The NBA title race has been cut down to four teams as the Conference Semifinals have now concluded. In the East, the Celtics were able to clinch their spot in the Conference Finals after a seven-game series with the Bucks. It was a convincing victory over the defending champs which should have the Celtics feeling confident heading into the next round.

Their path through the playoffs has been difficult so far and the Heat will prove to be no easy challenge. After eliminating the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, Boston will face off with the top-seeded Miami Heat. The Celtics must continue to keep their foot on the gas and give their best effort on both ends of the floor in this upcoming series. Without further ado, here are three bold predictions for the Celtics-Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

3 bold Celtics predictions for 2022 Eastern Conference Finals vs Heat

Bam Adebayo will be held under 13 points per game

It has been a somewhat difficult postseason for Bam Adebayo. The big man was the Heat’s third-leading scorer this year with 19.1 points per game in the regular season. He also tallied 10.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists during the regular season. Through the first 11 games of the playoffs, Adebayo has seen all of these numbers decrease. He is currently averaging 14.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in the postseason and has struggled to find his groove.

Do not expect life to get any easier during the Conference Finals. The Celtics are sure to mix in coverages to make life difficult for the Kentucky product and keep him from making a major impact. Expect a mix of Al Horford, Grant Williams, and Robert Williams to play the biggest role in this. Boston has a nice mix of defenders that they can throw at Adebayo to keep him on his toes. If the Celtics are able to keep him in check, it increases their chances of success by a large margin.

Jaylen Brown will lead Celtics in scoring

Jayson Tatum has been absolutely incredible so far these playoffs. He has continued his superstar ascension and is certainly the alpha of Boston’s offense. The Duke product has averaged 28.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.6 rebounds thus far during the postseason. Things surely will not be easy for him in this round with Jimmy Butler likely to serve as his primary defender. Butler’s tenacious fire and defensive ability may provide the most difficult postseason challenge for the former third overall pick.

While he has not been as consistent this postseason, Jaylen Brown is not short on talent. With Bulter set to be preoccupied with Tatum, Brown will have a chance to feast on matchups with guys like Max Strus and Tyler Herro. Brown has seen a decrease in both field-goal attempts and 3-point attempts from his regular-season numbers. Look for him to be in attack mode and give the Celtics a necessary offensive punch, especially if Tatum is smothered by Butler's tenacious defense.

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Payton Pritchard averages 2+ made 3-pointers per game

While the Celtics have a fairly complete roster, they are somewhat limited at the guard position. This is not the biggest concern as the ball dominance of Jayson Tatum and his growth as a playmaker has minimized the void. Payton Pritchard and Derrick White serve as the primary guards off the bench, with Pritchard as the more ball-dominant option. The Oregon product’s 6’1 frame and limited athleticism cause him to struggle in some matchups, but he plays with high energy and effort on both ends of the floor. Still, he's been held to just 12.5 minutes per game and averaged just 4.8 points in the playoffs, though he's shown flashes of excellence.

The Maimi Heat have a few players whom Pritchard could survive matchups with for an extended period of time. This opens the door for him to play more minutes and produce for the team. Miami led the NBA in 3-point percentage this season and account for a large number of attempts from downtown.

If the Heat catch fire, expect the Celtics to look to Payton Pritchard to match this. The second-year guard was the team’s leading three-point shooter at 41.2% this season (minimum 45 attempts). Pritchard has shot 35.5% from beyond the arc so far these playoffs but has seen his attempts slip by nearly one attempt per game since the regular season. Look for the Celtics to utilize him more often and for Pritchard to provide the shooting the team needs.