The Boston Celtics face a critical Game 3 against the Miami Heat on Saturday, down two games to none in the Eastern Conference Finals.
While the games have been close, the final score has not captured the poise of the Heat in pushing past early big leads built — but not maintained — by the Celtics, who teeter near the precipice of the no-mans land of a 0-3 postseason deficit, unrecovered-from in the league’s seven-decade history to date.
There’s not likely any major tactical shifts coming from either team, as what the Heat have been doing with their length, zone defense, 3-point shooting and Jimmy Butler’s cutting has been especially effective.
Hayward upgraded to ‘Questionable” for Game 3; Green ‘Probable’ https://t.co/mT9tERF7po
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) September 18, 2020
And what has ailed Boston has not been tactics as much as focus.
The Heat return with the same cast healthy as in Game 2, while Boston will likely see wing Javonte Green return to the fold after a lengthy absence to repair a partially torn meniscus.
However, it is the recently-designated “Questionable” status and its outcome that could swing the game in favor of the Celtics; the Indiana native has been eyeing a Game 3 return, and it seems Hayward may be able to play.
Report: Boston’s Gordon Hayward aiming for a Game 3 return vs Heat https://t.co/X9P8GmSeM2
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) September 18, 2020
If he can play well enough to impact the game — itself no minor issue — we would call the tilt in favor of Boston by a razor-thin margin.
For now however, we’ll pick against Boston for the first time in the postseason given the fallout of the postgame spat between Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown still casts a pall over Game 3.
With that in mind, we’ll call another close one, but in favor of the Heat this time, 99-97.
Most online sportsbooks tend to disagree however, granting Boston an average spread of -3.
