Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:
FAH1223, I agree with you on the Spurs and Memphis, but I don't think the Spurs defend well enough or that they can sustain an effort over 7 games. I would LOVE to see the Spurs at their best vs the Heat in the finals.
Memphis will never get the calls. It's not going to happen IMO.
I expect OKC again, even though I agree with you, they have no shot. If not OKC, this may shock but I think once the playoffs begin the referees will let the Lakers get past some teams. You could see an LAL/MIA finals. If not OKC, watch it be LA with all sorts of tributes to the late, great, Jerry Buss. I know the Lakers are not that good, but the playoffs will be a whole different set of rules.
The team besides the Grizzlies that could give the Heat fits a couple games IMO is the Nuggets. They are really deep.
It just depends on when they peak. Remember, they won 20 straight from the end of the regular season until going up 2-0 vs. OKC. They didn't defend well from that point on and the refs obviously didn't do them any favors if you recall.
With Memphis, you are right. But there's no doubt they have the ability if their bigs do what they are capable of doing plus more.
Denver is deep and they are a hot team improved in the half court. They certainly have the ammo to score enough with MIA but I just don't know if they are consistent enough defensively... but they have the depth to keep up. Their road to the finals depends on their matchups... they can beat the Clippers... but can they beat MEM in a half court slowed down series? Denver thrives off turnovers and teams like SA and MEM normally do not beat themselves.
The Lakers stand no chance vs. Miami. I know a healthy Gasol/Howard front court, if used properly, would present issues for MIA. But LAL has a coach that plays small ball himself. Earl Clark played well but that kid is now playing one leg at this point and his production has fallen off. Artest is as unpredictable as they get with his production and what he'll give you every night. Nash is still a good player but he'd have to be back to his old self which isn't happening. Kobe, as impressive as he is, is not going to will that team beyond the first round. The Lakers of 2008-2011 would have a shot. But these Lakers turn the ball over way too much though... and MIA thrives off that. I'd think that would be a 5 game series if it somehow got to an LAL-MIA matchup. Lakers would win 1 at home but they'd lose the others due to their inability to defend as a unit and hold on to the ball.