ATLANTA — The Celtics know firsthand how good the Heat is in the postseason. They saw it in the 2020 bubble, where they lost to them in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals. They saw it last spring, when they were pushed by the Heat over seven games en route to the NBA Finals.
The Heat had an underwhelming regular season. They lost the No. 7 seed play-in game, and advanced into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. But when they eliminated the top-seeded Bucks with a thrilling Game 5 overtime win in Milwaukee on Wednesday, the Celtics weren’t shocked.
“I wasn’t too surprised,” Marcus Smart said. “The Heat is a dangerous team. We all know the Heat play different in the playoffs, and they played the Bucks really well.”
The Heat became the fifth No. 8 seed in NBA history to upset a No. 1 seed in the first round, and the first since the 76ers knocked off the Bulls in 2012, when Derrick Rose tore his ACL in Game 1.
“I wouldn’t really call it an upset,” Jayson Tatum said. “Miami is a really good team, they have a great coach and obviously they got some great players and they made great plays. I guess people weren’t expecting them to win but I wouldn’t call it an upset.”
The manner in which the Heat eliminated the Bucks was certainly unexpected, though. The Heat certainly benefited from Giannis Antetekounmpo missing the first three games of the series due to injury – which allowed them to take a 2-1 series lead – but when he returned, they erased two double-digit fourth-quarter deficits to stun the Bucks.
Jimmy Butler scored 56 points to will Miami back from 12 down with six minutes left in Game 4. Then, in Game 5, the Heat were down 10 with 7:08 to go before they pulled off another comeback. Butler scored 42 points – including the game-tying shot to force overtime – as the Heat earned a second-round date against the Knicks.
“I’m not as surprised as probably others, but I am surprised they went down the way that they went down,” Smart said of the Bucks.
The Celtics certainly are benefitting from these circumstances. Though the Hawks proved to be a greater-than-expected test, they avoided a playoff-tested, dangerous Heat squad. And now they’ll hold home-court advantage throughout the rest of the playoffs. They’re now the betting favorite to win the championship. But the unexpected Heat victory offered a reminder that they can’t overlook anyone.
“That just goes to show you that it’s the playoffs,” Smart said. “Anything can happen. You gotta be ready at all times.”
Walker in Celtics’ thoughts
The Celtics are mourning the loss of Heather Walker, the team’s vice president of public relations, who died Wednesday after a courageous battle against glioblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer. She was beloved by the franchise and community, and made a long-lasting impact on players, especially Smart.
When Smart first entered the league in 2014, Walker was a huge help and source of support to him as he adjusted to life in the NBA.
“Heather was great,” Smart said. “When I got here she made my life very, very easy. She was just so loving and caring and she cared for others, so every day it was always something sweet and something she could do to make your day. So this is definitely tough to have to go through. My heart goes out to her family. Obviously, being somebody who’s dealt with losing a loved one to something so hideous, it’s definitely a lot. My heart goes out to her family. I ask that everybody continue to keep her family in your prayers, but Heather was everything.”
What were those things that Walker did that made life easy for Smart?
“When I first got here, when it came to the media there were a lot of things I didn’t know, a lot of places I didn’t know where to go, and I would just contact Heather,” Smart said. “And it was like she knew everything at every time, and I really didn’t have to do anything because she was there. If I needed a place to go in Boston, I would hit Heather and she would know. With media, if I didn’t understand a thing she made it very clear. Everything was so easy for her.
“I think I can speak for everybody in the organization and everybody who knows her, she was very loved and will be missed.”
