RealGM

Thought I'd make a catch-all playoff thread, for discussing matchups. So far, the only thing we're certain of is that we'll face the Bucks in the first round. However, there are interesting possibilities with our side of the bracket:

Champions Bracket

1. HEAT ___
8. Bucks

4. Nets ___
5. Hawks

Losers Bracket

2. Knicks ___
7. Celtics

3. Pacers ___
6. Bulls

Bucks, Nets and Hawks currently on our side of the bracket. Hawks and Bulls are the only question marks right now. We did ourselves a real solid by beating the Bulls tonight. If ATL can win out, they'll clinch their seed. An ATL win and CHI loss in the next game also clinches for them. With any luck, NYK rest their guys in the last game of the season, making ATL's path that much easier. PEACE.

I have to think we matchup well with the Bucks. I don't know if there's too much doubt about the series, but I'd like to consider how we matchup against Milwaukee in this series. My thoughts:

1. Guard play is going to be essential. Rio is gonna be D-ing up Chuckasaurus Jennings. If he avoids going under screens against him, he should be fine. Jennings seems like a guy who feeds off of made shots, so limiting his open looks will help a lot there. I also expect Wade on Monta to be pretty important. Limiting their guards will limit their offense. I see the x-factor to be Ray vs. Reddick. If Ray can match or exceed JJ's output, we should have a huge advantage.

2. I don't think the other factors are nearly as big as addressing the Bucks guard play. However, limiting Ilyasova would be nice. Last year, he gave Bosh all kinds of fits on the boards and in the paint. This season, except for the last game, Bosh has outplayed Ersan. Matter of fact, Bosh has been great against Milwaukee this season. Still, Ersan only started playing really well in the last couple of months, so it's still going to be important to limit his presence on the boards and on offense. If we can keep him from getting hot, the Bucks have little to no chance.

3. Larry Sanders is a DPOY candidate, but I don't think he poses enough of a threat to worry us. I could see us making it a point to attack him on the offensive end, to try and get him in early foul trouble. His biggest impact will be on defense, so I think we'll want to get him out of the game.

I don't think Milwaukee stands a chance. We are better than them just about everywhere you can think. All we gotta do it stay healthy and stay focused. 15 strong can't do wrong. Let's Go HEAT! PEACE.

I really want Wade to drop LeBron-like numbers on Ellis head so he can stop with the "I am as good as Wade" BS.

Excellent breakdown of the Miami/Milwaukee series. Nothing else needed to be said...

I am hoping the Hawks clinch that fifth seed but I highly doubt the Knicks rest their starters for that game. Do you think the Knicks want the possibility of seeing the Bulls in the second round? Hell NO. They're going to do whatever it takes to keep Chicago in our bracket and you can never have faith in any Atlanta sports team

I think having birdman is gonna help us big time in the play offs. OT- My mom calls him "birdboy"

With the emergence of Birdman i think we can really phase Haslem out of the rotation, shedding pretty much the only dead weight(Besides Ray's defense). Now that it's the POs we can start Small and get out to quicker starts.

Possible starting 5 -Rio, Wade, Miller, Bron, and Bosh with Ray,Battier,Cole,Bird to fill out the 9. Unless we play Indiana I say roll with Lewis for remaining spot minutes.

I like brining Lewis or Miller into the rotation (depending on the matchup) but I think Haslem's deficiencies are way overstated. Our offense is certainly less effective with him on the court, but our defense is at it's best, and overall the starting unit has performed really really well in extended minutes, against almost exclusively the best the other team has to put out.

Our problems have been the 2nd unit, which have become less of a problem post-ASB (as Cole has miraculously turned into a shooter) and will be even less so in the playoffs, when Lebron/Wade play extended minutes.

The funny thing is, given how I expect to sweep the Bucks easily, I wouldn't be surprised if Spo didn't even go full-on playoff rotation till the 2nd round. It's not necessary to play Lebron 41-42 min or Wade 38+ to beat the Bucks.

spot on with the bucks match up. i think itll be even easier than we imagine. they have an awful record and rely a lot on the 3. heat have yet to play their playoff style swarming defense so i think come game 1 well see that suffocating d reappear.

larry sanders is a presence but i think well go at him early and often, hes also incredibly prone to technicals and flagrants cause hes a bonehead. i can see this working in our favor.

i expect us to go back to the

rio
wade
bron
battier
bosh

lineup
with

main bench players being
ray
bird

and these other bench players playing based on matchup
cole
miller
UD

Heat_Fan_87 wrote:i expect us to go back to the

rio
wade
bron
battier
bosh

lineup
with

main bench players being
ray
bird

and these other bench players playing based on matchup
cole
miller
UD

You can bet your ass that UD will still be starting...

I can see going with the "Harlem shake 27 game streak" Lineup.

Best possible bracket for us...

Heat fan06 wrote:Best possible bracket for us...

For now at least, CHI has to lose at least 1 more game along with ATL winning one more.

Bucks seem like an easy sweep, no need to even look into it. We just have way more talent than them. They shouldn't even be in the playoffs.

As others have mentioned we shouldn't even have to play a playoff rotation in the first round.

Bosh negates Larry pretty much. One of the most undervalued aspects of his game now that his at C is that he moves guys like him away from the rim. Outside of blocking shots Sanders isn't anything special.

Other than that, the rest of the matchup is a joke. They just lost to Bobcats and Hawks in the last 2 games. I expect a 4-5 game series, and some rest before round 2.

Only concern for me are Jennings, Illyasova (he can kill us on the glass if he wants), Monta (SORT OF... he has made NO noise against us).

The Bucks will have us on our toes, you have to play a whole game against them to win, they don't give up.

Meh... 5 games this should go. We never sweep teams it seems, it would be nice to not be complacent and do sweep them.

I would rather see us play the Bulls in the second round than waste time with the Nets or Hawks. Even though most teams are beat up with injuries in our Conference, I still would like to test the championship mentality of the team before the ECF'S or Finals.

Big Dee Chi-Born wrote:I would rather see us play the Bulls in the second round than waste time with the Nets or Hawks. Even though most teams are beat up with injuries in our Conference, I still would like to test the championship mentality of the team before the ECF'S or Finals.

I get this POV, but getting "tested" is overrated IMO. Would much rather have guys physically and mentally rested.

Yeah, I'm also on that boat of having the toughest road to the Finals. NY will have to go through that path before they reach the Heat, meaning they will gain much more needed experience to take us on.

mopper8 wrote:

Big Dee Chi-Born wrote:I would rather see us play the Bulls in the second round than waste time with the Nets or Hawks. Even though most teams are beat up with injuries in our Conference, I still would like to test the championship mentality of the team before the ECF'S or Finals.

I get this POV, but getting "tested" is overrated IMO. Would much rather have guys physically and mentally rested.

Physically rested is cool, but isn't that what they've been doing during the regular season? Playoff time is about being ready and staying ready mentally (most importantly imo) and physically. So I can see your point of wanting to keep them out of harms way, but at the same time I want them more mentally sharp than mentally rested.

Big Dee Chi-Born wrote:I would rather see us play the Bulls in the second round than waste time with the Nets or Hawks. Even though most teams are beat up with injuries in our Conference, I still would like to test the championship mentality of the team before the ECF'S or Finals.

This team has been tested more than enough. First team in history to win it all after trailing in 3 different series. I think i would rather take a cakewalk to the ECF thank you very much.