ECF: Predict the finish

How does the series end?

  • Heat in 5

    Votes: 23 18.3%
  • Heat in 6

    Votes: 58 46.0%
  • Heat in 7

    Votes: 13 10.3%
  • Celtics in 7

    Votes: 32 25.4%

  • Total voters
    126

BigSoxFan

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May 31, 2007
47,090
Down 3-1 and on the ropes. 3 disheartening losses. How does this story end?
 

Light-Tower-Power

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Jun 14, 2013
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Hate to vote it but I think Miami puts us away on Friday. They smell blood and they’ve been nails all postseason in this situation. Celtics haven’t shown any reason for Friday to be different. They’re stone cold closers.
 

Mooch

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Jul 15, 2005
4,494
I said Celtics in 7 and I'm sticking with it.

Look, the Heat have been the beneficiaries of every lucky bounce and break so far. Some of it is due to hustle but a lot of it is just coin-flip good fortune. The Celtics are scheming their way to lots of good looks that haven't been falling and the turnovers, despite the media's insistence that it's the result of aggressive defense, are more often than not the result of Celtics carelessness with the ball which is correctable.

Just look at the Effective FG% stats so far:

BOS: .547
MIA: .507

I still think that Boston is the better team and they'll prove it over the next three games.
 

lexrageorge

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Jul 31, 2007
18,096
The Celtics will pull one out due to desperation on Friday. But the Heat seem to have their number and are physically wearing the Celtics down, and so will take the series in 6. Those blown leads in Games 1 and 2 are both inexcusable and too costly to overcome.
 

bigq

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Jul 15, 2005
11,084
The Celtics will pull one out due to desperation on Friday. But the Heat seem to have their number and are physically wearing the Celtics down, and so will take the series in 6.
This is where I am at as well.
 

BigSoxFan

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May 31, 2007
47,090
Just get me to a Game 7 and I’ll deal with whatever happens. This team is too good to go out in 5 to Miami.
 

RedOctober3829

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Jul 19, 2005
55,298
deep inside Guido territory
I am even more frustrated today than I was last night. They've blown a 14 point lead and a 17 point lead along with losing a very close game last night. If it was a series like last year against the Bucks where they were clearly outclassed, that's one thing. But they are just as good or more talented than the Heat and they're down 3-1. You can not win playoff games when your best players turn it over a combined 14 times. That and the extra possessions given up because of offensive rebounds at the end of the game last night did them in.

Coming back is doable because the talent gap is negligible, but it will take 3 consecutive games of smart basketball and having an aggressive mindset every night. Last night's first half was unacceptable in terms of intensity. They looked extremely passive and seemingly accepted taking more outside shots when it has not worked for them most of the series.

I vote that they lose the series in 6 games, but I damn sure hope I'm wrong.
 

Saints Rest

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The Celtics will pull one out due to desperation on Friday. But the Heat seem to have their number and are physically wearing the Celtics down, and so will take the series in 6. Those blown leads in Games 1 and 2 are both inexcusable and too costly to overcome.
+1
Makes you realize how important a "playoff Tito" approach is in a 7-game series. When it's close, you need to go all out to hang it in the W column. Too many times this season, the Celts have lacked that finishing kick/killer instinct/call it what you will, that makes sure a close game ends up as a win.
 

lars10

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Jul 31, 2007
11,612
I said Celtics in 7 and I'm sticking with it.

Look, the Heat have been the beneficiaries of every lucky bounce and break so far. Some of it is due to hustle but a lot of it is just coin-flip good fortune. The Celtics are scheming their way to lots of good looks that haven't been falling and the turnovers, despite the media's insistence that it's the result of aggressive defense, are more often than not the result of Celtics carelessness with the ball which is correctable.

Just look at the Effective FG% stats so far:

BOS: .547
MIA: .507

I still think that Boston is the better team and they'll prove it over the next three games.
Also shot.. 9? more free throws in the third quarter last night and still lost the quarter by 5 I believe. Not trying to blame the refs, but there were some awful tight calls last night that kept the heat in it.. even though both teams were playing poorly. There was a stretch where Miami couldn't hit anything but got bail out calls five or six trips down the floor. Not sure how Hayward getting hit in the head with an elbow is all that much different than what Jaylen did, but I guess because one was shooting? Also a few push-offs that went opposite ways all night as well. Not saying the refs are to blame, but Miami makes these games rock fights.. and it feels like a lot of hacks go uncalled... the games have zero flow and because of that has come down to a few possessions each game.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

Found no thrill on Blueberry Hill
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Sep 9, 2008
42,274
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The Celtics will pull one out due to desperation on Friday. But the Heat seem to have their number and are physically wearing the Celtics down, and so will take the series in 6. Those blown leads in Games 1 and 2 are both inexcusable and too costly to overcome.
I feel the opposite. I think the Celtics are like 40/60 to win on Friday just due to the bubble factor and fatigue. They seemed worn down yesterday and suffering mental fatigue even after the long break which is concerning. Lots of mistakes that look like effort plays but probably are just a function of the fact that they are not able to summon the mental focus. I think that's going to make it really hard on Friday. Once the idea of thinking you're about to go home and stuff starts to creep in I feel as though those factors get even worse, while Miami is probably starting to think about the possibility that they could actually be champions. If the chips get down on Friday, and they always do over the course of 48 minutes, I think the possibility of just folding the tent is real.

