2012 NBA Playoffs: NY Knicks @ MIA Heat GM1 4/28 [3:30 EST]

[lataflava00]

i really dont like chandler on bosh. it has not worked well in the past as bosh has torched him thus far. i really hope amare is up for the challenge so that chandler defends a center (joel anthony) rather than bosh. that way, chandler can be more active with the help defense rather than focusing entirely on bosh.

[MSG]

Nice promo

http://www.msg.com/videos/knicks-playof ... twork.html

[god shammgod]

let me just say this. i see some of you trying to be safe, picking the heat to win. this is not the time to pretend to be an analyst like some of you do. this is the time to be a fan. you need to believe. if not, get the f*ck up off this forum during these playoffs. we don't need you wannabe jon barry ass motherf*ckers right now. ok. knicks for the win. let's do this.

[Gregory151]

Barbara Barker ‏ @meanbarb
On the way to American Airllines arena, all the talk on the radio was of Dolphins, not Heat. #Knicks

[SmooveMelo]

let me just say this. i see some of you trying to be safe, picking the heat to win. this is not the time to pretend to be an analyst like some of you do. this is the time to be a fan. you need to believe. if not, get the f*ck up off this forum during these playoffs. we don't need you wannabe jon barry ass motherf*ckers right now. ok. knicks for the win. let's do this.

+1000

we don't need you wannabe jon barry ass motherf*ckers right now. ok. knicks for the win. let's do this.

[twinthunder3]

Knicks gotta win this...this is probably the few times they have a team this deep.

[EchelonNYK]

Draw first blood!

[EchelonNYK]

Keys to the Knicks winning series against Heat 1. Melo must go HAM 2. The Knicks bench have to contribute 3. Novak!

Our starters are good enough to keep us in the game, but the bench scares me a little..

[kane2021]

SO how do you guys feel about this series?

I think we can take it. The pressure is on them. We are the ones that have a point to prove because just about everyone has them picked. I think we are tougher. Deeper. And just as talented.

I dont think we or anyone can stop their main guys. But I do think we have the parts to make it difficult for them to succeed. And thats really all you can ask for.

I think we are a tougher team. In my eyes the key is keeping each game as close as possible. Back them into a corner late and make them perform in the clutch.

I really think we can take this. Our second round matchup will be easier. I can see us making it to the ECF.

What yall think?

[Gregory151]

SO how do you guys feel about this series?

I think we can take it. The pressure is on them. We are the ones that have a point to prove because just about everyone has them picked. I think we are tougher. Deeper. And just as talented.

I dont think we or anyone can stop their main guys. But I do think we have the parts to make it difficult for them to succeed. And thats really all you can ask for.

I think we are a tougher team. In my eyes the key is keeping each game as close as possible. Back them into a corner late and make them perform in the clutch.

I really think we can take this. Our second round matchup will be easier. I can see us making it to the ECF.

What yall think?

I agree with ALL of this.. Especially the bold.. I believe in our ability to make plays & stops at the end of games over their ability to do so. We have to take care of the ball and focus. Take good shots & pay attention to every little detail.

[K_ick_God]

SO how do you guys feel about this series?

I think we can take it. The pressure is on them. We are the ones that have a point to prove because just about everyone has them picked. I think we are tougher. Deeper. And just as talented.

I dont think we or anyone can stop their main guys. But I do think we have the parts to make it difficult for them to succeed. And thats really all you can ask for.

I think we are a tougher team. In my eyes the key is keeping each game as close as possible. Back them into a corner late and make them perform in the clutch.

I really think we can take this. Our second round matchup will be easier. I can see us making it to the ECF.

What yall think?

Well I don't think we are more talented because you have to measure talent at the very top primarily. But we are deeper and we have the best big man on either team.

To win the series, I think we'll need one of Baron or Shumpert to really play well, and then we may also need Wade to fall off a little. If not, I think we can make it a competitive series, winning 2 games. To win 4, we'll need a few other things to break our way.

I'm maintaining a cautious pessimism but I am excited to see this play out.

I agree most of all with your assessment that the pressure is on them. That's always a better position to be in.

[Futureisnow]

SO how do you guys feel about this series?

I think we can take it. The pressure is on them. We are the ones that have a point to prove because just about everyone has them picked. I think we are tougher. Deeper. And just as talented.

I dont think we or anyone can stop their main guys. But I do think we have the parts to make it difficult for them to succeed. And thats really all you can ask for.

I think we are a tougher team. In my eyes the key is keeping each game as close as possible. Back them into a corner late and make them perform in the clutch.

I really think we can take this. Our second round matchup will be easier. I can see us making it to the ECF.

What yall think?

I agree the pressure is on them. If we can come back here tied or (dreaming) up 2-0 then they'll probably crumble under the pressure. Shump's defensive play is key. He's got to keep Wade from having one of his typical Knick killing games. Wade's going to get to the line (what else is new), but so long as he doesn't have his way with us otherwise we'll be okay. That leaves Lebron and Bosh to come up big and I don't see that happening. Crazy that I'm basing most of this on a rookie but neutralizing Wade is key as he's the heart of that team.

Have to minimize turnovers, can't have guys picking up techs and gotta go into this knowing the refs aren't going to do us any favors.

It's going to be a gritty series, but I think we can take it.

Knicks in six.

[EchelonNYK]

We're going to see a few flagrant fouls in this Knicks/Heat series, i can already tell!

[AmazingJason]

SO how do you guys feel about this series?

I think we can take it. The pressure is on them. We are the ones that have a point to prove because just about everyone has them picked. I think we are tougher. Deeper. And just as talented.

