Who poses the biggest threat to the Heat this season?

[Rock Hardy]

I picked the Pacers. Though they don't look so great in preseason, it's just preseason. Plus, they play f-ckball, and that has such a strong influence on games against us. Plus, if the refs let Hibbert foul like crazy again, it'll be tough. However, our real problem was Wade's injury and Bosh getting in foul trouble.

[dr3am]

As of right now currently in the off-season my vote goes to the Pacers...The Heat had no answer for the duo of Roy Hibbert & David West...Now what makes it worst is that they added Luis Scola who IMO is one of the most underrated players in this league, that dude is very crafty and has a lot of moves in the post...In order for Miami to beat the Pacers this year, it's going to take both Wade & (hopefully) Greg Oden to both be healthy...As much as I love Bosh as a player, he can't handle Roy Hibbert, David West & Scola down low...When I reminisce on that series, I always think of how UD came up huge in two games during that series, his extra contributions pulled Miami through that series next to LeBron going complete beast mode

I must say on paper though Brooklyn could be a possible threat but I just have the feeling that they won't be healthy enough come postseason time next year...Too many old legs on that team in Pierce, KG, Terry, etc...But if they do manage to stay healthy, then man they're going to be a tough out, especially for Miami since I feel next to the Pacers they were built to take out Miami

But this is just my opinion heading into the season...One important factor that a lot of basketball fans ignore is "injuries" which is part of the game sadly...I also agree with what SweetTouch said tho, even though I see the Pacers as Miami's biggest threat, The Pacers were also built to lose to a Rose led Bulls

Also why did the refs get left out of the voting poll? I'm not the type to constantly get on here and constantly whines about officiating but if you look back at how many FT attempts the Pacers had in the ECF and how many FT attempts the Spurs had in the NBA Finals then you would see where I'm coming from...I'm just being honest

[EscapoTHB]

I voted Spurs. No one else has come closer to beating us the last two years. I don't know if Danny Green can repeat his performance--but their combination of ball movement and smart defense is the toughest.

Fortunately if OKC is healthy, I think they can take the Spurs out. Which we still match up great against the Thunder.

[aboogie]

Ourselves!!!!!!


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[ballfan5]

Brooklyn if they can stay healthy. The recipe for beating the Heat is to be able to withstand their ball pressure. Derron Williams and Joe Johnson can bring the ball up. the veterans on the Heat will not get shaken by ball pressure. Secondly you must win the rebounding battle. I don't see Brooklyn dominating the boards but they can do a good job on the boards with the size that they have. Third, you must be able to hit 3 point shots because Miami does a lot of switching on defense. Between, Williams, Pierce, Johnson, and Terry they can always have at least 2 guys on the floor who can knock down the 3 point shot. I personally don't see Kid having the experience to make the tough game time calls to win it and I also don't see Brooklyn being able to stay healthy for the whole season. So for that I say Miami wins another ring but if all the planets align and Brooklyn enters the playoffs healthy then Miami will be in serious trouble.

[weouthere]

Wade's health is the biggest threat. If he's healthy they'll 4-1 every team in the playoffs on the way to a 3rd straight title

yep

I dont think Indy, for some reason i think they will be worse than last year
Bulls, meh idk..will have to see

[cb1]

Indiana and in my opinion it isn't even close......

They present a variety of challenges from Hibbert and West down low to PGeorge becoming probably the 2nd best two way player in the game (behind Lebron)...last year in the ECF they would really suffer when they went to their bench, they added a ton of depth this offseason in Scola, Watson, Granger back, Copeland etc. They literally made every single move this offseason trying to construct a roster that is tailor made for beating Miami.

that said if Wade is healthy and the rest of the team is firing on all cylinders they are heading toward a 3peat.

Indiana doesn't scare me for a variety of reasons:
No pg penetration- One of the most overlooked things is how much quick speedy point guards give us trouble. Even more than bigs am afraid of a point guard who can get by Rio all the time and distribute or score for himself. It's the reason the celtics always gave us trouble because of Rondo. The pacers don't have a point guard with good handles that can break our defense down. If they did, then i would be legit scared of them

Too many turnovers- This feeds into my first point. You turn it over as much as they do, you wont beat us in a 7 game series. Like some others have said, i never truly felt that we didn't have control in our series against them

[cb1]

Brooklyn if they can stay healthy. The recipe for beating the Heat is to be able to withstand their ball pressure. Derron Williams and Joe Johnson can bring the ball up. the veterans on the Heat will not get shaken by ball pressure. Secondly you must win the rebounding battle. I don't see Brooklyn dominating the boards but they can do a good job on the boards with the size that they have. Third, you must be able to hit 3 point shots because Miami does a lot of switching on defense. Between, Williams, Pierce, Johnson, and Terry they can always have at least 2 guys on the floor who can knock down the 3 point shot. I personally don't see Kid having the experience to make the tough game time calls to win it and I also don't see Brooklyn being able to stay healthy for the whole season. So for that I say Miami wins another ring but if all the planets align and Brooklyn enters the playoffs healthy then Miami will be in serious trouble.

