2014 NBA EC Finals: IND (1) vs MIA (2)

[PaulieWal]

I think the Heat have figured out the Pacers, honestly. I think the Wizards would actually give the Heat more problems.

I don't see either series going more than 5 games for the Heat though.

I disagree. Wiz probably do lose in 5 but Indiana is going to be a competitive 6 game series. Miami is exactly what Indiana needs to come together. It wouldn't surprise me if Hibbert turned into 06 Shaq again like the ECF last year. It always happens. Teams play poorly and then they become world beaters against Miami .

[dr3am]

I think the Heat have figured out the Pacers, honestly. I think the Wizards would actually give the Heat more problems.

I don't see either series going more than 5 games for the Heat though.

I disagree. Wiz probably do lose in 5 but Indiana is going to be a competitive 6 game series. Miami is exactly what Indiana needs to come together. It wouldn't surprise me if Hibbert turned into a 06 Shaq again like the ECF last year. It always happens. Teams play poorly and then they become world beaters against Miami .

Yup plus don't forget that Indiana basically built their roster for the sole purpose of knocking us out. Pacers-Heat is never a cake walk because...

1. We one of the lowest ranked rebounding teams while the Pacers are one of the top rebounding teams
2. Bosh never plays well against them
3. Our shooters never hit 3's consistently but also credit the Pacers defense for closing out on shooters
4. Hibbert like you says plays like 06 Shaq & Hakeem 2.0 against us along with Paul George looking like a superstar
5. Indiana always overachieves vs Miami. I see this series going the distance in the ECF. Definitely not going to be a gentleman sweep

[PaulieWal]

Yup plus don't forget that Indiana basically built their roster for the sole purpose of knocking us out. Pacers-Heat is never a cake walk because...

1. We one of the lowest ranked rebounding teams while the Pacers are one of the top rebounding teams
2. Bosh never plays well against them
3. Our shooters never hit 3's consistently but also credit the Pacers defense for closing out on shooters
4. Hibbert like you says plays like 06 Shaq & Hakeem 2.0 against us along with Paul George looking like a superstar
5. Indiana always overachieves vs Miami. I see this series going the distance in the ECF. Definitely not going to be a gentleman sweep

1. Yeah, they kill us on rebounds and especially on offensive putbacks.
2. Bosh HAS to play better. Miami's supporting cast is older. Now that I remember the ECF last year he was horrible. His shooting disappeared and he was completely over-matched against Hibbert on the defensive end.
3. They close well on shooters but I have also noticed for some reason they miss a lot of open looks. Maybe they are not able to get in a good rhythm.
4. Hibbert will probably average a consistent 15+/10 against Miami.
5. No way Miami wins in 5 against Indiana. I would be very shocked. For that to happen Wade, LeBron, and Bosh will have to put up big numbers every game together but I don't see that happening (especially for Bosh).

[MisterHibachi]

Haslem will be starting against the Pacers I bet.

[PaulieWal]

Haslem will be starting against the Pacers I bet.

Absolutely he will. I think Spo has realized now that Battier can't guard West, he never could but now he gets manhandled. Haslem on Hibbert and Bosh on West to start the game and I like those match-ups. Bosh has length to bother West and Haslem is a good low-post defender. I actually think it's good that Haslem didn't play against the Nets. Haslem is healthy AND rested.

[BlackKnight]

Any chance Oden or Beasley get activated for this series?

[Heat_Fan_87]

Any chance Oden or Beasley get activated for this series?

oden over beasley.

[mopper8]

Miami had a lot of success going with 2 bigs vs Indy and then playing "normal" defense rather than their normal, attacking blitzes on the PnR--just having the big hedge and then sink back into the lane. Indy couldn't get anything against it. I have a feeling we'll see a lot more of that if Indy gets through, with then some "surprise" opportunistic blitzes when the weaker ball handlers run the PnR

[Left Side Drive]

Heat in 4

[JesusHCoxMd]

Heat with the "Gentleman's sweep".

