Heat-Pistons Predictions

[FinsNYanksFan13]

I honestly think Detroit has Shaq's number and I fully expect them to win a hard fought series that will no doubt go 6 and I expect to go 7!

 

[Section126]

5? :roflmao: These are the Champs and they are as good or better than last year. You can't seriously take a reg season game as a barometer for post season success for a team that is the defending champs?

Miami is not a b etter team than Detroit, they have the most dominating player but they are not better overall than Detroit. Could Miami beat Detroit? Absolutely but to say 5 games is just plain silly. If Miami wins it will be in 7.

You are crowing about depth but you don't even have a great starting 5. Haslem, Damon Jones? Come on, they wouldn't start on 90% of the teams in the NBA, they are made to look better b/c of Shaq but as the playoffs go n and the teams become tougher guys like that won't cut it and crowing about Doleac, Anderson and Mourning is funny. Mourning was only effective against a small NJ team, he won't be against a bigger, much more physical Detroit team and Doleac and Anderson are Knick castoffs. This Miami team is good mostly b/c of 2 guys but you guys are acting like this is an all-time great team.

You are clueless.

Only effective against a small team? Mourning was already effective against Detroit....genius...

Haslem is a good Power Forward...watch as he gets a ton of money as a FA.

Damon Jones is in the top three three point shooters in the whole league and is also a leader in the Turnover to Assist ratio.....Yeah...he sucks....

The only way that Miami can beat Detroit is in 7 games? Get real...the Heat can beat them in 5...The Heat are just deeper and better.

You talk like somebody that watched the Heat play for the first time in the New Jersey Series.

Get lost.

 

[Section126]

I honestly think Detroit has Shaq's number and I fully expect them to win a hard fought series that will no doubt go 6 and I expect to go 7!

yeah...they really have his number....did you see what he did to them in the finals last year?

 

[Hellion]

yeah...they really have his number....did you see what he did to them in the finals last year?

Think about it, hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
The Pistons game plan was to hack on Shaq enough make him work, Larry Brown knew Shaq would get his points, the plan was not to let the rest of the Lakers get their points. :shakeno:
Heat will be no different.

 

[FinsNYanksFan13]

The Pistons ran Shaq up and down the floor in last year's finals. That was the plan...and it worked!

 

[VJ1252]

5? :roflmao: These are the Champs and they are as good or better than last year. You can't seriously take a reg season game as a barometer for post season success for a team that is the defending champs?

Miami is not a b etter team than Detroit, they have the most dominating player but they are not better overall than Detroit. Could Miami beat Detroit? Absolutely but to say 5 games is just plain silly. If Miami wins it will be in 7.

You are crowing about depth but you don't even have a great starting 5. Haslem, Damon Jones? Come on, they wouldn't start on 90% of the teams in the NBA, they are made to look better b/c of Shaq but as the playoffs go n and the teams become tougher guys like that won't cut it and crowing about Doleac, Anderson and Mourning is funny. Mourning was only effective against a small NJ team, he won't be against a bigger, much more physical Detroit team and Doleac and Anderson are Knick castoffs. This Miami team is good mostly b/c of 2 guys but you guys are acting like this is an all-time great team.

They are definitely not better this year. They lost a decent backup PG in Mike James and replaced him with Arroyo who has struggled this year. Thats a downgrade. They lost a 7 fter in Okur and replaced him with the 6-9 Mcdyess. Mcdyess and Okur have put put up similiar numbers this year so thats a wash.

Oh yea and a lot of teams are good moslty b/c of 2 guys. Think the Bulls would have won 6 titles without MJ and Pippen. Would the showtime Lakers have been dominant without Magic and Kareem?

 

[VJ1252]

I honestly think Detroit has Shaq's number and I fully expect them to win a hard fought series that will no doubt go 6 and I expect to go 7!

Yea Detroit really shut down Shaq last year in the finals when he averaged 26 PPG.

 

[FinsNYanksFan13]

Did I say they shut Shaq down or that they had his number. Is someone putting words into my mouth?

 

[nyjunc]

Only effective against a small team? Mourning was already effective against Detroit....genius...

3 of 12 from the field- that's effective? He got 14 boards but Detroit shot38% and Miami shot 35% so that tells me there were many more opportunities for rebounds and it was a meaningless reg season game.

