Eastern Conference Series Thread (Miami Heat)

[Paolo305613]

We may have an opponent as early as tomorrow so might as well get the thread going to start some discussion. Schedule to be posted when available.

 

[Heatles84]

Well the Thunder are officially out of the playoffs. I love KD as a player. But it will be interesting to see how the national media handles Durant not coming up big for the Thunder. Had that happened to Lebron, everyone would've tried to get their shots in.

 

[Paolo305613]

I bet Durant will get a pass from the national media. Does he have to leave OKC in order to win a championship?

 

[avalon2423]

he doesnt have to leave OKC, he just has to hope LBJ, Bosh and Wade leave Miami in order to win one.

 

[Paolo305613]

Game 1: Wednesday at AmericanAirlines Arena, 8:30 p.m., TNT

Game 2: Fri. May 24 at AmericanAirlines Arena, 8:30 p.m., TNT

Game 3: Sun. May 26 at New York or Indiana, 8:30 p.m., TNT
Game 4: Tue. May 28 at New York or Indiana, 8:30 p.m., TNT

Game 5*: Thu. May 30 at AmericanAirlines Arena, 8:30 p.m., TNT

Game 6*: Sat. June 1, at New York or Indiana 8:30 p.m., TNT

Game 7*: Mon. June 3 at AmericanAirlines Arena, 8:30 p.m., TNT

* -- If necessary. (All times Eastern)

Radio coverage on 790-AM, 104.3-FM, 760-AM, 98.3-FM (Spanish).

 

[Flauge]

i like Durant. He seems like a decent person, and signed long term in a small market. Him not winning a title isnt a fair criticism of him yet, he is still insanely young. Plus westbrook getting hurt made it to much of a burden on him.

I agree people would have taken their shots on Lebron, but Lebron is better than Durant. Honestly, more is expected. Lebron is this generations Jordan. He is the face of the NBA and best player in the league.. Durant, the #2 player, really isnt all that close when you talk about all around game. Heavy is the head the wears that crown.

 

[avalon2423]

after watching last nights game, both the Pacers and Knicks teams look awful.. The only thing that bothers me is that Miami plays down to its opponents and with the Knicks if you do that it can cost you a game. With Indiana even playing down we can still beat them.. If George Hill is out then Indiana is going to have a very rough time..

 

[Flauge]

both teams look awful, then some nights they look great. when hibbert is active and blocking shots and west/hill are hitting their shots, Indiana looks great. when melo is hitting and tyson chandler is boarding/blocking shot the knicks look great too.

we will probably drop a game, maybe even 2 next round.. it's cool. we are better, we will win the ECF. Everytime we lose people think we played down to an opponent, which is certainly the case sometimes (especially with the bulls missing 3 starters). But the Pacers and Knicks are good enough to beat Miami. Not 4/7 but once or twice out of 7. It's not necessarily we are playing down to them... sometimes other teams just hit more shots and have a better night. It's the ECF.. the team getting here doesnt suck. I will be pulling for the knicks again tonight to get a few more days of rest for Wade.

 

[Heatles84]

both teams look awful, then some nights they look great. when hibbert is active and blocking shots and west/hill are hitting their shots, Indiana looks great. when melo is hitting and tyson chandler is boarding/blocking shot the knicks look great too.

we will probably drop a game, maybe even 2 next round.. it's cool. we are better, we will win the ECF. Everytime we lose people think we played down to an opponent, which is certainly the case sometimes (especially with the bulls missing 3 starters). But the Pacers and Knicks are good enough to beat Miami. Not 4/7 but once or twice out of 7. It's not necessarily we are playing down to them... sometimes other teams just hit more shots and have a better night. It's the ECF.. the team getting here doesnt suck. I will be pulling for the knicks again tonight to get a few more days of rest for Wade.

Flauge, there's no reason for you to cheer for the Knicks to push this series any further. Right now the ECF is set to start next Wednesday despite if the series ends tomorrow night or on Monday.

