Category: Miami Heat

BOSTON – Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 103-84 NBA playoff victory over the Boston Celtics: – At one point in the Eastern Conference finals, the question was if Heat forward Caleb Martin was the best value player in the series, in light of the three-year, $20.4 million contract he signed last summer. – By the end of the East finals, the question was whether he was the best player in the series. – As in a series that also included Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. – Remarkable stuff. – Sometimes it’s about more than star power. – Sometimes...

BOSTON – Observations and other notes of interest from Thursday night’s 110-97 NBA playoff loss to the Boston Celtics: – Erik Spoelstra doesn’t panic. – But he does read the room. – And the situation. – Unemotionally and detached when needed. – This is one of those times. – With all due respect to what Kevin Love has offered since his February arrival. – Heat-Celtics has become a scramble. – A scoring scramble. – And that requires mobility. – Something Caleb Martin offers in overdrive. – And something Love, at 34, lacks. – Before Love’s arrival, Martin was the starter. – With the Heat with a...

MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Tuesday night’s 116-99 NBA playoff loss to the Boston Celtics: – The Celtics looked like the Celtics. – Playing defense. – Making 3-pointers. – With Jayson Tatum scoring when needed. – The concern meter still is mitigated by the Heat’s 3-1 series lead. – But Boston finally has regained its stride. – This is a team that came back from 3-2 the previous round against the 76ers. – It would be that again with a Heat loss on Thursday night at TD Garden. – Panic? No. – Urgency? Yes. – Because this constant pushing of Jimmy Butler takes a toll. –...

MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Sunday night’s 128-102 NBA playoff victory over the Boston Celtics: – The decision entering the night seemingly was whether Kevin Love would remain a Heat starter with the Celtics moving to small ball with their first five. – It turns out that Love made the decision for coach Erik Spoelstra, when he was forced out by an ankle injury with 4:47 remaining in the opening period. – In this game, it did not matter. – And might have been beneficial. – With Caleb Martin playing so well. – (Is there a better value contract in the league at the moment...

BOSTON – Observations and other notes of interest from Friday night’s 111-105 NBA playoff victory over the Boston Celtics: – Among the biggest surprises in the East finals to this point is the Celtics electing not to play to their apparent strength at the start of games. – The height of Robert Williams might have been needed at the outset against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. – But Bam Adebayo isn’t Joel Embiid and the Heat aren’t the 76ers. – By the start of Friday’s second half, the Celtics were back to their small lineup. – Derrick White in and Williams out. – That created conundrums...