NBA Playoffs 2011: Legacies on the Line in Celtics-Heat Matchup

The much anticipated Eastern Conference Semifinal match-up between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat carries more weight than just who will advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The legacies of the Celtics' "Big Three," Lebron James and the Heat's Big Three could potentially be rewritten after this series. Granted, when it's all said and done, all of the above will leave impressive legacies behind. But, this series could separate the good from the great, the great from the elite or the elite from the best.

The biggest legacy on the line in this series is that of the Celtic's Big Three.

In the storied history of the Celtics, 17 championships have been won. Eleven of those championships came from the Cousy-Russell era, three more came from the original Big Three of Bird, McHale and Parish and two more championships were won by the trio of Havlicek, Cowens, and JoJo White.

Obviously, we all know that the 17th and most recent championship was won by the 2008 Celtics. But looking at the list of championships, the New Big Three are the odd team out. Every other Celtics championship team has repeated at least once, or in Russell's case, 11 times.

And everyone remembers these Celtics teams because they were able to win multiple titles.

If this current Celtics team wants to be remembered as one of the great teams in Celtics history or in the history of the NBA, it is imperative that they win at least one more championship. And with the Big Three, Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal all not getting any younger, this could be their last legitimate shot at winning it all. And in order to win it all, they must complete the arduous task of beating the Heat first.

Every year they don't win it, it gets harder and so does cementing their place in Celtics history as one of the great teams.

As Michael Jordan said to Ray Allen, “One is lucky. Talk to me when you get two.”

The greatest himself said it, and his legacy was cemented as the greatest ever after he won his sixth championship. However, if you remember, early in his career, there was one team that was holding him back and keeping him from winning championships early in his career.

In his first six seasons, MJ fell to the Detroit Pistons known as the "Bad Boys" three times before finally sweeping them in his seventh season and going on to win his first championship.

The Celtics have played a similar role against Lebron James. They have eliminated him twice in the playoffs, both years where Lebron had legitimate chances of winning a title. In an attempt to break this trend and win his first championship, Lebron took his talents to South Beach this summer and teamed with All-Stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

And with the most talented team Lebron has ever had, he feels he is ready to finally defeat his rival Celtics.

After waiting nearly nine months, his chance to do that is now.

If he can win, then the Celtics will be remembered like the Pistons were for Jordan, merely a roadblock that held him back but eventually was conquered. However, if he is unable to beat the Celtics for a third year, then he will be remembered as not being able to defeat the Big Three and not even being able to beat them while in his prime, with two All-Stars on his team.

Much like David Robinson, who had to wait for Hakeem, Jordan, Barkley and Malone to all fade or retire and for help from Tim Duncan before he could finally win it all in 1999 (also, keep in mind that was the year of the lockout. If you don't count that season, then he had to wait for all those players to retire and for help from Tim Duncan in his prime before winning it all).

How we will remember the trio of the Heat at least for the time being is also on the line. I wouldn't go so far as to say their legacy is on the line because they are young. But whether or not they can win it all or not this year will surely change the way people view them for the time being.

If they do win it all, people will not be surprised, but will surely gain more respect for them.

However, if they are unable to win it all, critics will have a field day over the fact that these three All-Stars were unable to win it all. Granted, if they went on to win several titles afterwards, many would forget about their first season.

But for now, how they are viewed is on the line. Are they contenders or pretenders? If they win it all they are contenders, if they fail to do so this year, then they are pretenders until they can win a championship.

With all that in mind, this is about a lot more than just who will be playing in the next round. Both teams in this series have a lot to gain if they win, but even more to lose if they don't.

Will the Celtics be remembered as one of the great Celtic teams and beat the Heat and win a second title?  Will the Celtics be remembered as Lebron's kryptonite or can he finally beat them? And how will the Heat be remembered after their first season?

All of those questions will be answered in this series.