[Pan Jia Yuan]

It always happens. Teams play poorly and then they become world beaters against Miami .

heat have played a total of 11 playoff series in the east since forming the big 3. only 2 of them were competitive.
2/11.
like you said: "always"

[PaulieWal]

It always happens. Teams play poorly and then they become world beaters against Miami .

heat have played a total of 11 playoff series in the east since forming the big 3. only 2 of them were competitive.
2/11.
like you said: "always"

What are you talking about? That has nothing to do with what I said but I will engage for the sake of it:

Indiana-Miami 2012
Boston Miami 2012
Indiana-Miami 2013
Spurs-Miami 2013 (not in the East but that doesn't matter)

That's 4 competitive series and that doesn't include the loss in 2011 to the Mavs.

The series against Bulls and OKC in 2011 and 2012 were pretty close for 5 game series.

Also, my comment was in regards to teams playing poorly and then becoming world beaters against Miami. That doesn't include good teams. Indiana right now falls in that category where they are playing poorly and will probably regroup against Miami. Like I said: "always".

[Pan Jia Yuan]

It always happens. Teams play poorly and then they become world beaters against Miami .

heat have played a total of 11 playoff series in the east since forming the big 3. only 2 of them were competitive.
2/11.
like you said: "always"

What are you talking about?

Indiana-Miami 2012
Boston Miami 2012
Indiana-Miami 2013
Spurs-Miami 2013

That's 4 competitive series.

The series against Bulls and OKC in 2011 and 2012 were pretty close for 5 game series.

Also, my comment was in regards to teams playing poorly and then becoming world beaters against Miami. That doesn't include good teams. Indiana right now falls in that category where they are playing poorly and will probably regroup against Miami.

i was talking about the 11 playoff series in the east. 3x3 + 2 = 11.
i give you boston 12, indy 13. and i'm fine with calling the 2012 pacers series half-competitive.
that's 2.5/11

let's not kid ourselves here. overall it's been a cakewalk. and not, like suggested, a battle against world-beaters. that's just BS.

[PaulieWal]

heat have played a total of 11 playoff series in the east since forming the big 3. only 2 of them were competitive.
2/11.
like you said: "always"

What are you talking about?

Indiana-Miami 2012
Boston Miami 2012
Indiana-Miami 2013
Spurs-Miami 2013

That's 4 competitive series.

The series against Bulls and OKC in 2011 and 2012 were pretty close for 5 game series.

Also, my comment was in regards to teams playing poorly and then becoming world beaters against Miami. That doesn't include good teams. Indiana right now falls in that category where they are playing poorly and will probably regroup against Miami.

i was talking about the 11 playoff series in the east. 3x3 + 2 = 11.
i give you boston 12, indy 13. and i'm fine with calling the 2012 pacers series half-competitive.
that's 2.5/11

let's not kid ourselves here. overall it's been a cakewalk. and not, like suggested, a battle against world-beaters. that's just BS.

You need to read posts properly before you pick arguments with other posters.

My comment was a general comment about bad teams playing above themselves against Miami (more about the RS). It has nothing to do with the playoffs. Right now, Indiana is an inconsistent team and playing poorly for the last 3-4 months. I suggested that against Miami they will turn it around and play like they are world-beaters and be back to their ECF form of last year.

My comment has nothing to do with Miami facing a tough road or a "cakewalk" to the Finals.

Edit: More to your point about it being a cakewalk, just because Miami beat a team in 5 doesn't make it a cakewalk. Boston and Chicago in 2011 were very good teams. By your logic only when you go 6-7 every series are you facing tough competition. Hypothetically if the Spurs manage to beat OKC in 5 for example, you can't say they had a cakewalk because they only went 7 against Dallas and their series against Blazers and OKC weren't "competitive".