Not to get ahead of ourselves as the Knicks and Pacers are no pushovers in the ECF. But how do you guys feel about a potential 7 game series with the Grizzlies in the Finals. I have to tell you that they make me slightly nervous given the skill of their front court in Randolph and Gasol. My thing with them is what happens when they face a legit defense and outside of Bayless and Pondexter, who else can they go to off the bench?

 

[Flauge]

Flauge, there's no reason for you to cheer for the Knicks to push this series any further. Right now the ECF is set to start next Wednesday despite if the series ends tomorrow night or on Monday.

Not to get ahead of ourselves as the Knicks and Pacers are no pushovers in the ECF. But how do you guys feel about a potential 7 game series with the Grizzlies in the Finals. I have to tell you that they make me slightly nervous given the skill of their front court in Randolph and Gasol. My thing with them is what happens when they face a legit defense and outside of Bayless and Pondexter, who else can they go to off the bench?

i didnt realize the date of the ECF was set. Well I dont give a shit now. Thanks for ruining it for me you big ruiner.

I think the finals vs grizzlies would go 6. 7 a possibility, but 6 the most likely. Regardless of Spurs or Grizzlies, the Heat are better and deeper. The Grizzlies have also never been on the big stage, you never know how a player will react to that sort of pressure the first few times they face it. Either way, Spurs or Grizzlies, my pick is Heat in 6.

 

[avalon2423]

The Heat will beat the Grizzlies in 5.

 

[Heatles84]

i didnt realize the date of the ECF was set. Well I dont give a shit now. Thanks for ruining it for me you big ruiner.

I think the finals vs grizzlies would go 6. 7 a possibility, but 6 the most likely. Regardless of Spurs or Grizzlies, the Heat are better and deeper. The Grizzlies have also never been on the big stage, you never know how a player will react to that sort of pressure the first few times they face it. Either way, Spurs or Grizzlies, my pick is Heat in 6.

Very true, and I'm sorry to be the proverbial dream crusher....it just comes naturally . But the latter points you bring up are definitely considerations. With the Spurs they're arguably the deepest team in the league, however Duncan and Manu are well past their primes as Parker is still the only player considered to be in his prime. Still though, I'd absolutely love a Spurs vs. Heat Finals as I think that would be a compelling series.

Memphis is great with their starting rotation, just little bench depth. Regardless, we'll need to focus on the ECF before we start getting into potential Finals matchups.

 

[Flauge]

Very true, and I'm sorry to be the proverbial dream crusher....it just comes naturally . But the latter points you bring up are definitely considerations. With the Spurs they're arguably the deepest team in the league, however Duncan and Manu are well past their primes as Parker is still the only player considered to be in his prime. Still though, I'd absolutely love a Spurs vs. Heat Finals as I think that would be a compelling series.

Memphis is great with their starting rotation, just little bench depth. Regardless, we'll need to focus on the ECF before we start getting into potential Finals matchups.

I agree with you on Memphis lack of depth. The spurs are deeper, I just like the Heat bench with Battier/Allen/Cole/Birdman.. even guys like Miller over the Spurs bench. Outside of Ginobili their bench is average. Blair/Joseph/bonner/74 year old TMac.. not impressed>

I think the Spurs will beat the Grizzlies in an epic series. My guess in the NBA wants Heat v Spurs.. seems like best rating draw. you got the built in story line of Lebron v the team that swept him in 2007. Spoles vs Pop scares me some.. but at the end of the day.. Miami is younger and in their prime, they should win the series in 6.

 

[Paolo305613]

Maybe Pop rest his main guys if they face the Heat in the finals... Don’t think the league wants that.

 

[Paolo305613]

As for people always claiming the Heat played down to the opponent as the reason why they often or always lose... Fact of the matter is, the biggest reason they lose IS in FACT because they play down to the opponent. The reason they lose is not only because they play down to the opponent as other things factor in but playing down to the opponent is certainly a major part.

