The Heat are a scary team

[OmarSekou]

I don't get how no one else sees this. Regardless of how you feel about them Wade and Lebron are proven playoff sharks. Everyone is poking them and getting them angry before we throw blood in the water during the playoffs.

We're not even close to the all-star break and even a dysfunctional, erratic Heat has shown enough glimpses that I hope they have to go through a few battles before and if we meet up with them.

[Spicoli]

I can't blame Riley for signing all 3 guys. I think any GM would. However, the Heat are a poorly constructed team. Neither James nor Wade can shoot to save their lives. Bosh is no where to be found in the painted area. The supporting cast is full of D-league level players. Nobody moves without the ball. Any team with a decent point guard + decent post player has a field day against them. I just don't see how any of this is going to change this season. The Heat are a disaster.

[GreenEnvy]

I don't get how no one else sees this. Regardless of how you feel about them Wade and Lebron are proven playoff sharks. Everyone is poking them and getting them angry before we throw blood in the water during the playoffs.

We're not even close to the all-star break and even a dysfunctional, erratic Heat has shown enough glimpses that I hope they have to go through a few battles before and if we meet up with them.

Have you seen them play? They haven't been that impressive.

Wade had one great playoff run (aided by Laker-esque, Stern-dictated officiating) and a flashy game here or there. LeBron can put up the numbers, but last time I checked, he's gone fishing sooner than expected more times than not.

Surprisingly, teams without a decent PG/C and no depth tend to struggle. They also usually don't win championships. Their two best players are iso experts who do very little without the ball.

I thought the Celtics, Magic and Lakers could beat them before the season started, but now I think teams like Chicago (great rebounding bigs, explosive PG, don't rely too heavily on SG/SF for scoring), Dallas and San Antonio can too (but I doubt they see the latter two). They may need to go through the Bulls, Magic AND Celtics just to get to the Finals. I just don't see it right now.

[greenpride32]

I'd say at this point the Heat are more scared of the playoffs, then the other playoff teams are of them.

Heat have lost to Boston (2x), Orlando, Utah, New Orleans, Indiana; all contenders and/or probable playoff teams.  Also throw in a loss to Memphis.

Their wins are against Philly (2x), Nets (2x), Toronto, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Orlando.  All bottom of the barrel with the exception of ORL.

When the playoffs roll around their are no easy games to pad your record.

[Change]

Celtics Zone Defense will shut them down. Did you see how the Mavericks Guarded Lebron? They gave him the "Rondo" treatment. 'the best player in the NBA' the 2time MVP getting the Rondo treatment. Sagging off way back at least 10ft. They forced him to LeBrick every outside shot. Neither Wade nor Lebron have a consistent Jumper. Which makes Celtics assignment much easier.

On the other side, Heat will be abused by the Celtics. They have no Answer for Rondo & Big-Shamrock. KG punks Bosh all the time. Healthy Perk, West, and JO seals the deal. Playing the Celtics is their worst nightmare. Too much size, too much depth, too much chemistry, too much collective talent.

[guava_wrench]

Celtics Zone Defense will shut them down. Did you see how the Mavericks Guarded Lebron? They gave him the "Rondo" treatment. 'the best player in the NBA' the 2time MVP getting the Rondo treatment. Sagging off way back at least 10ft. They forced him to LeBrick every outside shot. Neither Wade nor Lebron have a consistent Jumper. Which makes Celtics assignment much easier.

On the other side, Heat will be abused by the Celtics. They have no Answer for Rondo & Big-Shamrock. KG punks Bosh all the time. Healthy Perk, West, and JO seals the deal. Playing the Celtics is their worst nightmare. Too much size, too much depth, too much chemistry, too much collective talent.

We've one twice against them, but I wouldn't say we've abused them. Counting on all out players being healthy also seems a bit unrealistic. I imagine you are also assuming Haslem and Miller will be healthy.

While Dampier is not great, he will particularly help with the Shaq matchup.

[Megatron]

Need I say more?

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Am I in "Around The League" where a VERY similar thread is posted and I didn't notice it? Who cares how "scary" they look... right now, I'm hoping our team is looking scary to them! Almost every team has the potential to pull it together and be a very good team... look at Celts just last season! Looks can be deceiving can work both ways A) they look bad (9-8) and turn out great or B)they have glimpses of greatness (molly-whopping Orlando the first time and other instances), while turning out to be tUrrible! I'm just hoping w/e they turn out to be, that it's worse than us!

[Birdbrain]

Need I say more?

Very funny and correct as well.  Are there a lot of Heat fans that are Celtic fans as well? I remember thinking this team has severe holes at Center and PG (which meant they wouldn't be a Celtic concern) and 2 players that very alike (love to pound the ball) and 1 player that is hyped by the 'PER and PT diff fans' and is basically a SG/SF on defense.  The fact they are struggling isn't very surprising if you know the game.

I put the my worries on the Heat at Defcon -1.

Teams better than the Heat:

Boston (when healthy the 2nd team would give them a run)

LA
Orlando
NO
Dallas
Memphis (hehe but, seriously way more talented beyond 2 players as sad (glad) as that actually is)
SA
Denver
Chicago

[Greenbean]

I don't get how no one else sees this. Regardless of how you feel about them Wade and Lebron are proven playoff sharks. Everyone is poking them and getting them angry before we throw blood in the water during the playoffs.

We're not even close to the all-star break and even a dysfunctional, erratic Heat has shown enough glimpses that I hope they have to go through a few battles before and if we meet up with them.

LeBron hasnt proven anything without winning a title. He took a mediocre team out of the mediocre east to get destroyed in the finals. Since then he has continued to dissappoint. Did you see the Boston series last year? Think about that series and try to call him a playoff shark.

Even Wade, who I respect as a guy who elevates his game in the post season hasnt won anything in the last 5 years. Not one playoff series.

You are right, these guys are great players, but their supporting cast is beyond awful. The Celtics have the proven playoff sharks.

[billysan]

Clearly, great players have not a great team made.

I refuse to routinely blame the supporting cast for every problem here. These guys are all 'me first' approach players that have proven they dont know how (with some minor exceptions by Wade) to involve teammates and win. Bosh is soft and Lebron is a 'who me' ? guy that loses interest and finger points instead of leading when he has a tough game.

[wdleehi]

I think they are fixable. 


Play the size they now have.  Move Wade to the PG and start an outside shooter at SG.



Give the ball to Lebron and have the team run.   Stop the two offenses.  Make Wade learn to play off Lebron.  If he can't, trade Wade in the offseason for a star that can.

[Roy H.]

I think the Heat will get it together eventually... but probably not this season.  Losing Haslem and Miller were big blows, and stupidly they waited on signing Dampier rather than getting him incorporated into their team right away.

The biggest issues, though, are cohesion and toughness.  The cohesion could potentially come, but I don't think the toughness will until they add some new players.

There's no way the Heat are as bad as they look, though.

[Cman]

I don't get how no one else sees this. Regardless of how you feel about them Wade and Lebron are proven playoff sharks. Everyone is poking them and getting them angry before we throw blood in the water during the playoffs.

We're not even close to the all-star break and even a dysfunctional, erratic Heat has shown enough glimpses that I hope they have to go through a few battles before and if we meet up with them.

I don't know that they are all that scary, but I agree with you that people are writing off the Heat a little early.  Still plenty of time to right that ship.  Something tells me Pat Riley will have a hand in righting the ship.

And I can already write the drivel that ESPN will put out (hint, it goes something like this: "Everyone doubted them, but they never doubted themselves...")

[angryguy77]

Leroid a playoff shark? Don't you have to do something in the playoffs to be called that?