Who has a better chance of beating the Heat?

[Tr1boy]

Anybody that has a great C that can post, pass, score can beat the heat

Indiana has gave them hell all year long. Memphis with Gasol/Zbo should be a really tough matchup for them

[chambers]

People are saying the grizzlies are struggling against the Thunder but they're up 3-1 and could have quite easily swept them if not for a melt down in game 1 on the road.
For me the Grizzlies are the only team with enough defensive fire power, offensive rebounding ability and basket protection to really force Lebron to shoot jumpers.
The Spurs are good, but I just don't think they're great enough to beat Miami, just a little too old and inconsistent...I mean they're having huge problems against GSW and they're a poor mans Miami to me both defensively and consistency wise.

You've got to give the Grizz credit for their amazingly gritty defense. Durant is averaging 30 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists per game in this series and the Grizzlies are still crushing them 3-1.
Lionel Hollins strategy of squeezing Durant to the middle is working. They are forcing him middle and then meeting him half way with their big men and making him shoot way too many jump shots instead of going to the hole and getting to the line. Their ppg has gone from 104 to 90 and their fg % is 40% from 48% !!! Meanwhile the grizz are shooting 41 down from 43 fg% and averaging 2 more ppg with 95 up from 93....
That screams a defensive powerhouse and Durant can't get to the hole or line. Obviously Westbrook not taking lay ups or driving hurts but his fg % would bring their overall values down again in my opinion...

Mike Conley has replaced Rudy Gays production and his pick and roll with the twin towers is phenomenal. I actually think the heat will put Lebron on Conley for portions when Chalmers gets burnt.
They can throw Allen, Prince, Bayless all at Lebron and with Wades bad knee this is a great chance for a classically 'big' team to show that size matters in the NBA. Just like the Mavs did a few years ago.

I don't think the pacers will beat them unless they shoot lights out from 3 point land over 7 games, and Hibbert  just doesn't compare to Randolph and Gasol scoring wise.

Now the hard part for the grizzlies? Get past the Spurs.

[CelticConcourse]

I don't think the pacers will beat them unless they shoot lights out from 3 point land over 7 games, and Hibbert  just doesn't compare to Randolph and Gasol scoring wise.

Shouldn't we be comparing Hibbert and Bosh, not ZBo/Gasol?

[Atzar]

The Pacers don't have enough offense. 

The Spurs and Grizzlies could challenge them at the very least.  I'm not sure I see either one pulling off the upset, but they each do some things that could scare the Heat.

The Heat have no answer for either team's ability to score in the paint, and both teams have very good wing defenders to throw at LeBron.  If Wade continues to play at a low level, then things could get interesting.  I still see the Heat as relatively heavy favorites, but strange things can happen. 

[krook]

grizzles

not sure on golden state if david lee is healthy

[chambers]

I don't think the pacers will beat them unless they shoot lights out from 3 point land over 7 games, and Hibbert  just doesn't compare to Randolph and Gasol scoring wise.

Shouldn't we be comparing Hibbert and Bosh, not ZBo/Gasol?

meaning that Hibbert isn't as big a threat to the Heat as the combo of Zeebo/Gasol...

[wiley]

Yes.  The refs were HORRIBLE in last year's finals.  They laid out the red carpet
for the Heat in games 1 and 2.

I expect the same against the Grizz, whom I expect to beat the Spurs.

We can hope after one Heat title the refs call it a bit more even and don't baby Lebron.  We can also hope the Grizz play so well that the refs are taken outside their range of obvious favoritism...

In other words if the Grizzlies are good enough, the refs will be forced to eat their bias and call the series evenly.  They can and do only go so far.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

Maybe the refs to get New York over the hump

[staticcc]

Grizz have the best chance. Pacers would give them a fight but it won't be enough. Same thing with San Antonio.

If Miami tries to go big against Memphis, they will lose so I expect them to continue to play small and pull Gasol or Randolph off the paint. Battier at the 4 will accomplish this but Battier won't be able to guard one of those bigs on the other end.

Therefore, pace will dictate a potential Memphis vs Miami series. If Memphis slows the game down, they will beat up on the Heat. If Miami runs most of the time, looks for transition threes and pushes the pace as much as possible, they will win.

[staticcc]

If the HEAT had the same set of rules as the rest of the league they are definitely beatable.    But LeBron can travel at will and it being a star league it won't happen.   Last years the finals refs were awful.   If Stern doesn't have greatness his refs will insure it.    I think LeBron doesn't need all the help the league gives him as he is immensely talented but Stern and refs have to back up their marketing.

Disagree with this. Lebron would have multiple rings by now if you're right.

[aporel#18]

If the HEAT had the same set of rules as the rest of the league they are definitely beatable.    But LeBron can travel at will and it being a star league it won't happen.   Last years the finals refs were awful.   If Stern doesn't have greatness his refs will insure it.    I think LeBron doesn't need all the help the league gives him as he is immensely talented but Stern and refs have to back up their marketing.

Disagree with this. Lebron would have multiple rings by now if you're right.

He has only one ring because the Spurs and Celtics (and even Howard's Magic) were the better team. If it wasn't for all the help the refs give him, he would need to adapt his game, and I think he's talented enough to do it, but he is just babied by the refs (playing fullback on offense, travelling...).

The Grizzlies, provided they beat the winner of Spurs/Warriors, will have a chance to crush the Heat. But like some have said, the refs will wear the Heatles jersey.

Indiana is a great defensive team, but outside Hibbert/West, are thin inside. Hansbrough and Pendergraph are not very good, and Mahinmi is only correct. You can bet West and Hibbert will be in foul trouble (if they beat the Knicks) from game 1 of the ECF.

[SHAQATTACK]

All needs to happen is LBJ trips getting off the bus or slips in the shower and its curtains for the heat.

He has endless energy.   He waits till the last 1/4 then slowly puts it into overdrive , and gets to every rebound or loose ball , or has the legs to still hit his jumpers.  Makes all the plays necessary to secure the win.

Lebron fresh as a daisy during the 4th .  Everybody else is playing 75% ,  BENT OVER and winded looking .

Lebron flops on nearly every foul , is a poor actor, over plays the foul for far more than it was. Doing this all the time past few years.

Spurs might make it interesting, if Parker can get really hot.