Which team was the toughest opponent in the playoffs for us this year?

[BigAlTheFuture]

In our amazing run in the playoffs. Who did you guys think played us the toughest in the post-season? I will have to go with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They played great team defense and Lebron James was a beast. I thought they were the closest team to beating us in the playoffs this year. They probably weren't the best team we faced in the playoffs but I thought they were the team that we had the most trouble beating.

[Edgar]

In our amazing run in the playoffs. Who did you guys think played us the toughest in the post-season? I will have to go with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They played great team defense and Lebron James was a beast. I thought they were the closest team to beating us in the playoffs this year. They probably weren't the best team we faced in the playoffs but I thought they were the team that we had the most trouble beating.

Yes Cleveland
they showed why they got that far last year
Wally and DW really step up and cover hughes place.
LeBron is of course one of the best 5 of the game and hes dominant.
Their size really give us lot of trouble

If Perk was hurt in that series we probably NEVER survive that one.

[Who]

The same as this season - Cleveland and Orlando

We'll see if anyone can make enough deals to join them but I doubt it.

[hpantazo]

cleveland by far, they were very, very tough and played great D, they may have won it all this year if we hadn't beaten them in game 7. They could take the lakers.

[Edgar]

The same as this season - Cleveland and Orlando

We'll see if anyone can make enough deals to join them but I doubt it.

Atlanta will only get better too

[Roy Hobbs]

To join the consensus, Cleveland.  In terms of quality of the teams -- or at least how we matched up with them -- I'd say 1. Cleveland, 2. Detroit, 3. Los Angeles, 4. Atlanta.  An argument can be made for Atlanta over L.A., but because we blew the Hawks out in each of the games at home, I'd ranking the Lakers third.

[ChampKind]

Cleveland was the only team that I was worried about losing a series to.  They put our backs against a wall, and made me pretty nervous.  The Hawks were the only other team that put us in an elimination game, but at no point was I concerned that we'd lose that series.

[zerophase]

cleveland was the team i've been worried bout all year. cleveland and orlando that is. but the pistons took care of the magic for us. i was scared of lebron taking us out like the pistons last year and hell, this year when they had all those role players like dwest step up on their home floor, i was scared out of my mind. lebron missed a bunch, but say if in game one he made all of those completely wide open jumpers, we would have been in deep trouble.

the magic would have actually been a bad matchup because we have no answer for howard. garnett is not strong enough and perkins is not athletic enough and would have gotten into foul trouble.

the machine + grizzly man + mvp, and "sheed" + iron mask imitator + mr. big shot (prince plays scared against pierce, always has and did again) , really didn't do much to phase my confidence. the hawks worried me for the fact that we couldn't win on the road, not that we were going to lose the series. i knew we were winning the series on how we blew them out with all of our reserves (sam cassell destroyed them on their home floor).

[Who]

The same as this season - Cleveland and Orlando

We'll see if anyone can make enough deals to join them but I doubt it.

Atlanta will only get better too

I don't think Atlanta will get better. They have way too many holes. Their defense is poor with only one perimeter defender who's average or better (above average - JJ) and one interior defender who's better than average (Smith). Their offense doesn't function in the halfcourt because they have only one penetrator, nobody posts up, they have only player who's an above average passer for his position, they don't move well without the ball. They've a fool for a head coach who doesn't let them run and use their great athleticism/open court skills. This is one of the most flawed teams in the league.

Atlanta will go wherever Al Horford takes them. If he can come back with a low post game and give them 16-18ppg their offense could take a large step forward because they'd have that second go-to option for shots. If he can learn how to play post defense their interior defense can take a step forward. Unfortunately that still leaves a lot of flaws uncovered which tells you how vulnerable they are.

Otherwise I think they go backwards. Rest of the East; particularly Chicago, Miami and Indiana (JO's health) will be a lot better next season. You also have a few other wildcards that could get in the race for the final playoff spot. I wouldn't be surprised if Atlanta missed the playoffs next year.

At the moment I think their chances of missing the playoffs are far greater than making the playoffs.

[Onslaught]

I'm with all the other guys with the Cavs. And as it stands now they are the team in the east I fear for next year. But that's a long way off.

[MattG12]

the magic would have actually been a bad matchup because we have no answer for howard. garnett is not strong enough and perkins is not athletic enough and would have gotten into foul trouble.

i really don't think we would have gotten past the magic. i was terrified of having to play them in the playoffs but we lucked out.

[Byrdman]

I don't think Orlando could have handled us last year, with personnel similar to us the Pistons handled them pretty easily considering Billup's injury. I re-watched game 7 of the Cleveland series today and honestly LeBron puts way more fear into me than Kobe.  He's simply unstoppable when his J is falling and he's still ridiculously good when it isn't falling.

[MattG12]

I don't think Orlando could have handled us last year, with personnel similar to us the Pistons handled them pretty easily considering Billup's injury. I re-watched game 7 of the Cleveland series today and honestly LeBron puts way more fear into me than Kobe.  He's simply unstoppable when his J is falling and he's still ridiculously good when it isn't falling.

Although i disagree with the Orlando part, i complete agree about the LeBron/Kobe comparison. The media is all about calling Kobe the best player in the game. I think LeBron was much stiffer competition than Kobe and LeBron seems like a team player, you can tell he has love for all of his teammates and everything. Kobe doesn't have love for his teammates unless they're winning and even then you can tell hes faking, he acts like hes above all of them.

[wdleehi]

Cleveland.


1) their playoff level defense was the best the Celtics saw.

2) Lebron James did the best defensive job on Pierce. 

3) Big Z can shoot over all the Celtics defenders. 

4) The Cavs outside shooter can and will hit the open outside jumper. 

[Jon]

I'm not sure Atlanta was the toughest; however, they did exploit a m;ajor problem for us in terms of a repeat: athleticism.  While KG's solid in that department and Rondo is probably the quickest PG in the league, they are still ovematched down low and on the wings.  I mean if Perk and Rondo could finish in the lane, they would have swept the playoffs. 

I think what this really means is that Perk and Rondo need a wake up call in terms of finishing around the basket.  On top of that, I'd love to see a big finisher at the 4/5 spot come in off the bench.  I like Powe and Baby, but their lack of size hurts them.  If they got someone who could finish inside off easy interior passes, I'd wager a large sum that next year #18 is raised.