5. Coaching Adjustments

The Boston Celtics have a roster with some battle-tested players that have a ton of playoff experience. The same can be said for the roster of the Miami Heat, who have multiple rotation players from their NBA Finals run in the Orlando Bubble.

Where these two teams differ the most is on the coaching staff. The Celtics have first-time head coach Ime Udoka leading the way. He will have a tall task going up against Erik Spoelstra, who was named one of the best head coaches in league history during the 75th-anniversary celebration.

Seeing how each head coach navigates this series will play a part in who comes out on top. While he hasn’t been here as a head coach, Udoka has a ton of experience as an assistant and has been on the bench in situations like these. He coached circles around Steve Nash in the first round and did a great job adjusting against the Bucks and Mike Budenholzer.

Spoelstra, however, will be a totally different animal to overcome. There aren’t many better in the business than him and he will have Miami ready to play from the opening tip.

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There are only so many tricks a team can have up its sleeve during a seven-game series. At some point, it will normally come down to which team can execute and adjust accordingly.

Heading into the series Spoelstra holds the advantage, but Udoka should not be underestimated. Boston earned the No. 2 seed for a reason.