Dwight Howard is upset

RaceBannon said:

Nobody is beating the Heat.

I'd be surprised if they make the Finals.

He_Needs_More_Time said:

TierbsHsotBoobs said:

He_Needs_More_Time said:

TierbsHsotBoobs said:

He_Needs_More_Time said:

TheKobeStopper said:

RaceBannon said:

I am counting out the Spurs

I agree with Race. I think last season was their last hurrah. Experience matters a ton in the NBA but the West is loaded with young athletic teams that also have at least some experience.

I've counted out the Spurs ever since they looked old and were swept by the Suns in 2010.

I'm tired of counting out the Spurs and looking foolish. The West is WIDE OPEN.

I think the two best teams in the NBA are the Heat and the Bulls(assuming Rose stays healthy all year).

Doesn't Rose have to get healthy before he can stay healthy?

The Pacers are better than the Bulls.

The Pacers are better but still don't know if they can beat Miami in a playoff series although they have came awfully close the last two years.

Bulls have more upside due to Rose, they also have some trade chips to land possibly an Al Horford or LaMarcus Aldridge which would give them that #2 scorer they desperately need.

Blazer fan here:

If you think a team with Rose and Aldridge as its two top players has the heart to win the East, you are AuburndoogFuckingStupid

Aldridge would be their 2nd best scorer but third best player behind Noah. Big difference.

Considering Miami has a weak frontline they would struggle against an Aldridge/Noah combo with Gibson off the bench.

Bulls have trade pieces with Boozer's decent contract which is off the books in two years, this euro that everyone loves plus an unprotected Bobcats 1st round pick in 2016.

They are going to land someone whether it be Gasol, Aldridge or Horford.

I remember watching that Euro's highlight tape and making a prediction that he is a future All Star.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Mirotić


Agree with you about Aldridge instead of Boozer. Noah, Aldridge, Deng (Another guy they could trade, Jimmy Butler, and Rose is a great starting 5. They have Dunleavy, Gibson, and Hinrich off the bench. They look dangerous. If anyone is beating Miami, I think it is Chicago. It will never happen without a healthy Rose though.

He_Needs_More_Time said:

TheKobeStopper said:

He_Needs_More_Time said:

TheKobeStopper said:

RaceBannon said:

Nobody is beating the Heat.

I'd be surprised if they make the Finals.

Who you taking over the Heat then?

I think the Pacers, Bulls and Nets can all beat them. I think all three of those teams pose matchup problems for the Heat.

The Heat played in two game sevens last year and the Spurs had them beat. Rebound the ball and Spurs win. They aren't some unbeatable juggernaut. Add the fact that they have played in three straight Finals, the mental and physical fatigue I believe will take its toll and they'll get knocked out.

I think they have a shot, Lebrons the best player in the word, but if they have to play the Bulls and Pacers in back to back series I'd say they have zero chance at getting back.

I won't go as far as you saying zero percent as counting out the best player in the game seems foolish.

However there is a reason why the 1984-87 Celtics were the last team to play in four straight finals. The mental and physical exhaustion you go through starts to affect you.

I don't fear the Nets at all, I think the Nets are an old aging team with a first year head coach who will be lucky to get out of the first round.

Now playing a healthy Bulls and Pacers back to back then a tough Western Conference team? I don't see how they survive that.

I do think the Pacers were very fortunate that the series went 7 though. In the four Heat wins, three were blowouts and the Pacers blew the game(after the Heat blew it to let it get to O.T.). While all 3 Pacers wins were close games. I felt like that series could have easily ended in five or six games.

Why I think a healthy Bulls in the West or the East is the best bet to beat the Heat.

I don't think anyone in the West besides an aging Spurs team poses matchup problems for them.

I think the Nets are being underrated. They're a little old but Deron Willams and Brook Lopez aren't. The Heat don't have anyone to guard Lopez. I think crunch time would be a real problem for the Heat. Ray Allen can't guard anyone and they would have nowhere to hide him. I think in the end it comes down to believing that Garnett and Pierce will have a huge impact on the team mentally. The Nets lost to the Bulls last year because they were soft. I think those two guys can transform them. And any time you get the Jet against the Heat, the Heat will be nervous.

If the Pacers were bringing back the same team I'd like Miami over them for the reasons you stated but the Pacers are going to be much better. You could also say that if George doesn't make a small misstep against Lebron they probably win game one.

The Rockets with Dwight would be a big matchup problem. They have nothing for him. But that would require the old Dwight Howard to show up and that's definitely not a certainty.

The Finals, from a entertainment standpoint, that I'd most like to see is Warriors Heat. I think the Heat would win but Golden State can go toe to toe with them, athletically, on the perimeter.