As if everyone wasn't already all over the Heat...

[HYPE.]

So the team wins a few games in a row, and the league is calling them the best team in the league? Not only that, but they also say they are on track to meet and/or surpass the '71-'72 Lakers record winning streak. Give me a break.

The Miami Heat just might be the best team in the NBA right now. They certainly aren’t doing anything to hurt their cause. They continue to steamroll the competition in ways that didn’t seem possible just three weeks ago, when many people were questioning their union of superstars.
The only legitimate question surrounding this team right now is who is going to stop them?
Winners of nine straight games after Monday’s win over the Hornets, the Heat’s hot streak could hit 14 by Christmas, when the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers take their talents to Staples Center to face the crew from South Beach.
No offense to the Cavaliers and Wizards, but if the Knicks can’t get them Friday in New York and Cuban’s Mavericks don’t slow them down Dec. 20 in Miami, that Christmas Day showdown with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers will take on even more epic proportions for both sides.
If the Lakers can’t stop them, a home game against the Knicks ( Dec. 28 ) and a road game in Houston (Dec. 29) are all that stand in the way of the Heat finishing December without a blemish.
It’s a stunning turnaround from that .500 start, even for a team that boasts two of the best players on the planet in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
We know it’s taboo to look too far ahead, but the way this Heat team is playing right now they could run off a string of wins that challenges the 1971-72 Lakers’ NBA record 33-game streak.

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2010/12/14/no-stopping-the-heat/?ls=iref:nbahpt1

[PosImpos]

Yeah, it's pretty silly.  What have they done in this run to make somebody realistically posit that they won't lose at least once to a list of teams including the Lakers, the Mavs, the Rockets, and the Knicks (twice)?  They've only won 9 straight, and they are saying they could win another 24 games without losing once?  Utterly ridiculous.

But that's how to get attention when covering the Heat, it seems - be as outrageous as possible, whether it's claiming they're awful and fatally flawed, or jumping on their D's and spouting nonsense about 72 win seasons and 33 game win streaks.

[guava_wrench]

Anyone can get a blog these days.

[Bahku]

The "League" is just doing what they've been planning, (and hoping), to do since the signing of LeBron and Bosh in Miami. They've been prepped to stroke this thing for all it's worth since it started, and this kind of thing doesn't surprise me a bit.

Personally, I'd rather everyone didn't see the Celtics as the best team ... I've always loved the whole "underdog" concept, at the C's seem to respond with their best whenever the chips are down. Expect the more of the same, (and TP for the great post).

[barefacedmonk]

Sekou Smith is a HORRIBLE writer/blogger...and I have a feeling that he dislikes the Celtics...he never wastes an opportunity to beat down on us...comes across as OVERLY (yes with caps) critical of almost everything we do...

[Celtics4ever]

I think many are hoping they bail them out with their play because so many of these cats annointed them as the next great thing.  I am sure Mr. Smith is one of these fellows hoping they win and save him face.  Worst kind of writer, really, thinks they are making the news and influencing it rather than simply reporting it.  But good writers are hard to find these days. 

They have a nice schedule recently.  I still think any good team with bigs can expose the Heat as pretenders not contenders but they should pummnel the bad teams soundly.  Trouble with the HEAT is, if there is competition they have been suspect all season.   Good teams have done well with them.

[GreenFaith1819]

Whatever.

It's all about what sells. If the Heat can successful pull off a run like that (71-72 Lakers), that would be even more hype for the League. Of course that's what they are pushing for.

In fairness to the Heat? They do appear to be playing better together. Whatever doldrums they were experiencing they seem to have gotten over.

Good for them, I'm sure. And good for the League. This is their baby, these Heat.

As for Sekou's article? Well, they could very well beat Dallas and New York. We almost beat Dallas in Big D, and NY - while certainly playing better these days, are not unbeatable.

LA? As much as I can't stand LA, I don't see MIA beating them on Christmas day. By that time, Bynum will be up to speed, Gasol would've gotten some rest, and I can see that day getting ugly very fast - for MIA.

Does anyone think that Kobe, Ron Ron, or Barnes will let DWade and Lebron just come to LA on Christmas and show off? I think not.

MIA has had a good stretch of games against lesser opponents, which has of course placed them back in the limelight.

Whatever. They are 0-2 against us, and like 2-8 against teams with winning records.

[housecall]

He does spot appearances on NBATV where you see his loyalty is to the Hawks.

[papa shuttlesworth]

I find the whole premise of the article funny.  It says "but if the Knicks can’t get them Friday... if Cuban’s Mavericks don’t slow them down... If the Lakers can’t stop them..."

With that logic, you can argue that if the rest of any team's opponents can't slow them down, they will win the rest of their games.  Like "if the Wolves, Rockets, Suns, Kings and Jazz can't slow the Clippers down, they will finish December on a 5 game winning streak."

There is a reason why they play the games.