HEAT -vs- CELTICS Preview

After winning 3 out of 4 games last week in memorable fashion, the Miami Heat got a much needed couple days of rest to start this week off. They are back at it tonight against the same undermanned Celtics team they beat last week by 8 points. The Celtics have struggled of late, due to their injuries, dropping 4 out of their last 5 games. Tonight they again will be missing their star inside, Kevin Garnett, but unlike last weeks game, they will have starting point guard, Rajon Rondo, back. Rondo has become the motor of their squad and is a good player for our own Mario Chalmers to model himself after. Rondo came into the league as nothing more than a pesky defender, but he has turned himself into one of the best penetrators in the league, while continuing to develop his outside shot. That matchup tonight will be very interesting to watch, cause when Chalmers plays well the Heat usually collect a win.

With Rondo back a lot of the load no longers falls on Paul Pierce and Ray Allen's shoulders, but unless they can get some help inside, the Celtics are going to have a hard time collecting a win. Leon Powe, who has been filling in for Kevin Garnett, hurt his knee the last night and is questionable for tonights game. This should allow Dwayne Wade to attack the rim without much opposition. The Heat need to get the ball early and often to Jermaine O'Neal and Michael Beasley inside, cause Kendrick Perkins and Mikki Moore are no match for them. O'Neal has scored 20 or more in his last 2 games.

The injuries to so many key players for the Celtics put them at a considerable disadvantage going into tonights game. However, any team that has Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo can't be taken lightly. Hopefully the two days of rest did Dwayne Wade good, cause we are going to need a big game out of him again if our inside guys do not play up to their potential tonight. This is the type of win a Heat team trying to lock up the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference has to win.