RealGM

One of the more disappointing outcomes of the 2000s was the lack of a Phoenix/Miami matchup in 2005 as we were saddled with a painfully disinteresting Spurs/Pistons series.

It certainly would have been intriguing; the run 'n gun Suns vs the Shaq/Wade Heat. The Suns have a lot of weapons but Miami has size up front and a dynamic second year guard on the rise.

Who wins this hypothetical matchup?

Rest assured, I was saddled with nothing painful nor disinteresting (I believe it's 'uninteresting' here) in the actual 2005 finals. I enjoyed the series as it was.

For this hypothetical though - Heat.

Heat in 5-6, '05 was the last year of Shaq's prime and no one on PHX is/was stopping him and Wade essentially became WADE by the end of his rookie season going into his 2nd year. So Heat would essentially slow down the pace and just grind out the 7SOL suns.

In fact the only reason Heat lost to the Pistons in the ECF that year was due to the rib injury Wade suffered. IMO match ups aside Pistons were a superior team to the Suns OVERALL. Heat vs Spurs would be a more apt debate.

Heat if Wade is healthy. Suns if he is not. Yeah, Shaq would do well offensively, but he would also be a serious problem on defence, so you really need Wade to take the lead.

Helps that it is easier to imagine the Heat making the Finals over the Pistons than it is to imagine the Suns making the Finals over the Spurs. I think a healthy Joe Johnson could have made that Spurs series closer, but overall the Spurs were better.

Suns smoke them. They were a horrible match up for the Heat.

Interesting series. Wade def isnt averaging 35 Ppg being defended by Matrix and Jim Jack as opposed to Dallas horrific perimeter defense of Devin Harris and Jason Terry