Oshae Brissett warns Miami Heat fans of retribution for 'We want Celtics' chants: "We'll continue this conversation after the first round"
Boston Celtics reserve Oshae Brissett had a strong message for Miami Heat fans who have expressed a desire to face his team in the first round of the playoffs, encouraging them to continue chanting while cautioning them that the Celtics are capable of causing trouble.
Although Oshae Brissett may not be the first player that comes to mind when considering the Celtics vs Heat matchup that begins on Sunday, he delivered a noteworthy warning to Heat fans.
He acknowledged the faith that Heat fans have in their team's chances against his but is confident in his team.
“I'm hearing some crazy chants in there, talking about some ‘we want Celtics,’” Brissett said via his YouTube channel. "[B]ad takes are a thing. And a lot of ESPN analysts and people, NBA players who have podcasts, are kings of bad takes. Oshae Brissett is not one of them.”
“So all I'm saying is, see you guys on Sunday at 1. Keep chanting, ‘We want Celtics.’ We'll continue this conversation after the first round,” he said.
Brissett averaged 3.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 55 games for the Celtics this season, playing an average of 11.5 minutes per game. Against the Heat, he averaged 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 points and 0.3 assists in three games.
In his first three seasons in the league, he averaged 8.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 153 games with the Indiana Pacers.
Looking at the Celtics vs Heat rivalry
The upcoming Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat series, set to begin on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at TD Garden, will mark the fourth playoff encounter between the two teams since 2020.
In the 2020 bubble, Miami defeated Boston in six games to advance to the finals. However, Boston got its revenge in 2022, overcoming the Heat in seven games.
Last year, the Heat secured a statement seven-game victory over the Celtics to advance to the finals as the eighth seed. Despite the Celtics winning three consecutive games to force a Game 7 after falling behind 3-0 in the series, Miami ultimately emerged victorious.
The renewed matchup offers both teams the opportunity to add to their budding rivalry.Boston won all three regular-season matchups against the Heat, with margins of eight, 33 and four points.
However, the absence of Jimmy Butler, who suffered an unfortunate injury during the Play-In Tournament, significantly favors Boston in the series. However, the impact of the Heat’s role players should never be underestimated.