Haslem is a good Power Forward...watch as he gets a ton of money as a FA.

Haslem is an average at best player, he looks alot better next to Shaq.

Damon Jones is in the top three three point shooters in the whole league and is also a leader in the Turnover to Assist ratio.....Yeah...he sucks....

Once again b/c he can shoot open jumpers all game long b/c Shaq is being doubled. He is a mediocre player who Shaq has made better but playing against a great defensive team like Detroit he'll struggle. Since you want to look at reg season #s here are Damon's # against Det:

4/10: 1 of 8 from 3
12/30: 0 of 6 from 3
11/26: 2 of 7 from 3

In 3 games that's 3 of 21(14%)

The only way that Miami can beat Detroit is in 7 games? Get real...the Heat can beat them in 5...The Heat are just deeper and better.

What makes you think the Heat have any chance of winning in 5?(other than serious injuries to Detroit)

Miami is not deep, they have a couple of decent players coming off the bench but they are not deep, their starting 5 isn't even great.

You talk like somebody that watched the Heat play for the first time in the New Jersey Series.

You talk like somone who hasn't watched Detroit play in 2 years.

Yea Detroit really shut down Shaq last year in the finals when he averaged 26 PPG.

is it about how many points you can limit Shaq or is it about winning?

Shaq was surrounded w/ better talent last year and his team didn't win and we can use all the "team" stuff but the bottom line is the Lakers beat some good teams along the way to get to the Finals so it's not like they were playing bad basketball.

 

[Ferretsquig]

3 of 12 from the field- that's effective? He got 14 boards but Detroit shot38% and Miami shot 35% so that tells me there were many more opportunities for rebounds and it was a meaningless reg season game.

I agree that Mourning wont be an effective offensive threat when guarded by Sheed or Wallace. Then again he will max out at about 4 shots a game. When he is in there the offense goes through Wade and EJ.

Miami is not deep, they have a couple of decent players coming off the bench but they are not deep, their starting 5 isn't even great.

Miami is the deepest team after Dallas. They do have a couple decent players coming off the bench. Thats what a bench is for. Their players all know their roles and play them. Dooling, Laettner, Butler, Mourning, and Anderson will all get minutes. In contrast, Detroit has Mcdyess and Hunter. You can include Arroyo if you want...but I havnt been impressed.

Shaq was surrounded w/ better talent last year and his team didn't win and we can use all the "team" stuff but the bottom line is the Lakers beat some good teams along the way to get to the Finals so it's not like they were playing bad basketball.

Again somehow I doubt you wantched the Lakers run last year. They were never a good team. Even being a Shaq fan I was dissapointed that they got by the spurs....they just didnt deserve it.

 

[nyjunc]

Again somehow I doubt you wantched the Lakers run last year. They were never a good team. Even being a Shaq fan I was dissapointed that they got by the spurs....they just didnt deserve it.

I never said they were the lakers of '00-'02 but they were still a tough team to beat and Detroit handled them rather easily. Again, I have never said that Miami can't win but it's ludicrous to think Miami will easily beat Detroit.

 

[VJ1252]

Did I say they shut Shaq down or that they had his number. Is someone putting words into my mouth?

when you say they have his number your basically saying they know how to stop him.

 

[Ferretsquig]

I never said they were the lakers of '00-'02 but they were still a tough team to beat and Detroit handled them rather easily. Again, I have never said that Miami can't win but it's ludicrous to think Miami will easily beat Detroit.

Yes I doubt it will be an easy series. I would guess Miami in 7 only because of the home court advantage. If Sheed and Billups can hit their threes, its tough to beat em. Fortunately for the Heat Sheed is generally a pretty lousy 3 point shooter.

 

[nyjunc]

when you say they have his number your basically saying they know how to stop him.

I think he's just referring to Detorit knowing how to beat Shaq led teams, nobody can stop Shaq.

Yes I doubt it will be an easy series. I would guess Miami in 7 only because of the home court advantage. If Sheed and Billups can hit their threes, its tough to beat em. Fortunately for the Heat Sheed is generally a pretty lousy 3 point shooter.

I see a tough series as well but I think the D of Detroit will be enough to prevail in a tough 6 game series. If it goes 7 I give the edge to Miami b/c of home court.

 

[Brad528]

Pistons in 4 B@#ch