NBA: How would this Miami team fare against a prime Ewing or Shaq?

[Drachen]

This. But if one of those great bigs you mentioned did play them, they'd get swept.

To OP: Really? Ewing? LOL

All I know is that Wade would get knocked out in the first 5 minutes. John starks would punch the outta that chin, then stand over him spit on him, then deliver a hot karl to his chest...... and only get called for a delay of game back in 93.

[whitemamba]

There are no more quality big men who have solid post moves, and are effective consistently. If Miami faced shaq at his prime i dont see them having a chance tbh.

[AaronY]

To OP: Really? Ewing? LOL

Go have a quick look at Hibberts career stats and then Ewings and come back here..

[whitemamba]

To OP: Really? Ewing? LOL

All I know is that Wade would get knocked out in the first 5 minutes. John starks would punch the outta that chin, then stand over him spit on him, then deliver a hot karl to his chest...... and only get called for a delay of game back in 93.

Ewing was a beast.. what are u saying?

[Drachen]

I just see him as the center version of Karl Malone. Can put up the stats, but shrinks away at leadership, and clutch duties.

[TIMMYtoZO]

Question: How would this current Heat squad match up with the 2001 Lakers that won 23 of their final 24 games?

[whitemamba]

Question: How would this current Heat squad match up with the 2001 Lakers that won 23 of their final 24 games?

This question is thread worthy.. I gotta give it to the Lakers though. Shaq was such a dominant presence in the paint, it was horrifying for other teams, as well a younger more athletic Kobe. Would be interesting to watch and see how that would of played out.

[lefty]

They wouldn't be built the same way, tbh..

They are built to win in today's era where there aren't any dominant bigs..if they played in a different era, the team would be constructed differently..

Exactly

Riley knows what he is doing

Before Small Ball era, Riley's philisophy was to coach teams built around a star center.

[ambchang]

Ewing is both overrated and underrated, depending on who you ask.

If you ask anybody from NY, he's the greatest center in the 90s other than Olajuwon, which is a load of crock as Robinson and Shaq were clearly better. On the other hand, his "chokes" in the playoffs doesn't really deserve as much criticisms.

Ewing was one of the best mid-range shooting centers in the game, great defender, has solid post moves, quick and agile. Yes, he never lived up to the hype nor the promises to deliver a championship to NYC, but he played against Jordan, and he faced the best center in the 90s in his first finals appearance. He had a pretty good supporting cast, and he let Starks go 1-17 or whatever it was in a critical finals game, but he wasn't really that big of a choker and performed reasonably well in the playoffs.

[hater]

the question is clearly how would THIS HEAT TEAM fare?

dodging the question

and regarding the 2nd question. the 2001 Lakers would sweep THIS HEAT TEAM

[lefty]

Ewing is both overrated and underrated, depending on who you ask.

If you ask anybody from NY, he's the greatest center in the 90s other than Olajuwon, which is a load of crock as Robinson and Shaq were clearly better. On the other hand, his "chokes" in the playoffs doesn't really deserve as much criticisms.

Ewing was one of the best mid-range shooting centers in the game, great defender, has solid post moves, quick and agile. Yes, he never lived up to the hype nor the promises to deliver a championship to NYC, but he played against Jordan, and he faced the best center in the 90s in his first finals appearance. He had a pretty good supporting cast, and he let Starks go 1-17 or whatever it was in a critical finals game, but he wasn't really that big of a choker and performed reasonably well in the playoffs.

Great post , I totally agree

[Phillip]

They wouldn't be built the same way, tbh..

They are built to win in today's era where there aren't any dominant bigs..if they played in a different era, the team would be constructed differently..

not necessarily true

look at MJs bulls

this heat team has even more of a post presence than those teams

[Phillip]

If Hibbert and David West are averaging double doubles against them, imagine what a HOF center in his prime would do.



at Bosh, Birdman or Haslem guarding that



or trying to guard Ewing shooting fadeaways 8 feet in the air.

or Shaq just owning all of them with his behind

Luc Longley and Bill Wennington somehow did all that, so I'm sure Bosh, Anderson, and Haslem can hold their own decently.

