(2) Heat vs. (7) Knicks

#126
#126
If Ray Allen stays healthy and they're on it

But the C's need to be going 100% to make a series of it if the Heat are focused
 
#127
#127
@HowardBeckNYT: Baron Davis' knee injury much worse than thought: partial tear of patella tendon, complete tears of ACL and MCL. 12 month recovery
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That sucks. Guessing that does it for his career.





Also, thanks for ruling out Indy :)

Honestly, how many Pacers games have you seen them play prior to the playoffs? I watched like 60 of their 66 games and just about all of them I had to watch online. Not trying to be condescending but I'm guessing most fans have never watched that's why fans are ruling them out. You hear guys like Barkley and Kenny on TNT talking about how the Pacers will not only challenge Miami but could beat them.

Miami blew them out the first two times but the third time, they beat the Pacers by 2 in OT and the 4th time the Pacers beat them by 15. Personally, the regular season means nothing to me when come playoff time but I have to believe those are about the only Pacers games Heat fans have watched and the rest of the fans might not have watched them play at all this season. Granger and especially West are playing at a different level than they were earlier in the season and George Hill has been playing better as he took over as a starter like 12 games ago.

Last 10 games for West
49.8%fg 21.8pts 8.9rebs 2.5asts 1.1stls

Last 20 games for Granger
45.9%fg 21.5pts 7.1rebs 2.0asts

Since Hill became a starter
44.7%fg 14.5pts 3.3rebs 4.5asts

Everyone is hyping the Celtics for the great run they put on starting March 19th when they went 10-3 and finished 15-6 in that span(Heat didn't play their starters in one of those wins). The Pacers starting March 20th went on 15-4 run and finished 16-6(They didn't play their starters in their loss to the Bulls, the Bulls did).

Sorry but it's really crazy that everyone believes the Celtics can challenge the Heat but don't believe the Pacers can. Not really sure why that is but I really think most of the people saying it didn't watch them at all this season. Really, they're just hanging their hat on the Heat beating them 3-1 during the regular season and losing game one to Orlando imo. I've said it before but I'll say it again, the Pacers have beat 13 of the NBA's 16 teams with a winning record. That includes the Thunder, Lakers, Bulls, Heat, Clippers, Celtics, Magic, Hawks, Mavs, Jazz, Sixers and Knicks. That's 12 of the 15 playoff teams.

Oh well, Pacers thrive as the underdog. They play down to lower opponents and play up to the top opponents. The only teams that had better records were the Bulls, Spurs, Thunder and Heat, and people still write the Pacers off. I can't wait for round 2 so people can actually see the Pacers for once rather than assume they're not that good without ever seeing them play. Even if they get swept, at least they'll finally get to be on national television. They might have been like four times this season. :)
 
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#128
#128
History is always a good indicator of future success in the NBA playoffs.

The Pacers haven't won anything, not sure they know yet.

The Celtics have been there and know what it takes, plus they play great defense.

I believe they matchup much better against Miami, not only from a personnel standpoint but from an experience standpoint as well.

The Pacers are a good team but I'd be surprised if a series between them and Miami went more than five games.

Let's face it, if Rose isn't injured they're already planning their off-season vacations.
 
#129
#129
GahLee said:
History is always a good indicator of future success in the NBA playoffs.

The Pacers haven't won anything, not sure they know yet.

The Celtics have been there and know what it takes, plus they play great defense.

I believe they matchup much better against Miami, not only from a personnel standpoint but from an experience standpoint as well.

The Pacers are a good team but I'd be surprised if a series between them and Miami went more than five games.

Let's face it, if Rose isn't injured they're already planning their off-season vacations.
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You might be surprised :). Pacers could be in trouble if the Heat go small and play Lebron at the 4 and Bosh at the 5 because it means Hibbert will play fewer minutes. As long as they're wiling to play Anthony and Haslem against Hibbert, that's one mismatch. He's been getting his hook shot going, he's been making them from like 10+ feet out lately and he's going crazy blocking shots with 2, 3, 3 and 9 in the playoffs.

Celtics definitely have the experience advantage, I'll give them that and have won it all. You gotta start somewhere though. Spurs had all of the experience in the world last year while the Grizz had none and they walloped em.

Pacers biggest thing will have to be preventing Miami from running the floor. That's what got them in trouble against Miami earlier in the season. Miami was just getting a bunch of fast breaks and lobbing it down court for easy buckets. That's a killer.
 
#130
#130
The_Orange_Pearl said:
You might be surprised :). Pacers could be in trouble if the Heat go small and play Lebron at the 4 and Bosh at the 5 because it means Hibbert will play fewer minutes. As long as they're wiling to play Anthony and Haslem against Hibbert, that's one mismatch. He's been getting his hook shot going, he's been making them from like 10+ feet out lately and he's going crazy blocking shots with 2, 3, 3 and 9 in the playoffs.

Celtics definitely have the experience advantage, I'll give them that and have won it all. You gotta start somewhere though. Spurs had all of the experience in the world last year while the Grizz had none and they walloped em.

Pacers biggest thing will have to be preventing Miami from running the floor. That's what got them in trouble against Miami earlier in the season. Miami was just getting a bunch of fast breaks and lobbing it down court for easy buckets. That's a killer.
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I always look at matchups.

With the Celtics I see more than a few matchup problems for Miami.

Garnett and Bosh essentially cancel each other out ( best case scenario for Miami ).

Pierce is a big time player, he can match either LeBron or Wade scoring the ball.

Obviously Rondo is a favorable matchup for Boston, even though I really like Chalmers defense, he isn't half the player that Rajon is.

