ESPN *cough* Experts: Are the Celtics better than the Heat?

[Who]

It really is silly to try to gauge how good the Heat are right now. We need to wait a few months for their performances to be meaningful. It is obvious that they don't yet know how to play together. Their coach is still implementing their offense.

We have no idea whether or not they will learn to play together by the end of the season.

They could gel until the cows come home but, they will still have major holes at PG and Center. 

Let's say they sign Dampier (apparently, they're talking to him again) and Mike Miller comes back healthy, with Wade sliding over to defend PGs.  That makes those two holes a lot less of a concern, right?

I'm hopeful that the Heat remain this soft and disjointed the entire season, but I don't think they will.  I think our playoff series with them will be a pretty tough battle (that we win).

The Wade sliding over has already happened quite a bit. We did okay against it.

I do agree that Dampier will help them greatly, though I think he must have some sort of injury to still be available at this point.

I think it's just a case of Dampier being difficult, or choosy in deciding where he wants to go.

He said he was only willing to sign with a contender which ruled out anywhere from 50-70% of the league + he wants regular playing time (20mpg) with many of the remaining teams already having a center rotation in place that they like which ruled out most of the remaining teams.

Dampier's choices / demands made it a limited market place for him. If he was willing to sign for a lesser team or for less of a sure role, he could get a signed contract right away.

[Celtics4ever]

They are going to get better of course, but they could get worse too if they turn on one another.  This could happen,  I don't see a lot of guys playing team ball out there for them, I see a lot of guys advancing the dribble and going one on one.   They lose this coach and it will be much harder.  He is a joke and acts all snide but these guys don't respect him and you can see it.   With Riles taking all those notes its only a matter of time before he takes over.

I think Miller will help but he is another needs the ball guy to some extent.  A good spot shooter, though, but this team loves the dribble and its their downfall.  Dampier might help but he might not too.  He has never really been a lockdown defender or shot blocker.   Our guys will still drive on him and score to some extent.   Is it just me or do they not play team defense?  I 've not seen such a porous lane in such a long time and bad perimeter D.  Their D is very bad over all.  Not much commitment there at all.

We are better, I 've known it since they put that team together.  I have confidence in LeBron James ability to falter and choke.

[Fafnir]

It really is silly to try to gauge how good the Heat are right now. We need to wait a few months for their performances to be meaningful. It is obvious that they don't yet know how to play together. Their coach is still implementing their offense.

We have no idea whether or not they will learn to play together by the end of the season.

They could gel until the cows come home but, they will still have major holes at PG and Center. 

Let's say they sign Dampier (apparently, they're talking to him again) and Mike Miller comes back healthy, with Wade sliding over to defend PGs.  That makes those two holes a lot less of a concern, right?

I'm hopeful that the Heat remain this soft and disjointed the entire season, but I don't think they will.  I think our playoff series with them will be a pretty tough battle (that we win).

The Wade sliding over has already happened quite a bit. We did okay against it.

I do agree that Dampier will help them greatly, though I think he must have some sort of injury to still be available at this point.

I think it's just a case of Dampier being difficult, or choosy in deciding where he wants to go.

He said he was only willing to sign with a contender which ruled out anywhere from 50-70% of the league + he wants regular playing time (20mpg) with many of the remaining teams already having a center rotation in place that they like which ruled out most of the remaining teams.

Dampier's choices / demands made it a limited market place for him. If he was willing to sign for a lesser team or for less of a sure role, he could get a signed contract right away.

Well I guess that's his perogative...

[LB3533]

Seems as though we've had our chemistry since Game 1 against the Wizards opening night.

KG went for a 20/20 game.

It doesn't seem like we needed to develop chemistry throughout the regular season...the development came in training camp and preseason. (See Rome prior to the start of 2007-2008 RS.)

Also, if you look at regular season record wise...it looks as though the Celtics have lost this "chemistry", going from 66 wins to 62 to 50 wins.

[Tgro]

Still, I think we're kidding ourselves if we think this is the best we're going to be.  We played last game with Shaq at less than full speed and Semeh Erden out there.  Throw in Perk and Delonte West (not to mention JO) and Miami never gets close and never makes a game out of that. 

