Celtics-Heat preview: Miami D could create big problems

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The Miami Heat have a pair of perennial all-stars in Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Goran Dragic may be the league’s best point guard who has never been named to an all-star team.

And then there’s Hasaan Whiteside, the Eastern Conference’s version of DeAndre Jordan. There’s a lot of firepower on the Heat roster, but there’s no mistaking their identity is in their defense.

The Boston Celtics will get an up-close and personal look at it tonight when they are hosted by the Heat.

“It’s a heck of a challenge for us,” said Boston head coach Brad Stevens.

It certainly will be, especially when it comes to scoring against a Miami defense that has a defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 94.5 which is ranked No. 2 in the NBA and a league-best effective Field Goal Percentage defense of 44.5.

For Boston to win, they will need to play with better focus and effort than they did at Orlando. More than anything else, they have to revert back to playing the physical brand of basketball that has allowed them to get off to the best start under third-year coach Brad Stevens.

Here’s a look at some key areas of play (as well as where Boston and Miami rank among their NBA brethren) that will go far in determining whether the Celtics can snap their three game road losing skidtonight against the Heat.

THREE-POINTERS MADE

The Celtics have been among the worst 3-point shooting teams this season, but it certainly isn’t for lack of trying. Their 28.5 three-pointers taken per game ranks third in the league, while the Heat take 20.0 3-pointers per game which ranks 24th in the NBA.

Boston averages 8.9 three-pointers made per game which ranks ninth in the NBA. When they have made 10 or more 3s this season, Boston’s record is 5-2.

But when it comes to defending the 3-point shot, there are few teams better than the Heat. Opponents are shooting just 22.3 percent from 3-point range against them while making 7.0 per game, both place the Heat fourth in the league in those respective categories.

And for the few teams that have had some measure of success making 10 or more 3s, that hasn’t worked out well for them with the Heat having five games like that and emerging with a win in four of those games.

OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING

Boston has been one of the best at crashing the offensive boards this season, evident by them hauling in 12.4 per game which ranks third in the NBA.

But against the Heat, Boston will have a tough time being as dominant as they have been thus far this season. The Heat average 35.4 defensive rebounds per game which is the fifth-best mark in the NBA.

EFFECTIVE FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

The Celtics have spent the bulk of this season in the bottom-10 when it comes to effective field goal percentage. They are currently 21st in the league in eFG% with a .479 mark. They face a Miami Heat team that comes in with an eFG% defense of 44.5 which is tops in the NBA. That figure speaks to how well Miami has defended two-pointers as well as 3s this season.

POINTS OFF TURNOVERS

No team gets more mileage out of turnovers than the Boston Celtics who average a league-best 22.1 points off their opponent’s miscues. However, Miami will pose a stiff challenge in this area as well. Miami opponents are averaging 14.5 points off turnovers which is the fifth-lowest mark in the NBA.

FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS

Keep on shooting. It is one of the few constants that the Celtics seem to employ every night. They come into tonight’s game taking 88.7 shots per game which is second-highest average in the NBA. Meanwhile, Miami is at the opposite end of the spectrum while taking a league-low 79.7 field goal attempts per game.

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