The Miami Heat did not enter the 2023 NBA playoffs with much fanfare. But now, after making quick work of the team with the best record in the NBA this past season in the Milwaukee Bucks and following that up with a hard-fought six-game series victory over the New York Knicks, it's difficult to doubt what this Jimmy Butler-led team is capable of — even if they're about to run into the buzzsaw that is the Boston Celtics.
This is the Heat and the Celtics' third Eastern Conference Finals battle in the past four seasons, which is simply a testament to how well coached and well run these two teams are. Of course, it helps that both teams boast the services of some of the best two-way wings in the game, which is arguably one of the most important player archetypes for an aspiring championship contender.
Nevertheless, while stars are what would dictate the outcome of the Heat and Celtics trilogy, there should be plenty of room for an unsung hero to take center stage in what should be a hotly contested and highly physical series.
This is the role player who must step up as the ultimate X-factor to help the Heat to prevent them from being outgunned by the Celtics' considerable firepower, and it's not Kevin Love.
Heat’s biggest X-factor vs. Celtics: Caleb Martin
The Heat roster is made up of plenty of players who are eligible for selection as the Heat's biggest X-factor in their upcoming ECF bout vs. the Celtics. Four players who have featured prominently in their rotation throughout the postseason are undrafted players, and yet here they are, standing tall and stepping up whenever head coach Erik Spoelstra calls upon their names.
Chief among those undrafted players are Max Strus and Gabe Vincent, two nailed-on starters whom the Heat have counted on heavily. Strus and Vincent won't wow anyone with feats of athleticism, but what they do is play their roles to a T. They defend with all their might, keep the ball moving, and space the floor for Jimmy Butler's rampaging drives to the hoop.
Alas, their status as starters means that stepping up is basically a must, although in this case, the Heat have two other weapons off the bench in Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry who could mimic (or even improve upon) what those two provide. This is exactly what makes Caleb Martin such a crucial piece for the Heat in this series, as no one else on the roster is equipped to provide the impact he gives.
Jimmy Butler is surely going to draw one of the Jays on defense. But the presence of the other Jay is what makes defending the Celtics such a thankless task, not to mention their vast array of weapons on that end such as Malcolm Brogdon, Derrick White, Al Horford, and Marcus Smart. Thus, Martin should be up to the task defensively, especially when he's the only viable defensive option the Heat have of containing one of the Jays on the perimeter.
Strus and Robinson, try as they might, will look vulnerable on defense against either Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown. Strus had his moments last year of solid defensive work, but the Heat didn't exactly rely on him to defend the Celtics' two stars. That responsibility fell on PJ Tucker's shoulders. And Tucker, as we all know, is now out of the playoffs after the Philadelphia 76ers crashed and burned once more.
It'll certainly be interesting to see how Erik Spoelstra divvies up the minutes among Kevin Love and Caleb Martin. The Celtics finally went back to their 2022 playoff starting lineup in Game 5 against the Sixers, with Rob Williams III and Al Horford forming a supersized frontcourt, so perhaps they continue to roll with that lineup.
Thus, starting Love may not be the worst idea in the world. But once the Celtics go small, the Heat will have to call upon Martin, and Martin has to make sure that does not end up being a zero on offense so he could stay on the court.
Haywood Highsmith, yet another undrafted player, could also end up playing a huge role off the Heat bench. He's played spot minutes throughout the postseason, but he hasn't really featured heavily. However, that may change against the Celtics. In Miami's three most recent games against Boston, Highsmith averaged 28 minutes a night, and he even had two stellar outings against them (16 & 8 on November 30 and 15 & 10 on January 24).
Caleb Martin may be the preferred small-ball option, but don't be surprised if Highsmith ends up as a rotation fixture in this series.
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