The Boston Celtics haven't responded well to the much tougher Miami Heat, who led their Eastern Conference finals series 2-0, heading into Game 3 on Sunday night.
Perhaps this could be attributed to Miami's attitude.
Following Game 1, the Heat shrugged off any ideas that they were the underdog of the series, despite coming off an eight-seeded finish in the East. Miami also began their playoff hunt losers in their first of two play-in tournament games, but have since gone undefeated in series-opening contests on the road, eliminating home-court advantage from everyone, including the Celtics.
Before taking the floor in Miami with a chance to take a commanding 3-0 series lead, Heat center Bam Adebayo further embodied the team's competitive edge when asked whether or not he speaks to Celtics star and friend Jayson Tatum.
"(Expletive) no. I mean, uh no," Adebayo told reporters Sunday, per CLNS Media video. "I don't even talk to him on the court. He's got on a green jersey, my jersey's red."
Not much of a surprise.
This is the third time in the past four seasons that the Heat and Celtics have battled for an appearance in the NBA Finals. In all instances, the Heat have given the Celtics a major run for their money, particularly giving them issues in the physicality department, which Adebayo is heavily responsible for.
During Miami's Game 2 win, Adebayo flirted with a triple-double, scoring 22 points with 17 rebounds and nine assists. He also hammered the nail in Boston's coffin, grabbing the offensive rebound followed by a dunk to put the Heat ahead, 105-100, with 55 seconds remaining to seal the deal.
With the Celtics on the edge of a catastrophic season's end, perhaps taking a page from Adebayo's book in playing with some sense of aggressiveness and pride could pay off in Miami.
