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[scaryjerry]

Agreed...unless you're buying the fraudulent Indiana crap

[CelticSooner]

The worst thing that could've happened was for LeBron to get the monkey off his back. It's gonna take one hell of a series for anyone to beat Miami the next few years.

[Lightskinsmurf]

And, oddly enough - the same three players that we believed would've made a difference last May-June are Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, and to some extent Chris Wilcox.

AB and Jeff Green are playing rather well right now, and Wilcox has been solid, too.

Even without Rondo, I still LOVE our opportunity.

Since Rondo went down, we've beaten the Lakers (probable playoff team, maybe more), Clips (playoff team even without CP3), TOR (IN TOR, and improved), CHI (A probable 2nd round team even without Rose), DEN (probable 2nd round team in the West), and MIA.....

Yep...I absolutely LOVE our chances, here. I was sad to see Barbosa go down, but even with THAT here is (IMO) our probable playoff rotation:

C - KG/Wilcox/Collins/Free Agent Big
PF - Bass/Wilcox/Green
SF - Pierce/Green
SG - Lee/Jet
PG - AB-Jet

I believe MIA does NOT have a clear path...if anything, I'm betting that they hope they don't meet us until the ECFs...for me, I'd rather get them EARLY...

Imagine that...an 8th seed beating a 1 seed....it has happened before:



Anything's possible, right?

DEN had a tough, defensive-minded Center back then....we have that, too.

Respect your opinion but beating teams in the regular season means absolutely nothing when it comes to beating them 4 times in a playoff series. Look at some of the teams miami lost to this year. wizards, detriot, bucks, utah. Do you think any of these teams beat the heat 4 times in a 7 game series tho?

You can't just say oh, we beat that team once or twice in the regular season so that means we have a shot at them in the playoffs! That's a very casual way to look at it and its not even close to being true. Plus beating the lakers was not impressive, not the way they're playing right now. Beating the clips without cp3, not impressive. Most impressive win was probably denver.

*Edit* Now I'm not saying that's what you meant when you named off the teams we beat I was just saying it means nothing. Every team in the league beats teams they should or shouldn't beat all the time during the regular season.

[GreenEnvy]

And, oddly enough - the same three players that we believed would've made a difference last May-June are Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, and to some extent Chris Wilcox.

AB and Jeff Green are playing rather well right now, and Wilcox has been solid, too.

Even without Rondo, I still LOVE our opportunity.

Since Rondo went down, we've beaten the Lakers (probable playoff team, maybe more), Clips (playoff team even without CP3), TOR (IN TOR, and improved), CHI (A probable 2nd round team even without Rose), DEN (probable 2nd round team in the West), and MIA.....

Yep...I absolutely LOVE our chances, here. I was sad to see Barbosa go down, but even with THAT here is (IMO) our probable playoff rotation:

C - KG/Wilcox/Collins/Free Agent Big
PF - Bass/Wilcox/Green
SF - Pierce/Green
SG - Lee/Jet
PG - AB-Jet

I believe MIA does NOT have a clear path...if anything, I'm betting that they hope they don't meet us until the ECFs...for me, I'd rather get them EARLY...

Imagine that...an 8th seed beating a 1 seed....it has happened before:



Anything's possible, right?

DEN had a tough, defensive-minded Center back then....we have that, too.

Respect your opinion but beating teams in the regular season means absolutely nothing when it comes to beating them 4 times in a playoff series. Look at some of the teams miami lost to this year. wizards, detriot, bucks, utah. Do you think any of these teams beat the heat 4 times in a 7 game series tho?

You can't just say oh, we beat that team once or twice in the regular season so that means we have a shot at them in the playoffs! That's a very casual way to look at it and its not even close to being true. Plus beating the lakers was not impressive, not the way they're playing right now. Beating the clips without cp3, not impressive. Most impressive win was probably denver.

*Edit* Now I'm not saying that's what you meant when you named off the teams we beat I was just saying it means nothing. Every team in the league beats teams they should or shouldn't beat all the time during the regular season.

It's all about matchups.

We have Bradley and Lee for Wade, Pierce/Green for LeBron, and KG for Bosh. I actually still liked our chances without Rondo, but now without LB also, I'd have to see how Ainge fills out our roster.

Even as currently constructed, I'd go out on a limb and say Miami would least want to play the Boston Celtics of any Eastern Conference team.

[Lightskinsmurf]

And, oddly enough - the same three players that we believed would've made a difference last May-June are Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, and to some extent Chris Wilcox.

AB and Jeff Green are playing rather well right now, and Wilcox has been solid, too.

Even without Rondo, I still LOVE our opportunity.

Since Rondo went down, we've beaten the Lakers (probable playoff team, maybe more), Clips (playoff team even without CP3), TOR (IN TOR, and improved), CHI (A probable 2nd round team even without Rose), DEN (probable 2nd round team in the West), and MIA.....

Yep...I absolutely LOVE our chances, here. I was sad to see Barbosa go down, but even with THAT here is (IMO) our probable playoff rotation:

C - KG/Wilcox/Collins/Free Agent Big
PF - Bass/Wilcox/Green
SF - Pierce/Green
SG - Lee/Jet
PG - AB-Jet

I believe MIA does NOT have a clear path...if anything, I'm betting that they hope they don't meet us until the ECFs...for me, I'd rather get them EARLY...

