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Sixers or Heat?

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Hawkeyes
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Sixers or Heat? 

Post#1 » by Hawkeyes » Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:31 am

Who would you prefer to face in the first round? Miami has the kind of player in Dwade that can just take over games and win them by himself since he is easily one of the top three players in the game, but we have faired well against the Heat head to head this season with a 2-1 record. The Sixers don't exactly have a star like Wade, even though Iguodala is a stud. They have really challenged us at home though, and that would scare me with our need to be successful at home since we are below average on the road. They had a really big lead in the first meeting before we made a serious run to barely steal the win from them, but they then dominated us by 15 in the 2nd meeting at Phillips. I'm torn. I recall what Wade did vs a team like Dallas in the NBA finals and his amazing performances this year and get worried about facing him in a series, but the Sixers have been really hard for us in both meetings at Phillips and have better players all around than Miami does. I think I would prefer Miami, but it is close.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#2 » by evildallas » Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:40 am

I prefer the Sixers for 2 reasons. #1 I think we can match their style with our athleticism. #2 I really expect that Dwayne Wade would get outrageously favorable treatment from the officials to set up a more marketable LeBron vs Wade series instead of Cavs-Hawks.

Maybe it's paranoia on my part, or maybe it's realism.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#3 » by HoopsGuru25 » Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:40 am

Miami w/o question. Philly is a great rebounding team,just as athletic as us,and they play good defense. They have also already beaten us at Phillips and were up 20 in the game they lost. Miami is a one man team(although that one man is pretty good) and I don't think they have the defense/ rebounding to offset that. People are scared of Wade but I'm not scared of any one particular player unless they play pg or center. I have more confidence that the Hawks can contain Wade(basically hold him to his season averages) than guys like Mo Williams,Devin Harris,or Tony Parker.

With that said I'd be surprised if Miami holds on to the 4th seed. Philly has probably been the team most hurt by last second shots/fluke plays while Miami has probably been one of the luckiest. They are only a half game back and Wade must be pretty banged up if he isn't even practice anymore.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#4 » by Skyhawk1 » Thu Mar 26, 2009 8:04 am

I prefer the Heat. I think we match up well with them. The Sixers are more dangerous imo. They have more weapons against us and our athleticism means nothing against them.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#5 » by Harry10 » Thu Mar 26, 2009 1:44 pm

i want the Sixers. Sixers have alot of quality guys on their team. Daly always gives the Hawks problems and i have a feeling that Thad is going to step up his game when he gets into the playoffs.

but their is a 100% sure thing that Wade is going to step up his game in the playoffs.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#6 » by Gutz » Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:37 pm

We shouldn't even be talking like we already have the 4th seed wrapped up. We are only 3 1/2 games ahead of Miami and 4 ahead of Philly. We just lost to San Antonio and will probably lose at least the next two to Boston and LA. Our schedule is brutat the next few games. We could easily slip into the 6th seed if we don't take care of our business. Last night's loss against at home against a Duncan-less Spurs team was unacceptable.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#7 » by Harry10 » Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:07 pm

Gutz wrote:We shouldn't even be talking like we already have the 4th seed wrapped up. We are only 3 1/2 games ahead of Miami and 4 ahead of Philly. We just lost to San Antonio and will probably lose at least the next two to Boston and LA. Our schedule is brutat the next few games. We could easily slip into the 6th seed if we don't take care of our business. Last night's loss against at home against a Duncan-less Spurs team was unacceptable.


i don't think so. everybody knows that the Hawks' greatest weakness is Bibby's defense. Put Parker with a bunch of HSers and i think they will be able to compete with a Bibby lead team. thank god we don't have to worry about any speedsters like Harris, Parker, or Ford, on the Heat or Sixers.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#8 » by tontoz » Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:52 pm

The Heat would be the easier matchup. They are even worse than us in terms of rebounding. They don't have a high scoring pg or a big post scorer. In other words they can't take advantage of our weaknesses.

The Sixers are a very strong rebounding team and they have Andre Miller.

i would definitely rather face the Heat but it is looking more and more like we will face Philly.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#9 » by evildallas » Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:48 pm

Gutz wrote:We shouldn't even be talking like we already have the 4th seed wrapped up. We are only 3 1/2 games ahead of Miami and 4 ahead of Philly. We just lost to San Antonio and will probably lose at least the next two to Boston and LA. Our schedule is brutat the next few games. We could easily slip into the 6th seed if we don't take care of our business. Last night's loss against at home against a Duncan-less Spurs team was unacceptable.


