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Paul Pierce-LeBron James Matchup Contains Key to Celtics-Heat Eastern Conference Finals (Podcast)

LeBron James. Paul Pierce. Dwyane Wade. Rajon Rondo. Kevin Garnett.

If you're looking for star power in a basketball series, you've come to the right place.

The Celtics and the Heat are the final two teams standing in the NBA's Eastern Conference, and a seven-game series will determine which one of them earns the right to head to the NBA Finals — and which one heads home.

The two teams will add another chapter to their rivalry beginning Monday night in Miami, with the Celtics venturing to South Beach for Game 1. James and Wade will be eagerly awaiting the Celtics' version of the Big Three, but they will do so only at the Big Two, thanks to Chris Bosh's abdominal strain holding him out of games indefinitely.

NESN.com's Celtics beat writer Ben Watanabe stopped by the podcast to chat with NESN Nation's Dan Duquette and preview the Celtics-Heat series. They also discussed what it's going to take for the Celtics to pull off the upset, how much the C's will miss Avery Bradley and much more.

Listen in the player below, or subscribe on iTunes to download it there.