Celtics Stumble In South Beach, Heat Win East Finals Opener

Over the next few games, fans may see the bad blood between the Heat and Celtics ramp up, as well as an increase in aggressive play and more hard fouls, but Spoelstra doesn’t seem overly concerned.

For more on the Celtics, check out SB Nation Boston and CelticsBlog. For more on the Heat, head over to SB Nation Tampa Bay and Peninsula Is Mightier.

Allen hasn’t been himself throughout the playoffs. He is averaging just 9.6 points per game this postseason, and his 39 percent shooting mark would be the lowest playoff average of his career if it holds. Some time to rest could do him some good. As it now stands, Allen isn’t doing much on the floor for the Celtics.

For more on the Celtics, check out SB Nation Boston and CelticsBlog. For more on the Heat, head over to SB Nation Tampa Bay and Peninsula Is Mightier.

Midway through the second quarter of the Heat-Celtics Game 1, the refs just started calling technicals on everyone. Or everyone on the Celtics, to be exact. First on Ray Allen, then on Kevin Garnett, then on Doc Rivers.

This was so stupid.

Monday night marked the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals, and unfortunately for the Boston Celtics, it may have also marked the beginning of the end. It looked as though Boston might be able to make it competitive after closing strong in the first half, but it apparently just wasn’t meant to be.

It wasn’t the best game one that anyone is going to watch in this year’s NBA Playoffs, but the Heat’s ability to turn it on after halftime is something that should worry the Celtics’ faithful. Especially because, as SB Nation’s Peninsula Is Mightier noted, Miami seemed to find a whole ‘nother gear in the second half.

James was told about Rondo’s comments and responded thusly:

The Celtics may be hoping to take the Heat to church in Game 2 and beyond, but they didn’t really look capable of muscling around the Miami team at any point in Game 1.

Through one half, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are tied 46-46 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Immediately after the final buzzer for halftime sounded, the scoreboard in the American Airlines Arena read 50-46. But officials reviewed both a Joel Anthony putback from earlier in the half as well as a Udonis Haslem putback, and determined the ball did not leave Anthony’s hand before the 24-second shot clock ran out and that Haslem’s shot did not beat the halftime buzzer.

The Boston Celtics have three technical fouls in the first half of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. Ray Allen picked up the first one for momentarily expressing frustration about a call. Kevin Garnett kinda sorta picked up the second one for a delay of game.

Then, Doc Rivers picked up the third one for shouting “C’mon Eddie” to Ed Maloy. His reaction was kind of perfect.

All it took was one Ray Allen three-pointer for the Heat to abandon their strategy of ignoring him and defend him coming off screens like he was completely healthy. This has opened up a ton of easy shots for Greg Stiemsma, Paul Pierce and others.

Stop guarding Ray Allen like he’s the same Ray Allen he used to be. He has to hit way more threes to switch strategies.

As soon as the Celtics got Ryan Hollins off the floor for Keyon Dooling, things improved. Kevin Garnett was able to get back to guarding the basket, and Dooling has done a nice job defensively in this sequence.

I’d expect to see this lineup a lot more over the course of the series.

With Ryan Hollins in the game and LeBron James playing power forward, Kevin Garnett has been forced to defend small forward Mike Miller. That’s an odd matchup, because it pulls the Celtics’ best defensive anchor away from the hoop. Naturally, Miller already has two three-pointers early in this second quarter.

The Celtics need to figure out a solution here. Perhaps it involves not playing Ryan Hollins.

Did Bosh catch some salmon over Memorial Day?

Allen therefore popped open for three, but he missed. It’s amazing how little respect Battier is paying to him.

On the Celtics’ side, Kevin Garnett is technically guarding Shane Battier, though he’s really guarding the empty spot right around the free-throw line.

On the Heat’s side, LeBron James is still on Paul Pierce, but Shane Battier (who guarded David West against the Pacers) is on Brandon Bass, not Kevin Garnett. Garnett, so far, has had his way with Ronny Turiaf.

Either Dwyane Wade’s mother thinks her son wouldn’t recognize her, or she just really wants to get noticed on TV.

Bosh seems to be recuperating from the abdominal strain that’s caused him to miss the last two weeks, but it doesn’t sound as though the recovery is going quickly enough for him to be ready to play in Game 1 on Monday night. Bosh was able to go through a workout on Sunday afternoon, according to ESPN’s Michael Wallace, but it doesn’t sound as though that changed anything for the immediate future.

Bosh’s presence on the floor opens quite a few things up for the Heat, but if he’s unable to go, the Heat’s “small” ball lineup could also give the Celtics fits as they attempt to matchup on the defensive end.