How pathetic is Miami?

[staticcc]

Bahaha well in 2008 we beat a mediocre Hawks team, a one-man show Cavs team and an old Pistons team before steamrolling the Bynum-less Lakers team. It wasn't our team's fault that the competition wasn't as good, same way that it's not the Heat's fault they're beating inferior teams. You play and try to win, no matter which team you're going against.

[aporel#18]

The Heat have the best player in basketball, all the injury luck in the world, and every call they need to get their wins. They're not pathetic, they're disgusting.

But Bosh is severely underrated, he's probably a much better player than Karate Hamster. I think they'd still win without Wade, but not without Bosh.  Of course, they wouldn't be in the playoffs (maybe this year in the weak East, but not every year) without LeBron, and I will smile when  injuries/father time finally take care of the Heatles.

[ScoobyDoo]

Hang on, the Celtics' teams of the 80's had absolute wars coming out of the eastern conference. That was the problem, the Lakers typically had a cake walk out west while the Celtics were in all out bar brawls in the east.

And as for our 2008 win over the Lakers, I have not seen any team the Heat have faced that woudl be as tough as a Kobe Bryant lead Lakers team  that also featured, at the time, arguably the best big man in basketball, in Pau Gasol. That Laker team would have easily beaten this current Heat team.

Kobe Bryant was in his prime, is no slouch and is not a choker.

[manl_lui]

Hang on, the Celtics' teams of the 80's had absolute wars coming out of the eastern conference. That was the problem, the Lakers typically had a cake walk out west while the Celtics were in all out bar brawls in the east.

And as for our 2008 win over the Lakers, I have not seen any team the Heat have faced that woudl be as tough as a Kobe Bryant lead Lakers team  that also featured, at the time, arguably the best big man in basketball, in Pau Gasol. That Laker team would have easily beaten this current Heat team.

Kobe Bryant was in his prime, is no slouch and is not a choker.

I wouldn't say Pau was a best big man in bball in 08, but in 2010 he can be arguably the best and 2nd half of 09.

I remember KG was more dominant than Pau pre 09 injury. And in 09 and 2010, I felt Pau was more important to the Lakers. I honestly felt that in 2010, Pau was the reason the Lakers beat us and not Kobe. Tony Allen did a great job that year limiting Kobe's shots, but Pau abused KG

[Donoghus]

Hang on, the Celtics' teams of the 80's had absolute wars coming out of the eastern conference. That was the problem, the Lakers typically had a cake walk out west while the Celtics were in all out bar brawls in the east.

And as for our 2008 win over the Lakers, I have not seen any team the Heat have faced that woudl be as tough as a Kobe Bryant lead Lakers team  that also featured, at the time, arguably the best big man in basketball, in Pau Gasol. That Laker team would have easily beaten this current Heat team.

Kobe Bryant was in his prime, is no slouch and is not a choker.

I wouldn't say Pau was a best big man in bball in 08, but in 2010 he can be arguably the best and 2nd half of 09.

I remember KG was more dominant than Pau pre 09 injury. And in 09 and 2010, I felt Pau was more important to the Lakers. I honestly felt that in 2010, Pau was the reason the Lakers beat us and not Kobe. Tony Allen did a great job that year limiting Kobe's shots, but Pau abused KG

Thanks for re-opening that wound.    (You're right about Pau, though). 

[Moranis]

They've had some good battles with Indiana and I'm expecting another one shortly.

If they get by Indiana, I wouldn't be shocked to see a San Antonio rematch.   You could make a pretty easy case that San Antonio should've beaten them in last year's finals. 

Digging deep, it really hasn't been a cakewalk for Miami over these past few years. Back to back 7 game conference finals and a 7 game series in last year's NBA finals.

If Indiana gets by DC--which it should--I can't see the Pacers giving the Heat as much trouble this year; they're just too discombobulated and can't seem to snap out of it.

San Antonio certainly should've beat the Heat last year, and it still goads me that the Spurs choked in the last few minutes of Game 6.

Yeah, Miami's had a few tough series (the ones you mentioned), but mostly it's been fairly easy for them, including versus the Thunder in the Finals two years ago.

It's been fairly easy for them because Lebron James is by far the best player in basketball and it isn't close.

And let's not act like this doesn't happen all the time.  I mean look at the 85-86 Celtics.  First round swept Chicago, who obviously had MJ, though it was his second year and he only played in 18 regular season games.  The rest of the team was oversized role players.  Round 2, a 4-1 victory over the Hawks who was a very young team led by Nique.  Round 3, a 4-0 sweep of the Bucks, who while a good team certainly were far from an elite team.  Best players were Moncrief and Cummings.  That year Boston faced Houston in the finals and won 4-2.  Hakeem was in his 2nd year and Sampson was still basically pre-injury, but the starting guards were Robert Reid and Lewis Lloyd and Rodney McCray was the only other notable player on the roster.  Not exactly what you think of when you think NBA champion back-court.  Yet people don't downgrade that Boston title team, despite basically playing no real competition.

