Did Miami coast the regular season or are they really that bad on the road?

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

22-19... and we finished with an 8 game lead over them at the end of the regular season.

I can't help but to think they coasted.. I know they were the past champions and everyone probably played 100% against them. I just feel like LeBron alone could take over games... but can't leave out the fact that Wade didn't play B2B's.

To put this into perspective, we are 32-9 on the road.. best record in the West.

On paper it seems like this is an easy win for us this series. On paper.

Key question is if LeBron wins this finals, is he top 5 GOAT? How about Timmy?

[Budkin]

Not an either/or. Some of both.

[wildchild]

It was more about Wade. He was limited to -30 minutes in many games -in regular season- to recover from the injuries and didn't play b2b games like OP said.

But he had a really nice last series, and the Heat are definitely better on the road in playoffs.

Having said that, the Spurs'll win their home games. :flag:

[Horry Hipcheck]

They're the two time defending champs with three consecutive Finals appearances under their belts going into this season. They're (on average) one of the oldest teams in the league. To me, taking those things into consideration, a fourth straight title run is asking a lot of those athletes. I'm not surprised that they struggled at times or seemed to just be coasting. They know how to pace themselves because it was a safe bet from Game 1 of the regular season that they'd be back in the Finals.

[heyheymymy]

yeah these heat players are saving the jets for the only thing that matters for them at this point: the finals.

[hater]

yes yes they did

only a homer would disagree

The real Miami will finally show up in the Finals. Homers are in for a shocker

[heyheymymy]

yes yes they did

only a homer would disagree

The real Miami will finally show up in the Finals. Homers are in for a shocker

spurs coasted just the same, gonna be great if the real miami and the real san antonio both show up with full potential man.

[BillMc]

They definitely coasted. As others mentioned they rested Wade. They also seldom exerted maximum effort on defense. Frankly, the East was so weak they knew they could do no worse than the number 2 seed while coasting. They've also had an easy road to the finals (2 bad teams, and a once good team melting down).

The truth is we have no idea how good this particular season's Heat team is.

But we're about to find out! :toast

[Ice009]

They definitely coasted. As others mentioned they rested Wade. They also seldom exerted maximum effort on defense. Frankly, the East was so weak they knew they could do no worse than the number 2 seed while coasting. They've also had an easy road to the finals (2 bad teams, and a once good team melting down).

The truth is we have no idea how good this particular season's Heat team is.

But we're about to find out! :toast

Exactly what I've been thinking the last few days. They haven't been tested at all in the Eastern conference playoffs. It wasn't a complete cakewalk for them to get to the finals, but it was very close. It's really hard to gauge how good they are.

Spurs are going to have to come ready and not let up at all. I think Miami realize how close they were to losing last season, so I am sure they will be ready and come right at us from the start. Spurs have to be prepared for it. Gotta go all out, full intensity and take it from them. No letting up at all.

[dg7md]

I don't buy the "coasting" argument. They obviously wanted to win, if they didn't coast and played to their potential they might have ended up with home court in the Finals or even ECF... which is something heavily important and a privilege every team wants.

We, at times, "coasted", and so did the Heat, but they obviously extended effort to win most of the games they were in, even on limited minutes of star players. The Heat never lose, apparently, they always "coast". :lol

Miami is not that good, they have LeBron but aside from that they would be a mid-tier level team. The Heat did play in a shit conference, so there's no reason why they couldn't have chased for a better regular season record than the '96 Bulls.