2012 Eastern Conference Finals (Game 5):Boston Celtics vs. Miami HeatJune 05, 2012 by Marc Jerbs

On Tuesday, the Miami Heat return to AmericanAirlines Arena to host Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics. Game time is set at 8:30PM ET.

The Boston Celtics managed to protect their homecourt and eventually tied the series at 2 games a piece. Boston's offense is centered against the huge presence of veteran power forward Kevin Garnett inside the shaded lane. Without Bosh, there's a gapping hole that Garnett almost exclusively exploit everytime the ball is shifted to him.

Rajon Rondo does not need to score 30 point per game to help Boston. All he needs to do is to be aggressive in defense, distribute the ball to his teammates and lessen his turnovers. Both Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have regained their confidence in scoring effectively against the Miami Heat.

The Miami Heat almost pulled a Game 4 win and possibly a 3-1 series lead. However, it was not meant to be. For two consecutive games, Miami was forced to play catch up against Boston. In their two losses, the Heat was limited to a perimeter shooting team as Boston clogged the lane to deny the space that Lebron James and Dwyane Wade needed to operate.

Chris Bosh was upgraded from day-to-day status and possibly could play Game 5. Coach Spoelstra will still prepare his team for Game 5 without Chris Bosh in his lineup. Miami knows that they could win with Lebron and Wade as they have proven in their previous series. Having Chris Bosh on stand by for Game 5 will definitely boost the morale and confidence of the team.

The sportsbook handicappers have installed the Miami Heat as an 8-point favorite to beat the Boston Celtics. Expect both teams to grind it out to gain an upper hand in the Eastern Conference Finals.


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