Heat Vs. Celtics: Who Wins?

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade said it best: "It's the matchup the game of basketball wants. Obviously, with the Chicago Bulls being out, this is the biggest match-up the Eastern Conference can have. So we accept the challenge and we look forward to the series."

"This is the cream of the cream," adds Celtics forward Kevin Garnett. "This is what it's all about, you know, conference finals. We definitely didn't like the way we left last year. So we'll see what happens, man. We'll see what happens. Let's get it on."

What we're about to witness is a grudge match between Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and the Boston big four. In 2010, the Celtics ousted Wade and the Heat in the first round and followed it up by eliminating James and the Cavs in the second. The 2011 Playoffs in turn saw James and Wade team up to send the Celtics home in the offseason. Boston-Miami 2012 is most definitely the clincher.

Coming off our Western Conference Finals analysis, here's our take on how one team will triumph over the other.

Next: Why the Celtics will defeat the Heat