By: Dan Massar, YawkeyTalkies Staff Writer

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The NBA Playoffs are finally here.  After a long regular season of ups and downs for the Celtics, the real journey now begins.  It was a season that started with great promise.  A 23-5 start had fans thinking it was 2008 again.

But instead they went 27-27 the rest of the season.  Ouch.  50 wins for Team Green, a far cry from the 70 Rasheed Wallace thought they had a chance to win back.

No worries though Celtics fans.  It’s a new season now.  The Celtics will either turn their game on or continue their inconsistent play and get knocked out early.  Ok, I guess there is reason to worry.  Without further ado, lets break down this first round matchup with the Heat.

The Celtics beat Miami all three times they met this season.  One of those was a classic game that the Celts won in OT after forcing the extra session on a Rajon Rondo layup at the buzzer off a lob pass from Paul Pierce. The Celtics won the other two games by 5 and 7 and both were highly competitive into the final minute.  So while the Celtics swept the season series, they didn’t dominate any of the games.

The Heat have a chance to win this series because they have the best player in the series in Dwayne Wade.  Sometimes in the NBA that is enough to win the series.  Then again, sometimes it isn’t.  Case in point, the Celtics series wins over the Cavs and Lakers in 2008. LeBron and Kobe were the best players in those series’ against the Celtics, but ultimately the Celtics won.
The Celtics know they are going to get a great series from Rajon Rondo.  He has been superb this season and by far the Celtics most consistent player.  The question will be what do Pierce, Garnett, Allen and the bench bring to the series.

Rasheed Wallace has been atrocious this season.  Most NBA experts would tell you his season so far has been a failure.  But they would also tell you that could change to a passing grade if he turns it around in the playoffs.  There are no signs from his play at the end of the season that he will turn it around (the one time he scores a bucket in the paint it was for the Bulls) but if he does, the move could turn out to be worth it.

The key will be to not let Wade take over the series.  Wade averaged over 26 points per game this season and is one of the best scorers in the game. The Celtics need to force his teammates into having to make plays and hit big shots.  Kendrick Perkins and Garnett should be able to do a solid job on Jermaine O’Neal, Udonis Haslem and Michael Beasley.

The last two years the Celtics have run into young, talented and up-tempo teams in the first round in the Hawks and Bulls.  The Heat are more of a half court team.  If the Celtics can get back to their defensive roots, think 2008 championship team, they should be able to handle the Heat offense.

So what’s my prediction?  The last two years the Celtics have had to go 7 games to get through their 1st round series’.  After an incredibly uneven season, I see no reason to think they can take out the Heat in anything less then 7.  Wouldn’t be surprised if they win it in 5 or 6, but also wouldn’t be shocked if they lose in 6 or 7.

But the prediction is Celtics in 7.

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