Celtics are likely better off if the Heat win

[Neurotic Guy]

Heat, as a result of being a perrenial contender for next 5 years (easily) and being in the winter warmth of Miami, will have every opportunity to improve their team in the off-season.  They'll be on everyone's 'short list' and they'll have the inside track on whomever they want.

Injury to Wade or Lebron will be the only thing that will slow them down next year.  This year was the year to beat them.

On the plus side, I have only this:
1) Perhaps Kobe and company will not win another.
2) It's possible, though unlikely, that DA will pull off a couple of moves that could impact the C's ability to compete with Miami. I have no idea what, but I dare to dream.

[mostofusrsad]

Heat, as a result of being a perrenial contender for next 5 years (easily) and being in the winter warmth of Miami, will have every opportunity to improve their team in the off-season.  They'll be on everyone's 'short list' and they'll have the inside track on whomever they want.

Injury to Wade or Lebron will be the only thing that will slow them down next year.  This year was the year to beat them.

On the plus side, I have only this:
1) Perhaps Kobe and company will not win another.
2) It's possible, though unlikely, that DA will pull off a couple of moves that could impact the C's ability to compete with Miami. I have no idea what, but I dare to dream.

i consider Miami public enemy number 1...i'd rather see ANYBODY win other than them...it is awfully weird to be rooting for teams I would never root for in order to see Miami lose, but man o man, it doesn't look good right now...I'm hoping for a miracle with dallas this year.

[ManUp]

Can someone let me know when a 4-1 best of 7 series loss became a tight series? In my mind, a 4-1 series lost is being beat soundly no matter how close the individual games were. Forget the If, Would have, and Could haves the Heat ran through east. Them winning the title doesn't help anyone, but the Heat and Heat fans.

[Chris]

Can someone let me know when a 4-1 best of 7 series loss became a tight series? In my mind, a 4-1 series lost is being beat soundly no matter how close the individual games were. Forget the If, Would have, and Could haves the Heat ran through east. Them winning the title doesn't help anyone, but the Heat and Heat fans.

When we are talking about how successful the season was, I would agree, however, when the question is whether this team can compete with the best teams in the league, and contend again next year, I absolutely think that the fact the games were incredibly close, and the series could have been very different if things went differently at the end of game 4, needs to be taken into account.

This team hung around with the Heat, and had a chance to change the complexion of the series, even given all their injuries, and the less than stellar performances by the bench. 

It is not something to be proud of as a player as a fan, but when it comes to projecting this teams potential next year, breaking down how those games went is much more important than 4-1.