While the Boston Celtics may have won the season series 2-1 and finished the season as the NBA’s hottest team, it’s the Miami Heat who fought and clawed their way atop the Eastern Conference over the course of a complete, grueling 82-game season and never looked down.
Both teams pride themselves on defense, the Celtics wore down their opponents once they hit their stride in February and ended up as the top-ranked NBA defensive team. Though Boston had their fair share of roster setbacks in the regular season and are currently dealing with nagging injuries to two of their key players, Miami’s depth was severely tested during the season with major injuries to players such as Bam Adebayo and multiple COVID-related and personal absences.