Whoa, there.  The '86 Bucks and Hawks were considerably better than any team the Heat have faced so far in these playoffs.  Man, you just disrespected a whole bunch of good teams in one paragraph.

the 86 Bucks and Hawks were no where near as good as San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Indiana, Boston (11-12), and maybe even the Knicks.  People always look back more fondly of prior teams, but the reality is, while Boston and L.A. were great teams and Philly certainly had some great teams, the vast majority of the teams in the early 80's just weren't that good.  Now later 80's and early 90's that was a generally great era as you still had the Lakers and Celtics, but added the Pistons, Bulls, Blazers, (and teams like the Hawks and Knicks were better as they were in their prime then). 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Last night's game made me sick and it will probably be the last Heat game I watch this season. In about a month or so, the Heat will be wrapping up a 3rd straight championship. It's enough to make me throw up in my mouth.

I'll go even further and say projectile vomit.

[manl_lui]

Hang on, the Celtics' teams of the 80's had absolute wars coming out of the eastern conference. That was the problem, the Lakers typically had a cake walk out west while the Celtics were in all out bar brawls in the east.

And as for our 2008 win over the Lakers, I have not seen any team the Heat have faced that woudl be as tough as a Kobe Bryant lead Lakers team  that also featured, at the time, arguably the best big man in basketball, in Pau Gasol. That Laker team would have easily beaten this current Heat team.

Kobe Bryant was in his prime, is no slouch and is not a choker.

I wouldn't say Pau was a best big man in bball in 08, but in 2010 he can be arguably the best and 2nd half of 09.

I remember KG was more dominant than Pau pre 09 injury. And in 09 and 2010, I felt Pau was more important to the Lakers. I honestly felt that in 2010, Pau was the reason the Lakers beat us and not Kobe. Tony Allen did a great job that year limiting Kobe's shots, but Pau abused KG

Thanks for re-opening that wound.    (You're right about Pau, though).

sorry, it hurts too . But I agree with a prime KG/Ray/Pierce > the Heat...but if we are talking about scenarios, I can also say the prime of our 2011 team would've easily also beaten Jordan's 72-10 record :-p

You cannot tell me the prime lineup of

Rondo/Ray/Pierce/KG/Shaq (ESPECIALLY SHAQ IN HIS PRIME)

and a bench of

Nate/Daniels/Tony Allen/BigBaby/J. O'neal/and Perk

cannot challenge Jordan's team

[Celtics18]

They've had some good battles with Indiana and I'm expecting another one shortly.

If they get by Indiana, I wouldn't be shocked to see a San Antonio rematch.   You could make a pretty easy case that San Antonio should've beaten them in last year's finals. 

Digging deep, it really hasn't been a cakewalk for Miami over these past few years. Back to back 7 game conference finals and a 7 game series in last year's NBA finals.

If Indiana gets by DC--which it should--I can't see the Pacers giving the Heat as much trouble this year; they're just too discombobulated and can't seem to snap out of it.

San Antonio certainly should've beat the Heat last year, and it still goads me that the Spurs choked in the last few minutes of Game 6.

Yeah, Miami's had a few tough series (the ones you mentioned), but mostly it's been fairly easy for them, including versus the Thunder in the Finals two years ago.

It's been fairly easy for them because Lebron James is by far the best player in basketball and it isn't close.

And let's not act like this doesn't happen all the time.  I mean look at the 85-86 Celtics.  First round swept Chicago, who obviously had MJ, though it was his second year and he only played in 18 regular season games.  The rest of the team was oversized role players.  Round 2, a 4-1 victory over the Hawks who was a very young team led by Nique.  Round 3, a 4-0 sweep of the Bucks, who while a good team certainly were far from an elite team.  Best players were Moncrief and Cummings.  That year Boston faced Houston in the finals and won 4-2.  Hakeem was in his 2nd year and Sampson was still basically pre-injury, but the starting guards were Robert Reid and Lewis Lloyd and Rodney McCray was the only other notable player on the roster.  Not exactly what you think of when you think NBA champion back-court.  Yet people don't downgrade that Boston title team, despite basically playing no real competition.

