"Miami does not want to play Boston" -- Bucher

[thestackshow]

Sadly I don't think it matters.  The Heat are just too good.

Correct me if im wrong, but arent you the guy that wanted Rondo traded for Jose Calderon and a pick?

[colincb]

I don't think Philly's a push over either, but I like our chances a lot if we can get to the ECF.  The playoffs are a battle of match-ups and we match up very well against Miami and I do believe the Heat know it.

[nickagneta]

Miami should be worrying about the Knicks and the Pacers. I don't see the Knicks going quietly and that Pacers team is darn good with a player that Miami has zero answer for in Roy Hibbert. I could see Hibbert throwing up a 22/15 series versus the Heat that could kill them as they have West, Granger, Paul and Hill to offset Bosh, Wade, and LeBron.

[nickagneta]

I don't think Philly's a push over either, but I like our chances a lot if we can get to the ECF.  The playoffs are a battle of match-ups and we match up very well against Miami and I do believe the Heat know it.

TP, I agree. Philly will be a 6 or 7 game series.

[Fafnir]

Miami should be worrying about the Knicks and the Pacers. I don't see the Knicks going quietly and that Pacers team is darn good with a player that Miami has zero answer for in Roy Hibbert. I could see Hibbert throwing up a 22/15 series versus the Heat that could kill them as they have West, Granger, Paul and Hill to offset Bosh, Wade, and LeBron.

In four games Hibbert is shooting 42% for a whole 10 PPG in 30 MPG.

I don't think Hibbert is good enough passer to punish them for their disruptive help defense.

[j804]

I'm not surprised, they seemed to celebrate harder when they beat us last year than when they beat the Bulls.

I think LeBron/Wade have a lot of respect for the C's given their respective playoff history. I don't think its fear as much as respect, I believe that they expect to beat whomever they play in the end.

You would think they had won the Finals last year after they beat us. That could have been part of LeBrons downfall in the Finals he seemed content after beating Boston and mentally checked out after.

[nickagneta]

Miami should be worrying about the Knicks and the Pacers. I don't see the Knicks going quietly and that Pacers team is darn good with a player that Miami has zero answer for in Roy Hibbert. I could see Hibbert throwing up a 22/15 series versus the Heat that could kill them as they have West, Granger, Paul and Hill to offset Bosh, Wade, and LeBron.

In four games Hibbert is shooting 42% for a whole 10 PPG in 30 MPG.

I don't think Hibbert is good enough passer to punish them for their disruptive help defense.

Yeah but three of those games happened before David West started playing like David West again in April which allowed for a lot of that help defense. West has been playing lights out since April started and Indiana has seen a huge difference as a team because of it.

You could be right but I think its the match up that will give Miami fits. And if they cheat to much to off West he could do very well against Bosh.

[Smitty77]

Fafnir,

What in the world makes you state the NY is a top five defensive team??

NY ranked 27th in blocks.
NY ranked 10th in points allowed per game.
NY 10th in FG% allowed.
NY ranked 18th in rebounds.

They did rank 2nd in steals:-))

That HARDLY, by any stretch of the imagination, equated to a top five defensive team.

Smitty77

[j804]

Miami should be worrying about the Knicks and the Pacers. I don't see the Knicks going quietly and that Pacers team is darn good with a player that Miami has zero answer for in Roy Hibbert. I could see Hibbert throwing up a 22/15 series versus the Heat that could kill them as they have West, Granger, Paul and Hill to offset Bosh, Wade, and LeBron.

I don't know I've watched a few games of that series and neither team looked really good, Hibbert actually looked awful.

[alajet]

Fafnir,

What in the world makes you state the NY is a top five defensive team??

NY ranked 27th in blocks.
NY ranked 10th in points allowed per game.
NY 10th in FG% allowed.
NY ranked 18th in rebounds.

They did rank 2nd in steals:-))

That HARDLY, by any stretch of the imagination, equated to a top five defensive team.

Smitty77

Here you go.
http://www.nba.com/powerrankings/

[LooseCannon]

What in the world makes you state the NY is a top five defensive team??

New York ranking fifth in fewest points allowed per 100 possessions.

[thestackshow]

Miami should be worrying about the Knicks and the Pacers. I don't see the Knicks going quietly and that Pacers team is darn good with a player that Miami has zero answer for in Roy Hibbert. I could see Hibbert throwing up a 22/15 series versus the Heat that could kill them as they have West, Granger, Paul and Hill to offset Bosh, Wade, and LeBron.

I don't know I've watched a few games of that series and neither team looked really good, Hibbert actually looked awful.

Hibbert isnt a dominant center.

Hes averaging 11 and 11 this year in the playoffs vs 6'6 big baby.

KG is averaging 17 and 10 at the age of 65.

Hibbert just isnt a dominant numbers guy, its unrealistic to expect him to score in the 20's

[CelticHooligan3]

Sadly I don't think it matters.  The Heat are just too good.

Bit of a deafeatest attitude, no?  

[guava_wrench]

Sadly I don't think it matters.  The Heat are just too good.

When you play a team that plays no defense in the knicks you are going to look good

The Knicks are a top 5 defensive team in the NBA this year.

Let me repeat this:

The Knicks are a top 5 defensive team this year

Plus two games out of the four this series they've held the Heat far below their average offensive efficiency. (though the two games in Miami they did blow them out with some scorching offense, I think that's in large part due to how sickly Chandler was playing)

I agree it is unfair to critique the Knicks based on defense.

Still, the Knicks are still a bad team by playoff team standards. There offense is an embarrassment. Also, Lebron vs Melo is an overwhelming win for Miami because Melo can't work in a system like Pierce can (under Doc) which allows the Miami defense to load up on the strong side when Melo does his predictable posting.

Add to that Shumpert, their second best defender and best wing defender, going down, though I was pretty down on the Knicks from day one of the playoffs due to matchup problems. Miami is a really bad matchup for the Knicks due to the excellent defenders at the 3 and Melo's brute force playing style.

We are a tough matchup for Miami.

[guava_wrench]

Miami should be worrying about the Knicks and the Pacers. I don't see the Knicks going quietly and that Pacers team is darn good with a player that Miami has zero answer for in Roy Hibbert. I could see Hibbert throwing up a 22/15 series versus the Heat that could kill them as they have West, Granger, Paul and Hill to offset Bosh, Wade, and LeBron.

I don't know I've watched a few games of that series and neither team looked really good, Hibbert actually looked awful.

Hibbert isnt a dominant center.

Hes averaging 11 and 11 this year in the playoffs vs 6'6 big baby.

KG is averaging 17 and 10 at the age of 65.

Hibbert just isnt a dominant numbers guy, its unrealistic to expect him to score in the 20's

While I do not contest your point, I would be careful about how you talk about Baby. Baby may be short, but he is an excellent post defender. Keep a guy like Hibbert far from the hoop and make him chase you on offense to tire him out. Baby won't get as tired pushing Hibbert out as, say, KG would (though KG's jumper will destroy Hibbert).