Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat: 3 big questions and a prediction

Which defense will prove to be the toughest in this series? 

Playing exceptional team defense is something these two teams know a lot about. Both teams finished top five in team defensive rating for the 2022 season, Boston at number two and Miami at number five. Offense wins games, and defense wins Championships.

The best defensive team in the playoffs from both conferences are the Boston Celtics, with a 106.1 rating for the 2022 playoffs. There are many reasons for this. Boston has the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) in Marcus Smart. His effort level is unmatched by any other player. Any coach would be lucky to have Smart play for him; he does everything right and will do anything to win.

Smart is not a one-man show, however. Four players including smart average at least 1.0 steals per game in the playoffs. Three players average at least 1.0 blocks per game. Stats are impressive, but watching the Celtics play defense is more impressive.

Don’t sleep on the Heat’s defense just because Boston is dominant on that end. Miami was the top seed in the East for a reason this year. The Heat do not have as many flashy defensive stats as the Celtics do, but their team is loaded with unselfish players willing to do anything for a win.

The top dog for Miami is Jimmy Butler. He is an anchor on both offense and defense, averaging 28.7 points and 2.1 steals per game. Miami’s starting five is a defensive nightmare for other teams. Kyle Lowry, Max Struss, Jimmy Butler, PJ Tucker, and Bam Adebayo; that is not a starting five that you just forget about.

Butler and the Heat are not afraid of a challenge, which they certainly will be getting with Boston’s offense.