Whoa, there.  The '86 Bucks and Hawks were considerably better than any team the Heat have faced so far in these playoffs.  Man, you just disrespected a whole bunch of good teams in one paragraph.

the 86 Bucks and Hawks were no where near as good as San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Indiana, Boston (11-12), and maybe even the Knicks.  People always look back more fondly of prior teams, but the reality is, while Boston and L.A. were great teams and Philly certainly had some great teams, the vast majority of the teams in the early 80's just weren't that good.  Now later 80's and early 90's that was a generally great era as you still had the Lakers and Celtics, but added the Pistons, Bulls, Blazers, (and teams like the Hawks and Knicks were better as they were in their prime then).

But, they were both better than the '14 Bobcats or the '14 Nets.  That Bucks team won 57 games.  Not only did they have Cummings and Moncrief, as you have pointed out, but the also had Ricky Pierce and Paul Pressey.  They were a gritty, tough squad, who I actually liked a lot. 

The '86 Celtics were just that dominant.  Nobody had a chance. 

[Donoghus]

They've had some good battles with Indiana and I'm expecting another one shortly.

If they get by Indiana, I wouldn't be shocked to see a San Antonio rematch.   You could make a pretty easy case that San Antonio should've beaten them in last year's finals. 

Digging deep, it really hasn't been a cakewalk for Miami over these past few years. Back to back 7 game conference finals and a 7 game series in last year's NBA finals.

If Indiana gets by DC--which it should--I can't see the Pacers giving the Heat as much trouble this year; they're just too discombobulated and can't seem to snap out of it.

San Antonio certainly should've beat the Heat last year, and it still goads me that the Spurs choked in the last few minutes of Game 6.

Yeah, Miami's had a few tough series (the ones you mentioned), but mostly it's been fairly easy for them, including versus the Thunder in the Finals two years ago.

It's been fairly easy for them because Lebron James is by far the best player in basketball and it isn't close.

And let's not act like this doesn't happen all the time.  I mean look at the 85-86 Celtics.  First round swept Chicago, who obviously had MJ, though it was his second year and he only played in 18 regular season games.  The rest of the team was oversized role players.  Round 2, a 4-1 victory over the Hawks who was a very young team led by Nique.  Round 3, a 4-0 sweep of the Bucks, who while a good team certainly were far from an elite team.  Best players were Moncrief and Cummings.  That year Boston faced Houston in the finals and won 4-2.  Hakeem was in his 2nd year and Sampson was still basically pre-injury, but the starting guards were Robert Reid and Lewis Lloyd and Rodney McCray was the only other notable player on the roster.  Not exactly what you think of when you think NBA champion back-court.  Yet people don't downgrade that Boston title team, despite basically playing no real competition.

Whoa, there.  The '86 Bucks and Hawks were considerably better than any team the Heat have faced so far in these playoffs.  Man, you just disrespected a whole bunch of good teams in one paragraph.

the 86 Bucks and Hawks were no where near as good as San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Indiana, Boston (11-12), and maybe even the Knicks.  People always look back more fondly of prior teams, but the reality is, while Boston and L.A. were great teams and Philly certainly had some great teams, the vast majority of the teams in the early 80's just weren't that good.  Now later 80's and early 90's that was a generally great era as you still had the Lakers and Celtics, but added the Pistons, Bulls, Blazers, (and teams like the Hawks and Knicks were better as they were in their prime then).

Well, he did say these playoffs so all you just wrote is pretty irrelevant.

That Chicago team was Jordan and not much more.  A pretty horrid roster who got dynamic performances out of Jordan and not much more.  Still got swept.  I wouldn't argue with putting this year's Bobcats over that squad although the Jordan factor is intriguing.  Not close to better than BKN or IND. 

That Atlanta team was a 50 win team yet a bit raw in '86. Really came into their own later on in the decade.  Still, a talented bunch.  I'd say more talented that the Charlotte team that just steamrolled in the first round.  Better than BKN. Could probably put up a helluva fight against this year's IND team.

That Milwaukee group of the early to mid 80s was a heckuva squad that had the constant misfortune of running up against dominant Philadelphia & Boston teams.  The '85-86 team finished with 57 wins and the #2 in the East.  Probably the final year of that stretch where they were upper echelon East.   A significantly better bunch that either Charlotte or the Brooklyn team that MIA is facing right now.    Possibly better than the Indiana team that MIA looks like it'll face in the ECF. 

[Moranis]

They've had some good battles with Indiana and I'm expecting another one shortly.

If they get by Indiana, I wouldn't be shocked to see a San Antonio rematch.   You could make a pretty easy case that San Antonio should've beaten them in last year's finals. 

Digging deep, it really hasn't been a cakewalk for Miami over these past few years. Back to back 7 game conference finals and a 7 game series in last year's NBA finals.

If Indiana gets by DC--which it should--I can't see the Pacers giving the Heat as much trouble this year; they're just too discombobulated and can't seem to snap out of it.