Once again, I find it laughable the Mr.Heat in 5 is not so sure of himself now saying that we would win an ECF series in 6 OR 7 games. He is no longer sure of himself because even he now admits we are facing a tougher opponent.

 

[Paolo305613]

As for remaining teams the Heat should fear if they go further... The Pacers and Grizzles are 2... The Pacers play us tough and the Grizzles are playing like under-dogs and it seems to be fueling them. Another thing is that these two teams have over the Heat that they should fear is, they both play harder than the Heat on a more consistent basis... The Heat just don’t play as hard as they could and should enough. Lets see if they start doing so in the next round.

 

[Heatles84]

As for people always claiming the Heat played down to the opponent as the reason why they often or always lose... Fact of the matter is, the biggest reason they lose IS in FACT because they play down to the opponent. The reason they lose is not only because they play down to the opponent as other things factor in but playing down to the opponent is certainly a major part.

Once again, I find it laughable the Mr.Heat in 5 is not so sure of himself now saying that we would win an ECF series in 6 OR 7 games. He is no longer sure of himself because even he now admits we are facing a tougher opponent.

I'm not sure how Flauge is not sure of himself. He flat out called the Heat in 5 and said the Heat would win 4 straight against Chicago and stuck by it after you called him out. I found it doubtful as well, but possible since the Heat have been presented with that scenario a few times in the Big 3 era.

Saying the Heat will win in 6 games if we play the Pacers isn't far fetched. I just can't see the Pacers being a team that can get swept, same with the Knicks.

 

[Paolo305613]

If the Heat play at the level they are capable of , avoid complacancy and avoid playing down to teams - They can sweep anyone at any time.

 

[Heatles84]

If the Heat play at the level they are capable of , avoid complacancy and avoid playing down to teams - They can sweep anyone at any time.

You act like that's possible to do 100% of the time - it's not. Jordan's Bulls were by far more talented and more of a lock to win a title then this group. But even they didn't go through every round sweeping opponents. We're now in the deeper part of the playoff format, the teams that are here are no scrubs. We have the most talented team by far, but you forget that we have teams out there that poise a challenge:

Indiana: They have an all-star front court in West, Hibbert, and Paul George. Not too mention that George Hill is a sick PG with DJ Augustin coming off the bench. Plus Frank Vogel is one helluva coach.

New York: They have a higher ceiling then the Pacers but are so inconsistent which is why the Pacers may win the series. However, when the Knicks get hot during a game, there's no stopping them. You really think that Melo and JR are going to struggle an entire series? The answer is no.

Memphis: A more talented version of Indiana in the front court. Oh ya, they also have a 1st team defensive player in Tony Allen, the DPOY in Marc Gasol and as well as Tayshawn Prince. Their strengths are our weaknesses and vice versa.

San Antonio: That core group won 3 titles together in a 6-year span and as I said before is one of the deepest teams in the league. On top of that, Popovich is the best coach in the league hands down.

The playoffs are a different beast as you as well as your opponent can setup your gameplan from game to game (give different defensive sets, different offensive gameplan, different substitution patterns, etc.). There has been no team that has swept the playoffs, that's a fact. The Heat are going to lose more games in the playoffs, but please don't throw out that them not sweeping the rest of the playoffs will be a colossal failure.

 

[Paolo305613]

Whether it is or not, no one really knows for sure until they actually try to do that 100 % of the time which is what they fail to do most of the time.. Sometimes they just don’t try. They are most certainly capable of it -- Therefore, it is possible.

There has been no team that has swept the playoffs, that's a fact.

Fact or not, this is the past and it means nothing to what the Heat are currently capable of doing.

but please don't throw out that them not sweeping the rest of the playoffs will be a colossal failure.

You seem to like “facts” so I would suggest sticking to them when you say something otherwise you lose the little bit of credibility you have... I have never said them not sweep would be a “colossal failure” But, I will say it would be a major disappointment considering what they are capable of.