Our ball pressure was very effective against Williams last season. I don't see any perimeter defense whatsoever when i look at Brooklyn. They won't be able to control LeWade getting into the paint. If we go small against them, they won't be able to guard us because if your perimeter defense is as weak as theirs, you're gunna give up dribble penetration which means open 3s for Battier, Lebron, Rio, JJ.

[Heat fan06]

Still Pacers for me

Sent from my Galaxy Note 3

[NBA82]

Not worried about the Pacers. We got their A game last year -- that's the best they've got. Hibbert had the series of his life, the type of series that gets guys overpaid by 50% for the rest of their career. Not to mention they got every. single. call. That team is way overrated based on our series. They were mediocre all year. They put together a perfect series and still fell short. Luis Scola and The Artist Formerly Known as Danny Granger aren't changing that.

The Bulls worry me. Joakim is legitimately good, that's not a fluke. Noah/Boozer/Gibson can pound us on the glass, Deng matches up well with LeBron, Butler is a very good 3&D guy, and Rose is a star. I'm a lot more worried by a Thibodeau defense with elite rebounders and Rose than I am by a Pacers team that's ultimately going to be relying on Roy Hibbert and Paul George. The Pacers are a team full of good but not great.

[Golabki]

I voted for SAS, because they are probably the best team, but thinking about it now, I think Houston is the only team that COULD be as good as a healthy Heat team.

Why?

Harden is already close to being a top 5 player and could take another step forward.

Howard was a top 5 player just a couple years ago and should be healthier than he's been a several years.

So they could have the best center and best SG in the NBA, and if Howard buys into the offense he's a PERFECT fit for them to run the 2-man pick and roll game.

They already have a pretty good young core which should get better and Asik could still be flipped for a really really good forward to complement the core.

Not saying all that happening is likely, but taken together is really could be a DOMINANT squad a both sides of the ball.

I'm not a Houston fan, but I'm rooting for it.

[lbjmiami]

Nets .. mark my words

[Hoopz Afrik]

Nets .. mark my words

Nets are are going to fall apart right around all-star break. They lit a fire under Bron with their all talk and no bark. Age will be their kryptonite.

[CWebb2491]

Nets .. mark my words

^ This. The Nets are going to give us trouble. Their starting line up has 5 All stars/former and all can score in many ways. Plus they are starting Garnett and Lopez upfront, they're a big team with alot of depth. I dont think they will beat us but I think they can be the toughest team in our path this year.

[aquaadverse]

Nets .. mark my words

^ This. The Nets are going to give us trouble. Their starting line up has 5 All stars/former and all can score in many ways. Plus they are starting Garnett and Lopez upfront, they're a big team with alot of depth. I dont think they will beat us but I think they can be the toughest team in our path this year.

No. They'll have the somewhat the same issues as last year's Lakers. Older players gassed and beat up and with an additional helping of chemistry issues and a rookie coach trying to ride herd on a bunch of egos. It's not easy to get guys to accept lesser roles, no matter what they say prior to the season. Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson were great players and bad coaches.

That's not the same as being a bad team, but chances of ultimate success rest on being a better team in April than you are in January and March. That's harder with older guys. They have the ability to win a bunch of games during the regular season based on talent. AK-47 has played in 58, 64, 64 (shortened lockout, so not bad) and 64 the last few seasons with none of them going into June. D-Will ? 53, 12, 55 and 78. Terry's production has dropped every year the last 4 seasons. Pierce has been trash in the post season the last few years and would have been worse if not for Rondo.

I worry a lot more about teams like Indiana with young cores and upside who have proven themselves. The Nets have a lot to prove with enormous pressure and a short window.

[CWebb2491]

You have to remember you're talking about Garnett and Pierce.... Theyre not no prima donna dwight howard going to the Lakers with a broken Nash. You can add those two to ANY team and they will make that team better, they are perfect role players at this stage, added to a team that has a young stud at center in Lopez, a very good point guard in Deron Williams who can up his game around this talent, and joe johnson who is a good player. While having AK off the bench, with Terry, and Blatche. We know we can beat the bulls with a healthy rose, we know we can beat the pacers with an injured wade, and bosh not playing too well. I know we can beat any team but I think the Nets have the potential to be the biggest threat in the east. There is something about garnett and pierce that they hate our team, theyre gonna get their guys to give them 120% whenever we play.....