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Praise is coming from every angle following the Boston Celtics mauling off the Miami Heat in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 19.
The Celtics, who had fallen to defeat in game one on May 17 due to their own mistakes and a subpar third quarter, found a way to even the series in the very next game, and after defeating the Heat in such a convincing manner, are now expected to progress to the NBA Finals with ease.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Herd, Colin Cowherd was the latest big name to throw his support behind the Celtics and claimed that the Heat aren’t at the required level to defeat Ime Udoka’s team in a seven-game series.
“I don’t see it. Unless Jimmy Butler wears a cape and is Superman, I don’t think Miami can win another game in the series. I don’t. So far, Butler has scored 70 points in the series. The rest of the starters combined, two of them undrafted, have scored 74 points. Boston’s got better talent, better shot creators, and far more elite defenders. At one point, the Celtics went on a 17-nothing run in a playoff game on the road. That’s hard to do,” Cowherd said.
The media personality then continued to explain his stance regarding the Celtics and why he doesn’t believe Miami has enough in the tank to defeat them, “I also think Boston’s big three of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart. They’re smart guys. They’ve been in this league for now, four and five years; they get it. They have to win this series. Nobody thinks Miami is great.”
Jimmy Butler Was ‘Embarrassed’ by Celtics’ Defeat
Part of what makes the Miami Heat such a top-tier organization is that everyone holds themself accountable in defeat, and they’re always looking for ways to improve their fortunes. Since joining Miami, Jimmy Butler has become the leading voice and can be relied upon to set the tone for their team, much like Marcus Smart does for the Celtics.
So, after Boston won game two in convincing fashion, it was no surprise that Butler wasn’t best pleased. Speaking to the media after the game, the Heat’s star wing told the press he was embarrassed by the manner in which they lost the game.
“They whipped our tail on our home floor. I don’t see us doing that again…You do got to move on, but I don’t like to move on from this because it has to hurt. They tried to embarrass us. They did embarrass us. We gotta realize that, use it as fuel,” Butler said.
Stephen Jackson Expects Boston to ‘Win in Six’
As a former NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, Stephen Jackson knows what it takes to win the biggest prize in basketball. During a recent episode of The Undisputed, Jackson explained why he believes the Celtics will only lose one more game this series – if they lose at all.
“If Boston makes shots, it’s clear they win this series. And if anybody is expecting Jimmy Butler to get you 40 a night, you haven’t been watching basketball very long. Jimmy will get you 35, get you 25, will make plays, and will be the most well-rounded player on the court. But, his team is still limited.
Boston has the deeper team, they have the Defensive Player of the Year, they have the two best scorers in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, and Miami just doesn’t have enough,” Jackson said.
Of course, health is always a swing factor in the post-season, as one injury to an important rotation player can quickly swing a series in the opposite direction. Hopefully, we’re going to see Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker return to Miami’s rotation while Rob Williams stays healthy and Derrick White rejoins the team following the birth of his child. Still, if both teams remain whole, then it looks like nobody is giving the Miami Heat a chance.
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