Imagine that...an 8th seed beating a 1 seed....it has happened before:



Anything's possible, right?

DEN had a tough, defensive-minded Center back then....we have that, too.

Respect your opinion but beating teams in the regular season means absolutely nothing when it comes to beating them 4 times in a playoff series. Look at some of the teams miami lost to this year. wizards, detriot, bucks, utah. Do you think any of these teams beat the heat 4 times in a 7 game series tho?

You can't just say oh, we beat that team once or twice in the regular season so that means we have a shot at them in the playoffs! That's a very casual way to look at it and its not even close to being true. Plus beating the lakers was not impressive, not the way they're playing right now. Beating the clips without cp3, not impressive. Most impressive win was probably denver.

*Edit* Now I'm not saying that's what you meant when you named off the teams we beat I was just saying it means nothing. Every team in the league beats teams they should or shouldn't beat all the time during the regular season.

It's all about matchups.

We have Bradley and Lee for Wade, Pierce/Green for LeBron, and KG for Bosh. I actually still liked our chances without Rondo, but now without LB also, I'd have to see how Ainge fills out our roster.

Even as currently constructed, I'd go out on a limb and say Miami would least want to play the Boston Celtics of any Eastern Conference team.

You're right its all about matchups but sometimes when a team is just flat out better than yours then matchups don't mean so much now. I agree with boston giving miami the most trouble. That being said miami will be in the finals again

[PhoSita]

Agreed, nobody is stopping the Heat in the East this season.

Not saying Miami is gonna go 12-0 going to the Finals, but there aren't any teams in the East that have what it takes to beat the Heat in a 7 game series.

[D.o.s.]

They're definitely the favorites to come out of the east, but we won't know 'til the dust has settled.

I hate the March/April waiting for the playoffs game.

[CelticSooner]

Agreed, nobody is stopping the Heat in the East this season.

Not saying Miami is gonna go 12-0 going to the Finals, but there aren't any teams in the East that have what it takes to beat the Heat in a 7 game series.

I actually think Miami will get some better series against the East then they would in the Finals. Spurs are the only team in the West I could see with the style to get it to at least six.

[CelticConcourse]

Agreed...unless you're buying the fraudulent Indiana crap

That is a little ignorant.. Top 3 team in the East and their second best player hasn't played... Also their best offensive player

[Onslaught]

So the defending champions who got better in the off season and have the best player in the world on their team is the favorite? Well don't that beat all!

Even if this Boston team had worked out like most of use wanted before the season started I'd still have to pick the Heat if you'd put a gun to my head.  The only way the Heat go down in the east is if LBJ gets hurt. I'm not trying to wish ill on anyone, it's just the way I see it.

[bfrombleacher]

Doesn't mean I need to root for the Heat, though.

Doesn't mean I can't root for my own [dang] team. Doesn't make it wrong to root for this roster.

Chances are slim but things happen. I would certainly hope that the Heat would raise some eyebrows this year...by being upset...especially by the C's.

At the end of the day, I'd rather watch this group of players who have been through so much (even in this season alone), achieved and overachieved.

I feel like this group has become more than a basketball team. They've embodied the heart of an underdog, camaraderie, hard work...so much more. And I was with them all the way...

Screw the Heat, go C's.

[D Dub]

I kinda want MIA in the first round.   Have this funny feeling LBJ's obsession with FG% will eventually have to bounce back.  Law of averages right?   Shooting 60% can only last so long, figure he's got a 30% playoff series coming his way, and Green/Pierce are just the defenders to encourage it out of him.   

So the Heat are favorites?   I say bring em on

[syfy9]

Yeah, if I could choose, I'd rather play the Heat early. Pierce and KG's legs would be fresh.

Then again, another eastern conference finals appearance would be nice.

[IndeedProceed]

Off-Topic, but why in the WORLD isn't Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo in the HOF, yet?

One of the best defensive centers ever..played in the finals...several playoff appearances...HUGE community service participant.

He's not eligible yet - his last year was 08-09.

My guess is they'll lock him out of being 1st ballot but he'll get in shortly thereafter.

I think his work as a basketball ambassador to Africa and the overall awesomeness and good vibes about the guy will get him 1st ballot.

WHO WANTS TO SEX MUTOMBO???

[PhoSita]

Agreed, nobody is stopping the Heat in the East this season.

Not saying Miami is gonna go 12-0 going to the Finals, but there aren't any teams in the East that have what it takes to beat the Heat in a 7 game series.

I actually think Miami will get some better series against the East then they would in the Finals. Spurs are the only team in the West I could see with the style to get it to at least six.

The problem for the league is that the Thunder are the only team with enough superstar talent to really match the Heat, but they don't seem to match up particularly well with the Heat.

I'd love to see a series between San Antonio and Miami.  But I'm not sure the Spurs can overcome the Thunder. 

I'm not sure what to make of the Clippers.  I'm inclined to think they're still one serious piece away.  If they traded for KG I think they might be the favorite.