I dont think we or anyone can stop their main guys. But I do think we have the parts to make it difficult for them to succeed. And thats really all you can ask for.

I think we are a tougher team. In my eyes the key is keeping each game as close as possible. Back them into a corner late and make them perform in the clutch.

I really think we can take this. Our second round matchup will be easier. I can see us making it to the ECF.

What yall think?

Obviously I'll be rooting for us to win and I can see a situation where we take the series, but everything would have to go right and the Heat would have to suffer a monumental mental collapse. Our weaknesses (turnovers, perimeter shooting) play into their strengths (forcing turnovers, transition offense, over-helping in the paint), the Heat can match our quickness and athleticism (an advantage we have against most other teams & Joel Anthony unfortunately gives us so many fits), and we don't have any really good match-ups to benefit from. I feel like the series will play out similarly to the regular season games; our defense is able to keep the games close, but ultimately, they'll outclass us at the end of them. We'll probably get swept or lose in 5, with Melo taking 1 on his own.

[aggo]

I think Heat in 6 is the most likely outcome

BUT


I think we can take the Heat out of their game. I truly think that the Heat are mentally fragile. I saw it against Dallas last year in the finals... I truly did. LeBron was discouraged running down the lane because Brian Cardinal was there to take him out. Wade at some point realized it was going to be him to carry the team or else they would sink fast. I suddenly saw guys who tried to do too much and stopped playing within their game.

Miami's psyche is fragile. It can be intimidated and manipulated. There's so much pressure I feel on LeBron that when the pressure is at it's highest, he goes into a shell. It's happened so many times in the past that I don't see him "flipping the switch" and turning the leaf. CLE playoffs their last year, him checking out, Dallas series, him checking out. It can happen.

Kobe himself said it best-- LeBron is still finding himself and where he fits in to the endgame of a title. Everyone in sports say that you can't be afraid to miss the last shot-- it's great rhetoric. But I think LeBron truly is concerned about being "that guy". It's why he went to Miami, it's why he still defers a lot in late game situations.

So if all these things are true, how can we bring about inner turmoil in Miami? Get them to second guess their depth, their bigs, their bench, their role players, their chemistry? Is LeBron the robin or is it Wade?

We do these things by winning game 1.

If we win game 1, we have a real real shot to take them out. I think the media hype can get to them. These guys listen to everything-- they were the first to mock Dirk when Dirk said that he had a few sniffles in between games in the finals. It can get to them.

We win game 1, anything can happen.

We lose, it's ho-hum and the LeBron/Wade train chug along to advancing in game 6.

[Kooz]

Tried the ESPN playoff simulator. The first result had OKC winning the title but the second sim seemed to be more accurate...



Full screen: http://i.imgur.com/wtKgj.jpg



GO NY GO NY GO

[opeth04]

If we get meaningful 14ppg and 8APG from Baron Davis, we will sweep them.
This guy is such a big x factor its scary.

All his career his motivation is the question: Well, how can you play the Heat in round 1 playing for the Knicks and not be motivated?

[Gregory151]

Jonah Ballow ‏ @jonahballow Close
Playoff practice time - @Amareisreal, @I_Am_Iman, & the #Knicks arrive in MIA #RiseUpNYK #NBA

[kane2021]

One adjustment I would hope to see us make is to not switch shump off of picks set to free up wade. I think shumps keys responsibility is to stick to wade like glue. Even if we risk foul trouble. Because I feel JR can be and is a pesky annoying type of defender. SO even if shump gets into some early foul trouble, we should never switch off of wade.

Disrupting wade early should be a primary focus. Wade is the one player that I feel has the guts to step up late for that team. He also gets the benefit of the doubt on contact.

Blow for blow melo can match james. Amare is our secondary scorer. I would guess we might see a defensive swap 4 going on 5. Ty on bosh and vice versa. Halsem and joel on stat.

Offensively I think tyson can be key for us. He is a high percentage shot taker and maker. He also hits his free throws. I would hope we call his number a bit more than usual to give us a 3 man dynamic on offense.

One thing I agree on with all of you guys is we REALLY REALLY have to protect the ball. Im not sure there is another team in the NBA that profits off of mistakes like Miami. We should be calculated on ever possession. Really take our time and focus on getting the ball where we want it to go.

[mpharris36]

SO how do you guys feel about this series?

I think we can take it. The pressure is on them. We are the ones that have a point to prove because just about everyone has them picked. I think we are tougher. Deeper. And just as talented.

I dont think we or anyone can stop their main guys. But I do think we have the parts to make it difficult for them to succeed. And thats really all you can ask for.

I think we are a tougher team. In my eyes the key is keeping each game as close as possible. Back them into a corner late and make them perform in the clutch.

I really think we can take this. Our second round matchup will be easier. I can see us making it to the ECF.

What yall think?

Obviously I'll be rooting for us to win and I can see a situation where we take the series, but everything would have to go right and the Heat would have to suffer a monumental mental collapse. Our weaknesses (turnovers, perimeter shooting) play into their strengths (forcing turnovers, transition offense, over-helping in the paint), the Heat can match our quickness and athleticism (an advantage we have against most other teams & Joel Anthony unfortunately gives us so many fits), and we don't have any really good match-ups to benefit from. I feel like the series will play out similarly to the regular season games; our defense is able to keep the games close, but ultimately, they'll outclass us at the end of them. We'll probably get swept or lose in 5, with Melo taking 1 on his own.

wow i sense a lot of bitchazzness in ur post!