海角大神

NBA playoffs: Celtics vs. Heat in clash of the NBA鈥檚 Big Threes

NBA playoffs: The Boston Celtics visit the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Arena Sunday for the first game of their second-round NBA Eastern Division playoff series. Tip-off at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.

LeBron James knows what he wants and is determined to have it. After the Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games in last year鈥檚 NBA Eastern Division quarterfinals, it was inevitable that he鈥檇 search for a way to meet them again on playoff hardwood.

On Sunday afternoon, James will get that rematch. The Miami Heat鈥檚 defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of this year's playoffs, and even though it鈥檚 an early-round series, the Celtics-Heat matchup promise to be one of the most exciting of the year.

Don't be lulled into complacency from all the hype during last year's television spectacle 鈥淟eBron James: The Decision,鈥� and the overindulgent, pyrotechnic introduction of James and his fellow 鈥淏ig Three鈥� teammates Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in Miami last July.

RELATED: Which 5 teams have the most NBA championships?

Coming into this series, James remains a focused, disciplined and remarkably talented competitor in addition to a master marketer 鈥� and has employed all those qualities in rising to the pinnacle of his profession. His 26.7 points per game and 2,111 total points were both second overall in the NBA, and his athleticism and strength are virtually unparalleled in the game.

The James-Wade-Bosh triumvirate has raised Miami from 12 games over .500 (47-35) in the 2009-10 regular season to a record of 58-24 this year. In this way, the team has met expectations 鈥� if not exactly becoming as Dwyane Wade said during the Miami introduction ceremony. And with no titles yet to speak of, they have to accomplish much to achieve the multiple titles they were musing about on stage in front of the Miami faithful last summer.

What about the Celtics?

As for Boston, following their relatively weak opening playoff round sweep of the New York Knicks, there were . After all, they finished the season by winning only five of their last 10 games while enduring a mediocre March and April; eked out a couple of last-second playoff wins against the injury-hobbled Knicks, and have been beset with multiple injuries of their own 鈥� most notably to their centers Shaquille O鈥橬eal (ankle) and Jermaine O鈥橬eal (knee, wrist).

But the nucleus of Boston鈥檚 own 鈥淏ig Three鈥� 鈥� forwards Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and guard Ray Allen, has remained intact and has kept this team producing at a level that helped them exceed their win total for 2009-10 by six games. And guard Rajon Rondo, averaging 19 points and 12 assists in the first playoff round, has been crucial to the Celtics鈥� ball distribution and scoring. He now holds the record (tied with LeBron James) for six playoff 鈥渢riple-doubles鈥� (points, rebounds and assists all in double-figures in a single game).

Boston didn鈥檛 lose to Miami at home during the regular season (winning three of four games); but their season record away from the Garden is only five games over .500. And Miami destroyed them at their American Airlines Arena in April, 100-77. Home court advantage has played at least some part. But the compressed schedule and hyper-energized atmosphere of the playoffs throws the previous 82 regular season games out the window. Shaquille O鈥橬eal was unable to practice Saturday and . Too bad, a return of Shaq would take some pressure off backups Nenad Krstic and the chronically injured Jermaine O鈥橬eal.

In the post, Miami鈥檚 game isn鈥檛 as well-developed as Boston鈥檚; they鈥檙e chiefly an outside shooting team relying on their starters for most of their point production. On the inside, the Heat鈥檚 14-year veteran center Erick Dampier missed time in the opening series against the 76ers with a knee injury, and will be inactive for Sunday鈥檚 game. The same applies to former Florida Gators star forward Udonis Haslem, who鈥檚 injured foot has him as questionable. So doing yeoman鈥檚 work this round will be James鈥� fellow Cavaliers alum, center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who at just over five points per game and four and a half rebounds, will have to step up his production dramatically in the low post. As for the Celtics, they have a stronger bench led by power forward and post-up specialist Glen Davis. Strong shooting aside, these games will be won in the paint, and that advantage would seem to be Boston鈥檚. And look for Rondo鈥檚 assist production to at least approach that of the New York series.

For now, both teams are taking the high road in expressing their appreciation and respect for their opponent. But before the series is over, watch for the fur to fly 鈥� both on and off the court. Because it鈥檚 possible, if not probable, that a championship banner could hang in the balance.