NBA: Pacers or Heat coming out the East?

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

Obviously the Heat will bounce back... but do you think they are in for any trouble... was talking to my Heat homie tonight... and we concluded that the Pacers legitimately threaten Miami.

Like, I was expecting Indiana to get better, with the "more experience" line (yada yada yada), but it's scary how well they've been executing, and that's without Granger...

Can Indiana really knock them off? Is Indiana actually the favorites to represent the East? Miami won't be easy to beat... at all. But are they the better team?

SA laid out the blueprint to beat Miami in the finals last year. I really think Indiana is a lot similar to SA.

What do you boys think?

[elmanutres]

Logically I want to say the pacers. These guys are oversized as and were giving miami fits last year with rebounds and beatdowns inside the paint. The mileage mia has ac ulated these past 3 seasons is starting to show. There bandwagon fans are arrogant enough to think they are gauranteed to go back to the finals but this is the year where a big question mark remains on them because of their mileage and the teams that have improved (them and the nets). Going back to the finals is gonna become harder for miami.

[AchillesHeel]

Right now it looks like Indiana will finish 1st in the East. If that happens, and they match up with Miami in the ECF again, I'm picking Indy to win that series. Last year Heat could have lost in 6 had Vogel not benched Hibbert in crunch time, this year the Pacers are much improved mentally and they got a better bench + Lance Stephenson and Paul George have improved a lot and if Granger is healthy enough to contribute at least 10-20 minutes off the bench in the playoffs, Pacers would be my favorites to win the le.

But if Heat is 100% healthy and they have a huge winning streak like last year and just dominate their opponents in March/April, I see Lebron and Wade doing enough to get back into the Finals.


I don't know, anything can happen during 6 months. Health will be a huge factor.

[BatManu20]

Heat in 7 tbh. I don't see them dethroning Lebron, Wade, and their whistles.

[Jacob1983]

The Bobcats should be in this discussion. If I have to pick between the Pacers and Heat, I will chose the team has the HCA.

[ElNono]

Well, if they would come out of the West, THAT would be pretty impressive, tbh

[scanry]

Still too early but this time around I see Indiana making it through to the finals.

[Rogue]

Lebron is playing with a slight injury and he's far from his best form. I believe the best Lebron will still be unstoppable. PG is a beast but his supporting cast is limited, and knows if he can continue playing like that until the end of season.

[romsey31]

It's wayyyyyyy too early to determine that. Mia I obviously coasting, getting past them will be no cake walk, hence the reason we are gunning for the no 1 seed.

[Seefourdc]

Miami is playing for the finals and getting 100% healthy. Pacers are trying to prove something in first 10 games of the season. You can't really predict how they will match up this early. If Lebron gets back to being fully healthy and Wade's health holds out how can you really pick against them?

Also a point people seem to fail to realize. I keep seeing people saying Granger coming back will make this a better team. For 5 years Granger has become a worse shooter every year. Before last year his FG% was 41.6 and 42.5 and his 3p% was only okay. Now he's missed a year of playing with a pretty important knee injury. A true patellar injury is one of the few ways left that can flat out end a sporting career. He is most definitely going to be a significantly diminished version of the player he was and that guy was a 41.6% FG shooter and 38.1% 3 pt shooter. Look at Derrick Rose. Patella injuries are so much more rare and I don't think most people realize the Patella is monumentally more important to the knee than the ACL is. Furthermore his particular diagnosis is often reoccurring because it is a result of long term wear and tear which could follow him the rest of his career.

The Pacers essentially have no bench. I'm very interested to see how this plays out when the playoffs come and they get pushed to the limit.

[BanditHiro]

Heat in 7 tbh. I don't see them dethroning Lebron, Wade, and their whistles.

did you watch the series? the majority of the officiating favored the Pacers.