[Pan Jia Yuan]

My comment was a general comment about bad teams playing above themselves against Miami (more about the RS). It has nothing to do with the playoffs. Right now, Indiana is an inconsistent team and playing poorly for the last 3-4 months. I suggested that against Miami they will turn it around and play like they are world-beaters and be back to their ECF form of last year.

My comment has nothing to do with Miami facing a tough road or a "cakewalk" to the Finals.

well, it's a matchup thing. pacers got the front court and the length and the defense to challenge the heat.
so, your "general comment" is just wrong. because it's specifically about the pacers strengths and the heats weaknesses.

[PaulieWal]

My comment was a general comment about bad teams playing above themselves against Miami (more about the RS). It has nothing to do with the playoffs. Right now, Indiana is an inconsistent team and playing poorly for the last 3-4 months. I suggested that against Miami they will turn it around and play like they are world-beaters and be back to their ECF form of last year.

My comment has nothing to do with Miami facing a tough road or a "cakewalk" to the Finals.

well, it's a matchup thing. pacers got the front court and the length and the defense to challenge the heat.
so, your "general comment" is just wrong. because it's specifically about the pacers strengths and the heats weaknesses.

Favorable match-up or not, Indiana has looked horrible against all types of teams. Even against the Wizards they haven't looked much better (a team that is supposed to be a good match-up for Hibbert and the Pacers). It doesn't matter. They went to game 7 with a 37 win Hawks team (no matter how bad of a match-up that was for them). My comment stands.

[Pan Jia Yuan]

Favorable match-up or not, Indiana has looked horrible against all types of teams. Even against the Wizards they haven't looked much better (a team that is supposed to be a good match-up for Hibbert and the Pacers). It doesn't matter. They went to game 7 with a 37 win Hawks team (no matter how bad of a match-up that was for them). My comment stands.

and your comment is that ... the 1st seed in the east only looks good against the heat?

come on, what exactly are we arguing here? that
a) the pacers FC is absolutely abusing the heat FC?
b) the pacers perimeter defense is neutralizing the heats perimeter game?

that's common nba knowledge, i'm out.

[PaulieWal]

Favorable match-up or not, Indiana has looked horrible against all types of teams. Even against the Wizards they haven't looked much better (a team that is supposed to be a good match-up for Hibbert and the Pacers). It doesn't matter. They went to game 7 with a 37 win Hawks team (no matter how bad of a match-up that was for them). My comment stands.

and your comment is that ... the 1st seed in the east only looks good against the heat?

come on, what exactly are we arguing here? that
a) the pacers FC is absolutely abusing the heat FC?
b) the pacers perimeter defense is neutralizing the heats perimeter game?

that's common nba knowledge, i'm out.

I feel like you are being obtuse on purpose. Pacers haven't been your typical 1 seed. They barely got the 1 seed with Miami resting Wade and have looked downright horrible at times. They were trailing the Hawks 2-3 in the 1st round. They have been blown out twice by the Wizards and won a close game 4 after trailing by as many as 19 points in the 3rd.

The guy who kills the Heat and makes Pacers dangerous, Hibbert, has gone in the most unprecedented slump for an "all-star" in the playoffs. He has struggled against everybody. Small Cs, big Cs, Cs that play in the paint or Cs that make him leave the paint. It doesn't matter. They are playing poorly and Hibbert has fallen off a cliff. The point was that Hibbert will likely become Hibbert of last year's ECF against Miami.

I know you said you are "out" but I had to reply. You argued for the sake of an argument. I didn't say anything outrageous or wrong. If anything, your comment about a series not being "competitive" if the teams wins in 5 (Heat against Boston and Chicago in 2011) was wrong and doesn't make much sense.

[Sign5]

Either way it has been a good playoffs for the Heat thus far, while the Pacers(if they lose tonight) have been dueling it out with their opponent TWICE. HCA won't save them.

[EArl]

I want the Pacers and Heat. Watching the Wizards get dismantled by the Heat its not going to be fun.