But if they win Friday by some chance, they win the series.
 

Strike4

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Jul 19, 2005
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Portland, Maine
Coming back is doable because the talent gap is negligible, but it will take 3 consecutive games of smart basketball and having an aggressive mindset every night. Last night's first half was unacceptable in terms of intensity. They looked extremely passive and seemingly accepted taking more outside shots when it has not worked for them most of the series.

I vote that they lose the series in 6 games, but I damn sure hope I'm wrong.
Miami made some adjustments on playing defense in the paint and I think that (and the fact that the refs are mostly putting the whistles away on it) was really demoralizing in the first half. JB was going hard to the basket but it was ending in poor shots, turnovers, kicking it back out for bad jumpers. I saw intensity from the Celtics but it quickly turned to frustration - like a bull tied down, flailing around.

I also voted lose in 6 because they fight so hard.
 

bsj

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Dec 6, 2003
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Heat in 5. I didnt see anything yesterday that leads me to believe the Cs will win 3 in a row, and I think they to a man probably feel that
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Mar 26, 2005
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I'm an optimist and want the Cs in 7 so that's what I voted for. They are the more talented team, although it's super difficult when MIA's guards are outplaying the Cs.

I also think GH will be better on Friday.

One game at a time. They're definitely going to win Firday, and if they get it to 6, there's no reason they can't get it to 7, and if they get it to 7, there's no reason they can't win it all.
 

Philip Jeff Frye

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Oct 23, 2001
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I feel the opposite. I think the Celtics are like 40/60 to win on Friday just due to the bubble factor and fatigue. They seemed worn down yesterday and suffering mental fatigue even after the long break which is concerning. Lots of mistakes that look like effort plays but probably are just a function of the fact that they are not able to summon the mental focus. I think that's going to make it really hard on Friday. Once the idea of thinking you're about to go home and stuff starts to creep in I feel as though those factors get even worse, while Miami is probably starting to think about the possibility that they could actually be champions. If the chips get down on Friday, and they always do over the course of 48 minutes, I think the possibility of just folding the tent is real.
Not only did they look worn down and mentally fatigued, they just aren't able to maintain focus for 48 minutes. In each one of these games, there have been periods where they've looked brilliant, finally taking control of the game, but then a few things go wrong and suddenly, they can't play basketball at all. They rallied last night from a double digit deficit and then as soon as they finally took the lead, it was back to making dumb passes and kicking the ball and loosing track of guys on defense and not boxing out. Its been frustrating to watch how this team can play so well for some periods of time and then so awfully for others, particularly in crunch time.
 

Silverdude2167

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Oct 9, 2006
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Amstredam
Heat in 5. I didnt see anything yesterday that leads me to believe the Cs will win 3 in a row, and I think they to a man probably feel that
I mean it is actually easier to make a case that the Celtics should have won the first 4 games of the series than the Heat should have...so really it's pretty easy to see how they can win 3 in a row.
 

greek_gawd_of_walks

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Apr 14, 2009
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I mean it is actually easier to make a case that the Celtics should have won the first 4 games of the series than the Heat should have...so really it's pretty easy to see how they can win 3 in a row.
I think the fact that this is absolutely true makes it very unlikely that they actually can't come back here (counterintuitive as it is). Out of four games that were well within the margin of error, you're 1-3 (and 1-4 in the last five going back to the restart). The Celts have pissed away massive leads, had unconscionable second half turnovers coupled with backbreaking offensive rebounds and generally given Miami all kinds of confidence to come back on them no matter what the score. Psychologically, they just aren't in a good place going up against this team right now. There were signs of legitimate trouble against Toronto in the way that they had trouble closing games out. Those troubles have come home to roost now IMO.

Miami in six. And I really am being as optimistic as I can be right now.
 

Eddie Jurak

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Dec 12, 2002
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I picked Heat in 6 before last night's game. Not just the win, but the phenomenal second half, leads me to think anything is possible now.
 

Light-Tower-Power

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Jun 14, 2013
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Hate to vote it but I think Miami puts us away on Friday. They smell blood and they’ve been nails all postseason in this situation. Celtics haven’t shown any reason for Friday to be different. They’re stone cold closers.
Instead of stepping on our throats and burying us in what was an awful first half, Miami bricked a bunch of threes and let the Celtics find their groove again. Gut says they win the series if they win tomorrow. Just when I thought we were out, they pull me back in...