[Phillip]

and regarding the 2nd question. the 2001 Lakers would sweep THIS HEAT TEAM

if that ty 76ers team could manage a win, im sure this heat team wouldn't get swept

[AaronY]

Saying they'd be constructed differently is kind of a ridiculously stupid answer. The OP asks whether this team would get crunched by a 90s era top big. Yes, yes they would. Shaq would go 40 and 20 on them.

Luc Longley and Bill Wennington somehow did all that, so I'm sure Bosh, Anderson, and Haslem can hold their own decently.

Lulz..can't even slow Hibbert..are a you a ing re or something?..

[AaronY]

if that ty 76ers team could manage a win, im sure this heat team wouldn't get swept

They had ing Mutombo to defend Shaq for crying out loud..

[Phillip]

Lulz..can't even slow Hibbert..are a you a ing re or something?..

The Bulls didn't exactly slow Shaq or Ewing, but they still won.

It's not about shutting Hibbert down. It's about taking advantages of opponent weaknesses. They are giving up all kinds of open shots to the Miami role players, but they simply are not hitting their shots. The one game they did, Miami blew Indy out.

[Phillip]

They had ing Mutombo to defend Shaq for crying out loud..

Yeah, that is definitely the reason the 76ers won game 1, since Shaq had a measly 44 points and 20 rebounds.

[AaronY]

Yeah, that is definitely the reason the 76ers won game 1, since Shaq had a measly 44 points and 20 rebounds.

Mutombo was an awesome post defender that's just how good Shaq was at the time..Lol "they have Bosh to defend Shaq"..might be a candidate for worst part of all time

[AaronY]

Luc Longley and Bill Wennington somehow did all that, so I'm sure Bosh, Anderson, and Haslem can hold their own decently.

Lol, Longley was 7'2 280..Bosh and Haslem would be giving up about 100 lbs to Shaq..this is an unbelievably amazing post..

[Phillip]

Mutombo was an awesome post defender that's just how good Shaq was at the time..Lol "they have Bosh to defend Shaq"..might be a candidate for worst part of all time

It's hard to see Shaq having much better of a game than 44/20. In fact, that was one of the best games of his playoff career. And he had to face far inferior defenders plenty of other times.

It's not always about direct matchups, as opposed to gameplans. Miami's personnel isn't the problem with their defense. Its Spoelstra being a garbage coach. Any decent coach would either be up 3-1 or have already swept this series.

[Phillip]

Lol, Longley was 7'2 280..Bosh and Haslem would be giving up about 100 lbs to Shaq..this is an unbelievably amazing post..

Divac and Webber both gave up nearly 100 lbs to Shaq, and neither of them were particularly elite defenders, but were able to hold their own just fine (until Stern cheated them)

[racm]

It's hard to see Shaq having much better of a game than 44/20. In fact, that was one of the best games of his playoff career. And he had to face far inferior defenders plenty of other times.

It's not always about direct matchups, as opposed to gameplans. Miami's personnel isn't the problem with their defense. Its Spoelstra being a garbage coach. Any decent coach would either be up 3-1 or have already swept this series.

Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol combined are more talented individually than Tiago Splitter and Matt Bonner. But which of these two shot ~30%?

[Phillip]

Point is... the Bulls won with strong perimeter play, and a swarming defense, despite a weakness in the middle. That is how Miami has been winning.

[namlook]

So this is like the greatest team of all time, but they would get housed against any decently constructed team with a dominant big. rofl

Imagine the 1986 Celtics front line against this team. the 1986 Rockets! Best team of all time my ass.

People that say that probably have little concept of how good some previous teams were. 80's Lakers in their prime easily beats this Heat team.

Question: How would this current Heat squad match up with the 2001 Lakers that won 23 of their final 24 games?

They would lose. That Lakers team crushed the Spurs who were very good. The 2001 Lakers were on a roll in the playoffs like I have never seen. The one game they lost in the playoffs was in OT.