http://idrinkhaterade.wordpress.com/...ke-the-finals/
Tim ain't done yet. But the rest of it makes sense.Since the conclusion of the Tim Duncan-led San Antonio Spurs dynasty in 2007, the teams that have lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the last three seasons had a solid three- or four-man rotation at the power forward and center positions. The Celtics’ rotation in 2008 consisted of Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe, and PJ Brown. The Los Angeles Lakers won the next two championships with Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom patrolling the painted area.
If Dwight Howard, the game’s most dominant big man, suc bed to the pressure of taking on the Celtics’ deep frontcourt, how will Chris Bosh, who is evidently softer and less defensively intimidating, survive a seven-game series against the same frontcourt that got even better and deeper over the summer? The Celtics more than compensated themselves for Rasheed Wallace’s retirement with free-agent signings of Jermaine and Shaquille O’Neal, both of whom have more left in the tank than Wallace did at the dawn of last season.
The Celtics against Bosh will only have to do what they did to Howard and the Orlando Magic last season in the Eastern Conference Finals. Howard, with no support, was helplessly forced to crumble against the depth of his opponents. Amazingly, the Celtics were able to contain Howard and win the series rather comfortably without any of their big guys putting up great numbers individually.
Even Bosh, the best post presence on this team, has con uous flaws to his game and needs role players who specialize in traditional post defense. While the natural talent and skills are evident, the former Toronto Raptor is sub-par defensively and relies excessively on playing away from the rim offensively. Had the Heat acquired a top notch defensive big man in the mold of Marcus Camby or Brandon Haywood, the prospect of making the Finals would’ve been far better, but general manager Pat Riley had to settle for free-agent Zydrunas Ilgauskas and re-signing Udonis Haslem.
Big part of Rileys gameplan will be Wade and James driving and jumping into the bigmen for a foul and freethrow parade until the opponent bigmen sit with foultrouble on the bench.
Problem solved.
Seriously, wait for the games against the teams with a good FC...
As if they need more help.... If the refs coddle the big three of the Heat its over and not worth watching.
Got to have defenders against Miami that the refs will respect and allow play physical combined with the frontcourt that can abuse them inside.
That's why I'm taking all bets on Miami beating LA in a series.
LA has the defenders outside in Kobe, Artest, Barnes, and Blake. Brown can a bit and hopefully Ebanks brings that as well. They main 4 will be able to get away with a lot in deterring Miami from the basket. One may end up being the refs' in the series but LA has enough in reserve to keep playing that D.
Then funneling them to the shotblockers behind them? Not to mention LA being able to punish Miami inside?
The Heat will be a great team but they will have all kinds of problems with the Lakers.
What is this? Bizarro world?
Either a team does or does not make the Finals... you cannot think someone partially will make it.
But you can, in fact, not at all/partially/completely agree or disagree with an opinion.
If Wade and James get to free throw parade through the season eventually someone will get pissed and lay them out going that is a foul where I didn't touch you previously and you jumped into me wasn't.
oh, here we go again - is it that time of the month again? everyone bleeds about who is making the finals. baring injuries, the heat will be there - no doubt. the only reason we still like to talk about it is that we cannot accept that a team is that good, and sports writers need to have their opinions read to make money. if they all say that the heat make the finals, then no one is interested in reading their columns.
yet again, it's not going to be the last time we talk about this.
False, not in this instance.
LOL. I showed my bias there.
The problem with Boston over Miami is two-fold - the lack of perimeter defenders (Delonte and Rondo aren't big enough to take Wade consistently) and their big men typically don't score in the low post. On D they will be great but besides Shaq, the entire team shoots jumpers. KG and JO do it maybe even more than Bosh, and Perkins rarely shoots period. That style makes it easy on Bosh and keeps him out of foul trouble.
One other possible scenario preventing Miami from the Finals - if Melo goes to Chicago.
Teams basically become mirror images of themselves, with Chicago having better role players and a better defensive coach.
Heat not making the Finals. It's possible, but highly unlikely.
Your really overeating the D of Barnes and Blake. They're average at best and would do horrible against Wade or Lebron. LA's big men do good at making the opposing bigs work in the paint but they're not good when it comes to penetration from the wings. They're simply just not pure shot blockers or athletic enough.
Either way Spurs fans shouldn't worry about Miami or the finals much less cause that trip starts in LA not Miami.
Carmelo is going to new york next season and unfortunately tony parker also. They have already spoke as amare blurted. He is not talking out his arse. Why would amare jump to ny with no hopes of winning. Maybe he was promised a 3 time nba champion pg and a beast in carmelo anthony the following season. Those three beat the south beach boys in my opinion. This is the new challenge parker speaks of.
Yes, he is.
One hundred million dollars.
Am I the only person who looks at the heat and sees a team that will have an issue of two guys who like to hold the ball for 15 seconds then drive as their offence? Do I also think the league won't bail them out all season long with Wad or LeBron got breathed on now shoot twice?
Thats the only way the Heat are winning it all this year with those 3 and cobbled scraps.
Steve Blake was one of the worst defenders in the NBA last year, I have absolutely no idea how anybody would combine the words "defense" with "Steve Blake"..he was arguably the WORST iso defender in the NBA last year..
Barnes is an inconsistent defender..he's probably above average overall, but he can be exposed fairly easily..still a good pickup for LA though..
Artest struggled heavily against Lebron last year..the Cavs ran him off screens all game, Lebron took him in the post AND in isolation..he looked extremely slow next to James..there's very little chance of stopping Lebron anyways..
Kobe's still a good iso defender, so he's their best chance vs. Wade..he's getting old though and obviously doesn't have as much energy, so making him work so much on defense is going to take a lot of out him IMO..
The Lakers can beat Miami if, and only if, Bynum is healthy..he changes their entire defense, and he can expose Miami's lack of interior D with Gasol..only chance IMO..
Nobody else has a chance IMO..
What I meant was that I agree with Miami not making the finals, I don't agree that Tim's championship run is done.
So just to be clear, this is in your opinion, right?
For now, I'm giving the Lakers the edge. Their continuity and size should be enough to hold off the Heat for a year. That is, unless Bryant drops another level.
The problem for the Heat is their best big combo is Bosh-Haslem. Against the Lakers, there's no way they can get away with that unless Haslem replicates Hayes' performance in the '09 WCSF and can effectively guard Gasol.
Plus, while they're overrated, the Lakers can throw a better combination of wing defenders than any other team against the Heat.
If the Lakers are to beat the Heat, Gasol is probably going to have to be the Finals MVP. I can't imagine the voters not giving it to Bryant, but Gasol is the one with the obvious advantage match-up wise, not Bryant.
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