I really think we're underestimating the impact of missing those guys.  Doc's having to ride the starters longer and doesn't give them breaks in the third quarter.  Once everyone's healthy, that won't be the case and the C's should stay strong all game. 

The way we are playing with these kind of situations going on now makes it look like the Celtics will be downright awesome should we ever get and remain healthy. Doc can practically switch players at will and everyone on this team already seems cohesive and playing like the championship caliber team they are. All the pieces seem nicely in place and playing well. This just seems to be all about staying healthy. That's like the #1 thing to fear these days. More than the opponents. Because we're pretty [dang] good as it is right now and we'll only be better/deeper when we get these guys back. 

[guava_wrench]

Well, I think we're wishfully deluding ourselves if we think Miami isn't going to get better.  Bosh will likely improve and Mike Miller will help. 

Still, I think we're kidding ourselves if we think this is the best we're going to be.  We played last game with Shaq at less than full speed and Semeh Erden out there.  Throw in Perk and Delonte West (not to mention JO) and Miami never gets close and never makes a game out of that. 

I really think we're underestimating the impact of missing those guys.  Doc's having to ride the starters longer and doesn't give them breaks in the third quarter.  Once everyone's healthy, that won't be the case and the C's should stay strong all game. 

We don't have as much room to improve because our main guys have already know each other and the system.

There is also a logic problem with the idea that we will be stronger if we play our starters less. Sure, we will be stronger over a season, but not in an individual game.

[GreenFaith1819]

For me, I just look forward to June 2011. We've taken two from the Heat, which is an accomplishment in itself, and we are almost through with a tough road schedule early on this season.

Better than MIA? Right now, of course. While I'd love to bash MIA, I can see them getting better, but not good enough to beat us in a Seven-Game series, especially once we get Delonte back.

I do think it's time to ratchet back MIA's wins prediction, though....until they can prove that they can beat Playoff-caliber teams, I put their win total squarely around 50.

[nba is the worst]

Miami clearly thinks their best lineup is Wade, Bron, Bosh, Haslem and Jones/Miller when he's heathly.  I don't particularly like it, but they apparently do.  So, why not start them?

Because it would be like the Celtics starting Posey as a stretch 4 and Garnett as the center all season long in 07/08.

And this is why the Heat can't live up to the hype.

If they start Joel they fall behind immediately, and Bosh doesn't perform.

If they start Z, it will be better, but he's too slow defensively and will end up injured if he plays starters' minutes.

Spoel wasn't smart by leaviung their only young big off of the active roster while playing the Nets, Twolves and 76ers - developing him should be priority #1.

[celticsmaniac18]

i think this answer is clear...
Celtics 2.....Heat 0!

[LooseCannon]

If they start Z, it will be better, but he's too slow defensively and will end up injured if he plays starters' minutes.

Starting someone doesn't mean he has to play 30 mpg.  They might be better off playing Z at the beginning 6-7 minutes of each half to space the floor when Wade and James are in together and bring him back towards the end of the second quarter, but going with Haslem and Bosh up front in the fourth quarter.

The thing about the Celtics is, they just seem more likely than the Heat to drop a random game to the Grizzlies or Twolves even though they are more likely to win in a Boston-Miami matchup.  I might even say that, while Boston is more likely to win, Miami is more likely to have a 30-point blowout win over Boston than vice versa.  Hollinger's stats have problems predicting such a counter-intuitive scenario.

[BballTim]

Well, I think we're wishfully deluding ourselves if we think Miami isn't going to get better.  Bosh will likely improve and Mike Miller will help. 

Still, I think we're kidding ourselves if we think this is the best we're going to be.  We played last game with Shaq at less than full speed and Semeh Erden out there.  Throw in Perk and Delonte West (not to mention JO) and Miami never gets close and never makes a game out of that. 

I really think we're underestimating the impact of missing those guys.  Doc's having to ride the starters longer and doesn't give them breaks in the third quarter.  Once everyone's healthy, that won't be the case and the C's should stay strong all game. 

We don't have as much room to improve because our main guys have already know each other and the system.

There is also a logic problem with the idea that we will be stronger if we play our starters less. Sure, we will be stronger over a season, but not in an individual game.

  We're missing two of what should be our top 7-8 players. I can see how their return would be cause for improvement.