On Wednesday night at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics returned the favor after the Miami Heat ended their title hopes on that same parquet a season ago.
The C's capped their 4-1 series victory in this first-round rivalry clash with a 118-84 knockout blow. It's the first time they've beaten a playoff opponent by at least 30 points since they bested the Los Angeles Lakers 131-92 to win the 2008 NBA championship.
As the Celtics prepare for a second-round matchup against the winner of the Cleveland Cavaliers' series against the Orlando Magic, the Heat contemplate how much change is required to get back to title contention.
According to prominent South Florida sports media member Dan Le Batard, formerly of ESPN and the Miami Herald, "The (Jimmy) Butler window just closed."
Le Batard added, "That Celtics team has gotten a good deal better and is younger, and you've fallen behind them in a way that requires more than just tweaks...When you've gone two straight seasons as the equivalent of the eighth seed, and then the top of the conference gets so much better than what you're presently offering, the window just closed, the Butler window just closed...The Celtics just ended the Heat as we know them."
Butler, who missed Miami's first-round series against Boston due to an MCL sprain suffered in the Heat's play-in tournament loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, turns 35 in September.
After failing to acquire Damian Lillard last summer, Miami will have to successfully star hunt this offseason unless it prefers a more patient approach as it builds for the long term.
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