[romsey31]

Miami is playing for the finals and getting 100% healthy. Pacers are trying to prove something in first 10 games of the season. You can't really predict how they will match up this early. If Lebron gets back to being fully healthy and Wade's health holds out how can you really pick against them?

it's funny you say they are trying to prove a point because theyve won 7 straight. Ill be sure to tell them to lose a few games so that it doesnt seem like they dont seem like they have championship aspirations

Also a point people seem to fail to realize. I keep seeing people saying Granger coming back will make this a better team. For 5 years Granger has become a worse shooter every year. Before last year his FG% was 41.6 and 42.5 and his 3p% was only okay. Now he's missed a year of playing with a pretty important knee injury. A true patellar injury is one of the few ways left that can flat out end a sporting career. He is most definitely going to be a significantly diminished version of the player he was and that guy was a 41.6% FG shooter and 38.1% 3 pt shooter. Look at Derrick Rose. Patella injuries are so much more rare and I don't think most people realize the Patella is monumentally more important to the knee than the ACL is. Furthermore his particular diagnosis is often reoccurring because it is a result of long term wear and tear which could follow him the rest of his career.

The Pacers essentially have no bench. I'm very interested to see how this plays out when the playoffs come and they get pushed to the limit.

Lol at the pacers has no bench. Have yo u even watched a pacers game? The pacera has significantly upgraded their second unit. With guys like scola copeland and cj watson coming off the bench they are buying into exactly what vogel is selling.

Pacers pushed mia to 7 games without Granger, they are noy "waiting" for his return, anything they get from granger is a plus however this team is confident they can beat mia without granger.

[spurraider21]

i wonder what Ace, Timmy to Zo, D-Wade, and HH37 have to say about this topic

[Mugen]

i wonder what Ace, Timmy to Zo, D-Wade, and HH37 have to say about this topic

[Holden_Caulfield]

pacers have a much better bench than last year if granger stays and is decent, pacers gets #1 seed. pacers in 7.

[D-Wade]

i wonder what Ace, Timmy to Zo, D-Wade, and HH37 have to say about this topic

Well if Wade was Wade last year in the playoffs, it never would've gone 7.

No doubt Paul George (and Lance Stephenson to a lesser extent) look sharper than last year, but their shot selection and TOs over the past 3 years have always been their achilles in the playoffs. LOL @ people dropping Copeland (an all-hustle bum), CJ Watson (cost the Nets the series against the Bulls) and Scola (too old now) as major upgrades. Their impact in the playoffs will be nominal at best. It comes down to the stars. We'll see what Granger has left and how he fits in with the new sheriff in town.

Definitely won't be easy, but if Wade's as sharp as he's looked so far, and Bosh doesn't pull a disappearing act, I still got the good guys in 7.

[mercos]

Too early to tell. Whoever goes into the playoffs hot will have the advantage. The healthier team will also obviously have a big advantage. Right now the Pacers look better, but looking better in November is meaningless.

[KaiRMD1]

Paul George & Danny Granger look alike ol' sport

[Rogue]

Well if Wade was Wade last year in the playoffs, it never would've gone 7.

No doubt Paul George (and Lance Stephenson to a lesser extent) look sharper than last year, but their shot selection and TOs over the past 3 years have always been their achilles in the playoffs. LOL @ people dropping Copeland (an all-hustle bum), CJ Watson (cost the Nets the series against the Bulls) and Scola (too old now) as major upgrades. Their impact in the playoffs will be nominal at best. It comes down to the stars. We'll see what Granger has left and how he fits in with the new sheriff in town.

Definitely won't be easy, but if Wade's as sharp as he's looked so far, and Bosh doesn't pull a disappearing act, I still got the good guys in 7.

role players may also come up big against your team sometimes imho. People forget about the 11' finals too soon it seems like. But I agree with you that they Pacers are currently looking better than they really are. Sure they're a contender now but I'd still put my money on Miami because I believe Miami will still be the favorite to win the le after Lebron fully recovers from the injury, not to say that Wade looks rejuvenated this season so far.

If they still have something to do to improve their competence, that would be find a way to incorporate Oden into their rotation and make him contribute. They heat didn't sign him as a journeyman imho. I believe that if Oden could live up to even half his defensive potential, the Heat would be formidable and the 3-peat would be guaranteeeed imho.