The following comes courtesy of Bard, Google’s AI platform except where bold.
Don’t just watch the game, play along with thePeachBasket Pick’em!
The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics will face off in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Heat won Game 1 118-107, so the Celtics will be looking to even the series at 1-1. [Editors note: Nope, Heat won game 1 but by a score of 123-116]
The Heat are led by Jimmy Butler, who had 41 points in Game 1 [Butler finished with 35 points]. Butler is averaging 29.3 points per game in the playoffs [Even better for Heat fans, Butler is averaging 31.5 points], and he will be a key player for the Heat in Game 2. The Celtics are led by Jayson Tatum, who had 30 points in Game 1. Tatum is averaging 28.5 points per game in the playoffs [So close! Tatum is averaging 28.3 in the 2023 postseason], and he will also be a key player for the Celtics in Game 2.
The Heat are the defending NBA champions, and they are the favorites to win the Eastern Conference Finals again this year [0-2 after a nice start to this article. The Heat are neither the defending champs nor the favorites to win the ECF]. However, the Celtics are a young and talented team, and they will be looking to upset the Heat and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. [Can we still call the Celtics “young”? Eh, I will let Bard have this one!]
Here are some key things to watch for in Game 2:
- Can the Heat slow down Jayson Tatum? Tatum is one of the best scorers in the NBA, and he will be a key player for the Celtics in Game 2. The Heat will need to find a way to slow him down if they want to win.
- Can the Celtics get Jimmy Butler off his game? Butler is the Heat’s best player, and he will be a key player for them in Game 2. The Celtics will need to find a way to get Butler off his game if they want to win.
- Can the Heat continue their strong shooting? The Heat shot 52.5% from the field in Game 1 [54.1%], which is their best shooting percentage in a playoff game since 2014. The Celtics will need to find a way to slow down the Heat’s offense if they want to win.
The Eastern Conference Finals is shaping up to be a great series, and Game 2 should be another close one. The Heat are the favorites, but the Celtics are a young and talented team, and they will be looking to upset the Heat and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.
Bard is getting better at numbers, but regressing when it comes to giving the Celtics their due. Lets see if the Celtics use that as motivation tonight!
