Despite the fact that they managed to come out and survive from the brink of elimination against the Philadelphia 76ers on their seven-game East Semis series, Jayson Tatum knows that the Boston Celtics aren’t ready to feel complacent yet given the next challenge they’ll face.
It’s none other than their rivals in Miami Heat.
“It’s gonna be tough. It’s going to be competitive,” Tatum said in his ESPN presser with regards to another Conference Finals showdown with the Heat. “It’s our third time in four years playing them in a Conference Finals, so I’m looking forward to it.”
This year officially marks the playoff duel trilogy between the Heat and the Celtics in a four-year span. The two clubs notably went toe-to-toe with each other back in the 2020 and 2022 East Finals, with both of them splitting the best-of-seven matchups.
The eight-placed Heat trembled the entire league with their Cinderella story this postseason, as they outlasted the title-favorites Milwaukee Bucks in the first-round and outlasted the New York Knicks in six games of the Conference Semis. Led by the heroics of Jimmy Butler, they are vying to sustain their history and become the first eight-seeded team to make it to the Finals for the first time in 24 years.
Miami and Boston will start to write another epic story on their storied rivalry with Game 1 of their Conference Finals bout scheduled on Wednesday.
