Biggest Threat to the Defending World Champions

[KingNith]

So I am making this thread because I really want to know what you all believe is the biggest thread to the Miami Heat.

On the Eastern Conference division. I honestly believe the Knicks have a shot at actually beating the Heat. Which is scary (as a Miami Heat fan) because of guys like Carmelo, Novak, JR Smith, Jason Kid, Tyson Chandler and I guess even Mike Woodson (He is a smart coach). This is without amare in the starting line up. Anyways, with the Heat having a weaker bench I could foresee a lot of problems.

Boston I doubt can beat Heat, especially since we got Ray Allen on our side.

Atlanta, no chance. They do have Josh Smith but common.

Brooklyn, Nope. Even with Jay-Z and the illuminate on his side

Toronto Raptors. I doubt it even though I think they'll make the 8th seed. (Being from Toronto, I hope we go far. I still want the Heat to win the East and finals)

Every other team on the East has no chance against the heat. Now let's shift our attention over to the Western Division . Keep in mind if you are a heat fan, only one of these team's can face the Heat in the finals.

Either OKC, Clippers, (a stacked, yet problematic) Lakers are the only teams I see going to the finals. Every other team won't make the finals.

So what are your thoughts.

[marson]

The Only threath to The Heat is The Heat.

[ReturnofMVP3]

mhmm

[TheDon008]

The Only threath to The Heat is The Heat.

This.

If we go into the playoffs with the Lacka-dasical mindset, we can be upset.

Other than that, the Only team in the League that has a Chance is OKC.

[ricochet]

The Only threath to The Heat is The Heat.

This.

If we go into the playoffs with the Lacka-dasical mindset, we can be upset.

Other than that, the Only team in the League that has a Chance is OKC.

Perfectly summed up. The biggest obstacle is our mentality and effort (also injury if any)..

Other than that: OKC

[narmerguy]

If the heat play their best game, I don't think any team can beat us. But that's a somewhat unnecessarily hypothetical proposition--no reason to assume we'll be peaking right for the finals. If we play just "well", I can still see OKC beating us if they also play a great game. I think if we play a poor game the Knicks can beat us, but not if we play well.

I'm not really concerned about any other team. I feel like we all have to keep waiting with suspended breath to see if the Lakers become the fearful team they seem capable of on paper. I don't see it, but who knows, they just have to click by the playoffs.

[King_John]

let s look at our opponents in the East first:

Celtics: they gave us hard time last year in the ECF and I know you shouldn t underestimate them but I think their window is closing. So no worries

Bulls: they have an average team right now and I think even when Rose comes back he won t be able to get them over the hump as he won t be 100% healthy

Hawks, Nets, Pacers: no contenders...will not be able to beat in a 7-game series for sure

Knicks: now this matchup concerns me...and right now the only opponent in the East that worries me...we let them blow out twice which means we gave them a lot of confidence...also the addition of Kidd and Felton improved their game a lot...this could be a very tough series

in the west:

OKC: the Thunder continue to improve and will only get better as the season goes on...tough opponent for the Heat but we know how to beat them in a 7 game series

Spurs: very deep and experienced but I think we can handle them

Clippers: I think they are not as good in the playoffs as in the regular season

Grizzlies: the matchup I don t want to see in the Finals. Z-Bo and Gasol will kill us inside...hope they won t make the Finals

[TRG]

If I had to choose one team I wouldn't want to meet in the Finals it would probably be the Grizzlies.

That team is a match up nightmare for us.

I specifically remember when we tried putting Battier on Z-Bo and after Battier got bodied a few times LeBron looked at Spo and was like "Dude this isn't gonna work."

[Tien]

Injuries.

[EscapoTHB]

Knicks if they keep passing the ball playing d any hitting 3s. Though I think if the bulls get rose they'll knock out Ny before they get to us.

Out west the clippers.

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[GreenHat]

In the East the only team that can beat us is the Knicks if they get hot from three (of course we give up a lot of threes). Unlikely though.

San Antonio could give us problems but they won't get out of the West. Huge coaching and depth advantage.

Memphis and Clippers have a lot of size on us and great defenses. They are both underrated because people don't think of them as great defensive teams. Thankfully they don't hit a lot of threes.

There is always OKC. People are dismissing them since we beat them last year easily but those games were close. Battier shot out of his mind and Harden did too except the opposite way. That easily could have flipped on us. We match up the best against them because Perkins doesn't have anyone to guard on our team and they don't have dominant rebounders.

[KingNith]

So it seems like the Knicks from the east and OKC from the west are the BIGGEST threat to the Miami Heat. I agree with you guys.

[RexBoyWonder]

OKC - Most talented

Memphis - Worst matchup

Knicks - it's up to us, if we'll play our game we'll win.

[Heat fan06]

Thunder for sure

Only team who I can see beating us

[fast-break]

I guess most people saying OKC for the West are assuming the Grizzlies wont make the Finals, because as far as matchups, Grizzlies would cause a lot of problems... An OKC matchup would be more favorable in that case.

[TheDon008]

I guess most people saying OKC for the West are assuming the Grizzlies wont make the Finals, because as far as matchups, Grizzlies would cause a lot of problems... An OKC matchup would be more favorable in that case.

Im not afraid of the matchups with Memphis.

Talent wise, OKC is better than memphis. Period.

OKC has finals experiance as well. They are clearly the scarier team.

[Mars]

Defensive complacency.

[SweetTouch]

David Locke ‏@Lockedonsports
Heat are 26th in defensive rebounding in 1st quarter of game but #1 in defensive rebounding in 4th quarter of game - now how to win

David Locke ‏@Lockedonsports
"Ok Coach Spo if we have to"- In 1st half of games Miami ranks #21 in defense - in 2nd half they rank #7

He is radio guy for the JAzz

[lecola]

If they play their best game, Timberwolves can be a real problem for all other teams in the league. IMO, they have the best roster in whole Nba. They have been facing health situations for months but if all of them are healthy at the same time, they can really bite every team in this league. Yes 7 game series are about mental toughness-experience and consistency but they can handle all of these. OKC is really fantastic and looks more polished than last year but if they can show their full potential Wolves are the team that i am afraid of. They are young, maybe one of the youngest teams all over Nba, oldest one Kirilenko is just 32. Their problem is fragility. As a basketball fan, i want this team to show their full potential. Pekovic-Love-Roy-Rubio-Kirilenko-Ridnour-Barea-Budinger-Shved. Really fun to watch.

[Heat fan06]

Memphis as good as they are have no superstar to take over games.