I agree that the team shouldn't be thinking that it's locked up, but for us fans is more innocuous. We're just discussing our likely opponents.

All 3 teams have some rough games down the stretch.
Miami has 5 home 6 road including road games at Chicago, Dallas, Boston and Atlanta and home games with Orlando and Detroit (which all have reason to play)
Philadelphia has 6 home 6 road including road games at Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland and home games with Atlanta, Detroit, Cleveland, and Boston (which all have reason to play)
Atlanta has 5 home 5 road including road games at Philadelphia and Boston and home games with Boston, LA Lakers, Orlando, and Miami (which all have reason to play)

If the Hawks can manage to win at least 4 of their remaining games then the Heat would have to go 8-3 or the Sixers would have to go 9-3 to tie the Hawks. It's not a sure thing, but it is within the Hawks grasp.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#10 » by HoopsGuru25 » Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:26 pm

Gutz wrote:We shouldn't even be talking like we already have the 4th seed wrapped up. We are only 3 1/2 games ahead of Miami and 4 ahead of Philly. We just lost to San Antonio and will probably lose at least the next two to Boston and LA. Our schedule is brutat the next few games. We could easily slip into the 6th seed if we don't take care of our business. Last night's loss against at home against a Duncan-less Spurs team was unacceptable.

I'm not sure if your'e just extremely pessimistic but being "only" 3 and a half games up with 3 weeks left is a good thing. Only Boston and LA have bigger gaps between them and the next highest playoff seed right now. The 4th seed isn't wrapped up but it's not crazy to assume that they will win it.
Harry10 wrote:i want the Sixers. Sixers have alot of quality guys on their team. Daly always gives the Hawks problems and i have a feeling that Thad is going to step up his game when he gets into the playoffs.

but their is a 100% sure thing that Wade is going to step up his game in the playoffs.

I look at it the opposite way. How do we know Wade is going to step his game up in the playoffs? He's obviously below 100 percent if he isn't practicing for the rest of the season. If the Hawks can just contain him(not shut him down)then they will win the series. The Heat are the only above 500. team that the Hawks have beaten on the road since the 6-0 start. It was not a coincidence that Wade shot 9-24 from the floor and they only scored 73 points. The Hawks have allowed one 40 point game to a wing player in the last two years(and that was a fluke double OT game vs Damien Wilkens)so I'll take my chances with Miami.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#11 » by Dedicated_76ers_fan » Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:13 am

The Sixers have improved alot since you guys were a part of our 7 game win-streak, granted not to the tune of another 7-game winstreak(It's 4 right now with a REALLY easy schedule. Detroit is NOT a playoff caliber team. I see Indiana or CHA getting in on one final win streak).

But more of to the tune of the improved play of: Andre Iguodala and one Thaddeus Young.

Over the last 14 games, Thaddeus Young is averaging 21.2 PPG on 56 percent shooting, including a streak of 5 straight games with 20+ or more. And he's doing it from everywhere. Posting bigs bigger then he is and getting it done with the hook. He's taken perimeter players off the dribble for the easy bucket. And he has an excellent mid-range shot and a threat from 3.

It's not so much an scoring improvement with Iggy, as it is with his confidence ever since Iggy hit that game-winning 3. He's taken them with confidence and he's making them and that's a big part of their offense now. If Iguodala and Thad can continue to attack the basket, get to the line and score. Then look for the Sixers to advance far in the NBA'S post-season.

I like you guys, but a lack of a legit forward is really hurting you. Josh Smith has not yet developed the 3 ball, so unless your out on the break, your best player is a non threat.
While I'd perfer to face Bos/ORL in the 2nd round, it's not out of the question if we can beat em.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#12 » by HoopsGuru25 » Fri Mar 27, 2009 2:39 am

I like you guys, but a lack of a legit forward is really hurting you. Josh Smith has not yet developed the 3 ball, so unless your out on the break, your best player is a non threat.

Wait a minute....our best player is not Josh Smith-it's Joe Johnson. I think the Sixers are a good team(unlike Miami)but it's really strange that you would use this particular argument against the Hawks when it was infact YOUR BEST PLAYER who was completely shut down in the playoffs.

BTW....Miami isn't going more than 5 games against Boston. I don't care how good Wade is. His supporting cast is basically the 01 Sixers except that they don't play defense or rebound.
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Re: Sixers or Heat? 

Post#13 » by evildallas » Fri Mar 27, 2009 4:59 am

You guys convinced me that it would be better to face Miami in spite of the star factor. Of course this happens the same day that Miami slips behind Philly by percentage points. Just hope we hang on to the decent lead we have on home court.
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