The Miami Heat have wasted no time validating the doubts that followed them into the season.
When they brought in Klay Thompson in August and added Giannis Antetokounmpo, the idea sounded dangerous enough on paper to make some noise around the league. But through three games, the reality has looked a lot less threatening. Miami is 0-3, and the early returns have been rough.
The biggest issue is the same one that was easy to spot before the season ever tipped off: the fit simply does not look clean. The Giannis-Bam Adebayo frontcourt pairing can flash in theory, but the two work best in the same part of the floor, and that has made the offense awkward. The Heat have also been stuck with very little shot creation outside of Antetokounmpo, which has put even more pressure on a roster that already has spacing problems.
That issue has shown up in the numbers, too. Miami is shooting 30.3% from three, eighth-worst in the NBA, and the early rebounding and defensive results have been ugly as well. The Heat are averaging 40 rebounds per game, third-fewest in the league, while their 121.4 defensive rating is the fourth-worst in the NBA.
None of that makes the Celtics look particularly worried.
Boston does have real competition in the East as it tries to make a statement in the post-Jaylen Brown era. The Detroit Pistons are 3-0 after beating the Celtics in the season opener.
The new-look Philadelphia 76ers are 3-1, with their lone loss coming against Detroit in a game they played without Joel Embiid or VJ Edgecombe. The Toronto Raptors have Kawhi Leonard again.
The Indiana Pacers have Tyrese Haliburton back, and “he is BACK.” The New York Knicks are 0-3, though they’re still the reigning champions.
Atlanta, Cleveland, and Washington are also teams Celtics fans should keep tabs on.
Miami, though, does not belong in that group.
Erik Spoelstra remains the sort of coach who can squeeze more out of a roster than most people think possible, and the Heat’s defense and rebounding should improve with time. The turnover from the offseason also matters, even beyond the Giannis trade, with Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. joining the mix. There’s a real adjustment period here.
Still, the broader concern hasn’t gone away. Even if Miami gets cleaner and sharper, this roster was shaky from the start. It may improve from where it is now, but that doesn’t mean it’s built for a deep playoff run.
The Celtics have handled the Heat almost every time they’ve seen them lately, going 9-1 in their last 10 regular-season matchups, not counting Boston’s five-game series win over Miami in the first round of the 2024 Playoffs. There’s little reason to think that trend will suddenly flip this season.
In Other News...
Kevin Garnett Just Added A Wild Twist To How Boston Landed Him
Kevin Garnetts path to Boston already had a few layers to it, but he recently added one more wrinkle to the story of how the Celtics landed him. Garnett said he had the chance to go to the Lakers in 2007, yet the decision turned toward Boston after Chauncey Billups urged him to move on from Minnesota and he started weighing what life alongside Paul Pierce might look like.
Antoine Walker was part of that process, too, with Garnett seeking his perspective before making the leap. The end result changed the shape of the franchise almost immediately, with Garnett helping Boston to an NBA title in 2008, and he has since made clear there was never any bad blood with Kobe Bryant, even as he reflected warmly on being inducted into the Hall of Fame with Bryant in 2021. [Read more 🡒]
Ex-Celtic Reframes Jayson Tatum And Jaylen Brown Dynamic
Jeff Teagues time in Boston was brief, but he still got a close enough look at the Celtics two stars to offer a useful read on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The former Celtic said the dynamic between them should not be mistaken for a personal feud, framing it instead as the kind of competitive friction that can come from two elite players sharing the same spotlight and trying to establish who they are.
Teague pointed to the reality of two high draft picks carving out their places in the league, and said that sort of edge naturally spills into the relationship. From Bostons perspective, the important part is that the tension has never kept Tatum and Brown from driving the Celtics success, even as outside observers continue to wonder how much is rivalry and how much is simply two great players refusing to yield an inch. [Read more 🡒]
Luka Garza Just Gave Celtics Fans A Real Reason To Trust Him
Luka Garza earned a real look in the Celtics home opener against the Knicks, and he made the most of it in a tight 107-103 win. With Boston needing minutes from the frontcourt, Garza gave them a useful mix of energy and production, knocking down a three, collecting offensive rebounds and making his presence felt on defense when the game was still hanging in the balance.
For a team built around its primary centers, those are the kinds of minutes that matter more than they might in October. Garza doesnt have to be the centerpiece of the rotation, but when Boston needs a steady body who can complement the bigger names, he showed enough on opening night to make his case a little louder. [Read more 🡒]