Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics Sunday Matchup Will Gauge Miami's Growth

Since the Heat have last played the Celtics a while back in the season, a few things have changed.

LeBron James, Miami's most important cog, has finally found his game's footing, which is properly located somewhere near Pluto.

The Heat have Mike Miller back to spread the floor on offense, while Kendrick Perkins is back for the Celtics to fortify the defense.

Chris Bosh is finding his stride as a reliable third option, although his rebounding prowess still leaves a lot to be desired.

Finally, and perhaps most influential in this upcoming matchup, the Heat's chemistry should be MUCH more in tune than it was in their previous two games (both losses for the Heat).

Key factors in the game that people should keep a close eye on:

How Will Chris Bosh Fare Against Kevin Garnett?

In the past, Garnett has dominated their individual matchup. Bosh is in the Gasol stratosphere of the world, meaning that he is more about finesse than physicality. It is a well-known fact that Garnett sets the tone for the Celtics on the defensive end on a regular basis.

Furthermore, Miami's front court is short on quality big men. If Bosh can get into an offensive flow and be a steady presence on the board, it would sway things very much in favor of the Heat.

Half-Court Offense vs. Run-and-Gun Offense

Miami will want to run in this game, while the Celtics will try to slow it down. Earlier this season, both teams played effective defense against each other, but the juggernaut confluence of Miami having no identity back then, as well as Rondo's ability to effectively cut into the paint and find the open man, killed the Heat.

The Heat will have their problems against Rondo once again in Sunday's matchup, but with Miami's new sense of identity, hopefully James' and Wade's offensive contribution will more than compensate.

Mike Miller

If his shooting touch is on, the Celtics will be forced to spread the floor on defense, which will give LeBron and Wade more room inside the paint.

Aggressiveness

As the Lakers learned after their 2008 NBA Finals exit, the Celtics don't let up, so the Heat can't take off on any possessions. If some will recall Miami's last Eastern Conference matchup against a rival, Orlando almost overcame what seemed like an insurmountable lead only because the Heat began going through the motions late in the game.

That kind of stuff simply doesn't fly with Boston. If Boston ever senses that its opponent is coasting, they will make them pay. Miami needs to sustain their focus throughout the game.

Boston Needs a STATEMENT Game

After losing against the Lakers earlier this week, the Celtics will not be looking to blow this game against Miami at home. Not only has Boston made it abundantly clear throughout the season that they are gunning for the best record in the regular season, they also don't want to start the media engine of doubters if they lose this game against Miami.

Anyone who thinks Boston hasn't been thinking ahead about this game ever since their loss to the Heat is only kidding themselves. 

All in all, it should be a close, competitive game. It should also be very telling for the Heat where they are in the season in terms of their team chemistry.

As of right now, the only two teams that NBA experts are calling the Celtics' only real threat to come out of the East are Orlando and Chicago. The Heat, despite having two of the top five best players in the league, aren't even really in the discussion.

A win on Sunday could change that.

But one thing is guaranteed: The Heat will finally get to test their mettle. And as the playoffs near, it may be the most telling game of the Heat's regular season yet.