from beyond the arc.

Allen is a true competitor, and he did not allow the injury to completely mitigate his production. He added five rebounds, five assists and two assists.

In Game 2, Allen must hit a few three-pointers in order for the Celtics to keep the game close. He also must play competent defense so that the Heat cannot simply exploit his injured ankle. 

No. 4: Brandon Bass, PF

Brandon Bass did not have an effective Game 1 as he was held to eight points on 4-11 shooting and only two rebounds.

The 6'8" power forward, however, has the frame and length to cause some havoc in the paint for the Miami Heat.

He is averaging 11.4 points and 4.9 rebounds during the postseason, and most notably, he scored 27 points on 9-13 shooting in Game 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

He could play a pivotal role if Kevin Garnett gets into foul trouble, but either way, he must contribute and perhaps add in a few blocked shots in order to establish a semblance of dominance in the low post for the Celtics.

Obviously, he is not one of their stars, but the Celtics will need unsung heros to play key roles if they are to slow down the potent attack of the Heat right now. 

No. 3: Kevin Garnett, PF

The battle-tested Kevin Garnett has never met a challenge too great to conquer.

The 6'11", 14-time All-Star has an extensive list of accolades, and his credentials would improve even more so in the event the Celtics can upset the Heat.

He was one of the lone bright spots in Game 1 as he led the Celtics in scoring with 23, but also added in 10 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block.

The Celtics have the advantage in the post with the absence of Chris Bosh, who could have caused problems for Garnett's scoring.

Rather, Garnett has a considerable advantage over Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony down low.

The Celtics will need Garnett to put up his usual double-double, but he may need to put up 30/15 in order to mitigate the LeBron and Dwyane factor.  

No. 2: Rajon Rondo, PG

Rajon Rondo is one of the best point guards in the NBA, and he has been incredible this postseason. He has averaged 15.3 points, 11.9 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals.

He has performed about as well as a facilitator can, and his Game 1 performance (16 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal) was actually a regression from his playoff average.

Once again, he must play stout. The Celtics will need him to be flawless in the half-court offense in order to limit the transition play of the Heat.

He has averaged only 2.7 turnovers per game for his career, and ball control will be key in order to force the Heat into a half-court offense.

On defense, he must create turnovers which the Heat are prone to do when opposing defenses close the passing lanes.

No. 1: Paul Pierce, SF

Paul Pierce is the single most important player for the Celtics tonight because of what he brings not only in terms of his clutch scoring ability and getting to the line, but also his defensive prowess, which has the potential to limit LeBron's effectiveness.

Pierce is another incredibly battle-tested player, and he has hit a bevy of game-winning shots in his career.

This postseason he has averaged 18.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, but most importantly 91.9 percent free throws.

The 6'7" small forward has the ability to draw fouls and connect on three-point plays which could be a key in Game 2.

He must also limit LeBron's ability to drive and force him to either defer the shot or take a difficult mid-range jumper.

Pierce will be vital to Boston's success tonight.