NBA Playoff Schedule 2011: Which Team Are the Miami Heat Dreading the Most?

The Miami Heat had enough of a shaky start to have avid sports fans doubting them the entire way to the playoffs. Now, that they have silenced most criticism by making it to the postseason as the 2-seed in the Eastern Conference, who gives LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh the shakes when they go to sleep at night?

Which team has the greatest probability of upsetting Miami on their journey to the Finals?

You may not believe what I am about to say or want to hear it, but the Boston Celtics are standing at the front of that line. Their last meeting was rough for Boston to say the least. A team that holds their opponents to 91.1 points per game allowed 100 points by a team they had beaten in their first three meetings of the season.

There were no stars on the court that night. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen all left their athleticism in the locker room and brought their age out as the main display.

The Celtics appeared slow and inadequate in fields that we have seen them excel in. Dwyane Wade’s pressure on defensive was unexpected because the rest of his games against the Clovermen had been mediocre at best.

However, players and their staff anticipate the best performance from every team they meet. The fact is true especially with the Celtics because even with their shortcomings they are still considered the biggest feat in the East.

With all of that said, I do not look for Boston to compete against Miami anything like the game we saw Sunday April 10.

This is the time where you play hard or throw your entire season down the drain, and after making a huge move like Kendrik Perkins in the regular season, Boston is looking to prove that even with a shaken foundation, they can still succeed.

I am not putting the Boston Celtics in the same boat as the Los Angeles Lakers even though both teams are reeling from injuries to their big men whose presence could make or break a series.

They cannot turn it on or off whenever they deem it necessary, especially after they have lost the size and the frighten factor they possessed in the low post. However, the postseason is the time where the greatest teams shine.

No emotional baggage is brought forth, and no effort is left behind. The Celtics have been prime examples of players leaving everything on the floor when the risk/reward ratio is the highest.

Experience in the playoffs counts for a lot more than people want to believe. They have 17 championships, leading all NBA franchises, and the core that is still in place has won two conference finals in the last three years.

Rajon Rondo blossomed massively in last year’s postseason, and though his game has seemed a little unstable lately, count on him to show up when his presence is needed most. He has become the quarterback of the team, and unfortunately Miami does not have a designated driver of his caliber.

Neither Mario Chalmers nor Mike Bibby have the skill or speed to contend with Rondo one-on-one when he is at his greatest. Both can shoot the perimeter jump shot, Bibby being more dependable and accurate, but neither is able to impact a game, especially when the competition is at such a high level.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are the team’s primary passers, but it is going to be pretty hard to create offensive opportunities against such a strong defensive team. Boston will be all over the two, and if every player in South Beach does not contribute equally, they will fall quickly.

It would be interesting to see something other than a Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers rematch in the postseason, but that just may be what the doctor prescribed this time around.