Then you got Ray and Avery who combined could be equal value to a Wade.

When I think of the Pacers, I think of a roster full of guys who have never won anything, which means a lot.

I would imagine that if the two play each other, Spolestra would be smart enough to play a smaller line-up. Putting Bosh at the 5 would make Hibbert defend 17 feet away from the basket and take the Pacers only real shot blocking threat away. It would also put Hibbert into situations where is having to switch in the pick and roll game and defend James or Wade.

Granger would be guarded by Battier and James, with him being a streaky player to begin with, I could see him really working hard for everything he got and not being all that successful.

Who is going to guard Wade?

West will have a chance to do damage but then again LeBron has improved his post defense considerably in recent years.
 
#131
#131
GahLee said:
I always look at matchups.

With the Celtics I see more than a few matchup problems for Miami.

Garnett and Bosh essentially cancel each other out ( best case scenario for Miami ).

Pierce is a big time player, he can match either LeBron or Wade scoring the ball.

Obviously Rondo is a favorable matchup for Boston, even though I really like Chalmers defense, he isn't half the player that Rajon is.

Then you got Ray and Avery who combined could be equal value to a Wade.

When I think of the Pacers, I think of a roster full of guys who have never won anything, which means a lot.

I would imagine that if the two play each other, Spolestra would be smart enough to play a smaller line-up. Putting Bosh at the 5 would make Hibbert defend 17 feet away from the basket and take the Pacers only real shot blocking threat away. It would also put Hibbert into situations where is having to switch in the pick and roll game and defend James or Wade.

Granger would be guarded by Battier and James, with him being a streaky player to begin with, I could see him really working hard for everything he got and not being all that successful.

Who is going to guard Wade?

West will have a chance to do damage but then again LeBron has improved his post defense considerably in recent years.
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When Bosh is at the 5, West will be at the 5. West plays the 5 sometimes anyways.

Granger will be on Lebron.

As for who will guard Wade, this is where I know people haven't seen the Pacers. Paul George(6'10") is an amazing defender and he will guard Wade. Rose scored 39 and 36 in the first two games against the Pacers in the playoffs last year. The Pacers switched George on him for the next 3 and Rose averaged 22 on 18 of 57 shooting(31.6%).

Heat should win, I just think the Pacers are better than given credit for because people haven't seen them play. Their starters are tall/athletic and they have a deep bench.
 
#132
#132
The pacers are a solid team, don't get me wrong. But regular season games don't necessarily indicate a whole lot, and even less so this season. When it becomes a best of seven, the equation changes almost entirely.

A healthy, on point boston is the only team I give a realistic shot to beat the heat four times and even then, the odds aren't superb
 
#134
#134
JR Smith is turrible. Watching him run the point is about the worst thing I've ever seen. 2 of 9 shooting, 2 turnovers and 2 fouls. He has no other stats to show in 23 minutes. Dude is a chucker.
 
#135
#135
The_Orange_Pearl said:
JR Smith is turrible. Watching him run the point is about the worst thing I've ever seen. 2 of 9 shooting, 2 turnovers and 2 fouls. He has no other stats to show in 23 minutes. Dude is a chucker.
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Never understood the attraction. Didn't like the signing. Still don't.
 
#136
#136
81-67 Heat after 3.


It really is do or die time now. Time for the Knicks to regroup.
 
#137
#137
Chandler just missed one of the easiest rebounds ever. Not sure what that was...

Heat bury a 3 on the opposite end following it.
 
#138
#138
This is over with the way NY is playing. They've made like 8 mistakes in the last 3 minutes.
 
#141
#141
Hey Heat fans, good look pouring out of the arena with two minutes to go when you're about to win the series.

If you're going to show out like that, give your tickets to somebody who actually wants to be there and appreciate their team advancing in the playoffs.
 
#143
#143
milohimself said:
Hey Heat fans, good look pouring out of the arena with two minutes to go when you're about to win the series.

If you're going to show out like that, give your tickets to somebody who actually wants to be there and appreciate their team advancing in the playoffs.
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The Heat have about 100 real fans. The rest are Cubans trying to prove that they're American and rednecks who got free tickets. I went to a NY vs MIA game about 6 years ago. Most pathetic environment for a game since Buzz was coaching the Vols.
 
#144
#144
I think the Heat do have a genuinely strong following; unfortunately, like most other NBA arenas, the die-hards are priced out
 
#145
#145
bamacheats said:
The Heat have about 100 real fans. The rest are Cubans trying to prove that they're American and rednecks who got free tickets. I went to a NY vs MIA game about 6 years ago. Most pathetic environment for a game since Buzz was coaching the Vols.
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I hear Lakers games are the worst.
 
#146
#146
n_huffhines said:
I hear Lakers games are the worst.
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They are, but the lower bowl in LA has been co-opted by the rich and famous since the team has existed in LA. That's the case with a lot of other arenas now as a recent development, to price the die-hards into the nosebleeds or out of the arena altogether, but that's the way it's been in LA for decades.

That's why the Clippers had their appeal back when, your average folks could come in from I.E. and the valley and afford decent seats.
 
#148
#148
milohimself said:
They are, but the lower bowl in LA has been co-opted by the rich and famous since the team has existed in LA. That's the case with a lot of other arenas now as a recent development, to price the die-hards into the nosebleeds or out of the arena altogether, but that's the way it's been in LA for decades.

That's why the Clippers had their appeal back when, your average folks could come in from I.E. and the valley and afford decent seats.
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Now theres bandwagon celebrities like Billy Crystal and the Kardashians.
 
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