San Antonio certainly should've beat the Heat last year, and it still goads me that the Spurs choked in the last few minutes of Game 6.

Yeah, Miami's had a few tough series (the ones you mentioned), but mostly it's been fairly easy for them, including versus the Thunder in the Finals two years ago.

It's been fairly easy for them because Lebron James is by far the best player in basketball and it isn't close.

And let's not act like this doesn't happen all the time.  I mean look at the 85-86 Celtics.  First round swept Chicago, who obviously had MJ, though it was his second year and he only played in 18 regular season games.  The rest of the team was oversized role players.  Round 2, a 4-1 victory over the Hawks who was a very young team led by Nique.  Round 3, a 4-0 sweep of the Bucks, who while a good team certainly were far from an elite team.  Best players were Moncrief and Cummings.  That year Boston faced Houston in the finals and won 4-2.  Hakeem was in his 2nd year and Sampson was still basically pre-injury, but the starting guards were Robert Reid and Lewis Lloyd and Rodney McCray was the only other notable player on the roster.  Not exactly what you think of when you think NBA champion back-court.  Yet people don't downgrade that Boston title team, despite basically playing no real competition.

Whoa, there.  The '86 Bucks and Hawks were considerably better than any team the Heat have faced so far in these playoffs.  Man, you just disrespected a whole bunch of good teams in one paragraph.

the 86 Bucks and Hawks were no where near as good as San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Indiana, Boston (11-12), and maybe even the Knicks.  People always look back more fondly of prior teams, but the reality is, while Boston and L.A. were great teams and Philly certainly had some great teams, the vast majority of the teams in the early 80's just weren't that good.  Now later 80's and early 90's that was a generally great era as you still had the Lakers and Celtics, but added the Pistons, Bulls, Blazers, (and teams like the Hawks and Knicks were better as they were in their prime then).

Well, he did say these playoffs so all you just wrote is pretty irrelevant.

That Chicago team was Jordan and not much more.  A pretty horrid roster who got dynamic performances out of Jordan and not much more.  Still got swept.  I wouldn't argue with putting this year's Bobcats over that squad although the Jordan factor is intriguing.  Not close to better than BKN or IND. 

That Atlanta team was a 50 win team yet a bit raw in '86. Really came into their own later on in the decade.  Still, a talented bunch.  I'd say more talented that the Charlotte team that just steamrolled in the first round.  Better than BKN. Could probably put up a helluva fight against this year's IND team.

That Milwaukee group of the early to mid 80s was a heckuva squad that had the constant misfortune of running up against dominant Philadelphia & Boston teams.  The '85-86 team finished with 57 wins and the #2 in the East.  Probably the final year of that stretch where they were upper echelon East.   A significantly better bunch that either Charlotte or the Brooklyn team that MIA is facing right now.    Possibly better than the Indiana team that MIA looks like it'll face in the ECF.

um the post I responded to said and I quote "Yeah, Miami's had a few tough series (the ones you mentioned), but mostly it's been fairly easy for them, including versus the Thunder in the Finals two years ago."

Seems pretty obvious the talk was of their entire run not just this year.

[ScoobyDoo]

I stand corrected about Gasol in '08, though he was still quite good if not as dominant as he was in '09 or 2010. I recall him being an all star big man when he came over from Memphis.

Meanwhile, I think Kobe would've had owned Wade defensively and the Heat would have no answer for for Pau in my opinion.

Again, I think the closest team you could create that would be comparable the rivals Jordan, Bird and magic faced, would be the current Indiana team with Kevin Durant. now you have a legit rival - even if you took away Paul George from that team.

[Celtics4ever]

They are the fakest team ever.   Some of the calls are more blatant than pro wrestling.   I was hoping the integrity of the game would improve minus Stern, I guess not.   At least, Stern name is mud after knowing for years about Sterling and tolerating it or ignoring it.

[Moranis]

I stand corrected about Gasol in '08, though he was still quite good if not as dominant as he was in '09 or 2010. I recall him being an all star big man when he came over from Memphis.

Meanwhile, I think Kobe would've had owned Wade defensively and the Heat would have no answer for for Pau in my opinion.

Again, I think the closest team you could create that would be comparable the rivals Jordan, Bird and magic faced, would be the current Indiana team with Kevin Durant. now you have a legit rival - even if you took away Paul George from that team.

Pau was an all star just once in 05/06 before landing in L.A.  And Pau was a good solid all star big man and certainly was a vital cog to L.A., but he was not that dominant a player.  I mean even in the finals against Boston he was just 18.6/11.6 player on just 47.6% from the field.  Again good, but far from dominant.  Shaq was a dominant big man in his prime, Pau never was.

[Tr1boy]

They wont beat one of the west teams this year