By Tim Reynolds
Associated Press
MIAMI ó LeBron James planned to spend a large part of Saturday studying film, looking for any edge that the Miami Heat may use against the Boston Celtics.
Film from this season, that is.
No need to watch the Celtics inflicting past playoff wounds on him. Those remain fresh ó and time has not yet healed them.
The inability to beat Boston is one of the biggest reasons why James is now wearing a Miami Heat uniform. Heíll get a third attempt to top the Celtics in a postseason series starting today when the teams collide in Game 1 of what may easily become an epic Eastern Conference semifinal.
ěIt is personal,î James said Saturday as the Heat finished practice. ěIt is. Absolutely right. You donít want to keeping getting beat by the same team, the same team keep sending you home to plan a vacation. So it is personal.î
The Celtics expected him to say nothing less.
ěIt would be personal for me,î Boston forward Paul Pierce said. ěIím sure heís going to take it personal and youíve got to expect his best.î
Unwittingly or not, the Celtics played a huge role in setting up an offseason unlike any other in NBA history. Boston gave James a big push toward Miami for a strength-in-numbers approach with the Heat that wasnít possible during the two-time MVPís stint with the Cavaliers.
Collectively, James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh figure to rate a better chance, and that theory is about to get put to the real test. They left a combined $51 million on the bargaining table last summer, and victory in this best-of-seven series may make that money seem exceptionally well-spent.
ěI think youíve got two really good teams, two teams with a lot of will, two teams with a lot of pride,î Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said. ěAnd I think itís going to be a great series.î
The Celtics have 17 NBA championship banners, and thereís at least that many story lines for this matchup.
Bostonís Shaquille OíNeal wants to come back from injury for this series, as does Udonis Haslem for Miami. The Heat know they need to find ways of getting Wade going against the Celtics, which didnít happen in the regular season. Boston wants to exploit what it figures to be a significant edge at point guard with Rajon Rondo over the duo of Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers.
And thereís that small matter of the teams just plain not liking one another.
ěPlayoffs is a new season,î Boston forward Kevin Garnett said. ěNew situations, new scenarios. So everything weíve done up to this point is just history.î
In Miamiís case, the history is not good.
Not only did Boston oust both Wade (in the first round) and James (in the second round) from last yearís playoffs, but the Celtics have won 18 of their last 21 meetings overall against Miami ó even after the Heat rolled to a 100-77 win at home on April 10, the lone time they knocked off the defending East kings in four matchups this season.
The dominance has extended into the playoffs, too.
Of the 15 players on Miamiís roster, nine have been ousted from past postseasons by the Celtics.
ěI look forward to the challenge,î Wade said. ěI know I havenít played well against this team. Thatís no secret.î
ěLeBron and Wade are LeBron and Wade,î Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. ěTheyíre going to be great. They were great before the series, theyíll be great during it and theyíll be great after and this summer when youíre talking about it, youíll say ëLeBron and Wade are great players.í Thatís not going to change. But when Bosh plays great, then their team is great. And so, heís a key guy for them.î
Boston hasnít played for a week since sweeping the New York Knicks out of the first round, and the Heat had slow starts in all five games of their series against Philadelphia.
ěWeíve prepared a long time for this,î Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ěItís time to toss the ball up in the air.î