Eastern Conference Semi-Finals
(2) Miami Heat vs (3) Boston Celtics
The best and worst part of being a professional athlete is that you can only talk trash for so long before you have to prove yourself. You actually have no choice in the matter. Whether you come out with the win or loss will decide if it was all worth it in the end.
Having veteran success in the past has little to do with your performance on game day, and your past experience is all you can really hang your hat on in a win, age and injuries if you lose.
For those that have yet to prove themselves, you might find yourself hiding your face as the clock runs out on your season if chose to make bold predictions about your success. In a win, you can dish out a fresh serving of "I told you so" to the haters and media alike, but in a loss, a quote of "We need more time to gel" doesn't quite taste as good on the palette.
Fans of either team will also share the same fate as their beloved stars, swallowing their tongue in a series loss or smiling while plastering comment sections and forums with taunts of joy for weeks after the series has concluded.
Here's the deal.
The Celtics "Big 3" are proven Finals and Eastern Conference champions. They won their first championship the same year the trio was formed. Regardless of the criticism surrounding injuries and age, the Boston Celtics have bullied all their opponents into submission with their top notch defense and slew of great scorers over the past few years.
It actually does the Celtics a disservice calling them the "Big 3", as All-Star Rajon Rondo is no longer an after thought, but a major piece of the puzzle.
If any team in the NBA can take a chance talking trash, it's the Celtics.
The Miami trio, one season after their concert style introduction to the city, had their ups and downs all season. Starting the season poorly, then going on a long winning streak and finally being criticized for only being able to beat below .500 teams. This is their first year playing together, so why shouldn't they feel that they can win it all much like Boston did?
With 3 of the top 10 young players in the NBA on the roster, I can see why they feel they can talk a little smack.
All that aside, the facts remain.
The Heat only beat the Celtics once in four meetings this year.
The Celtics have more experience and are less likely to panic in pressure situations.
On the other hand, Dwayne Wade, who is also an NBA champion and Finals MVP, has the confidence that type of success brings, but during his championship run, he did not have the chance to share the ball with Lebron James, the future of the sport.
There really isn't much more to say.
Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo against Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.
It's no coincidence that all these players where a part of the 2011 Eastern NBA All-Star team.
What makes this all the more exciting is that the season opener, which was deliberately set up to have these teams meet, has now come and gone.
It is now their regular season performances which has fated them in this fantasy match up.
Sure I will pick a team to win.
Sure I will engage in some trash talk with friends.
But I am well aware that this should be one of the best match ups in recent NBA playoff history.
I will be sure to keep my wages low and my trash talk to a minimum, because this one is just too close to call.
1 comment:
thats true man
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