Could Miami make the playoffs in the Western Conference with

[stanley14]

Just wondering what you guys think after the night Bosh had yesterday.

[Maroko]

Hmmm what is exactly your question ? For your information, we beat 2 year in a row the best team in the Western Conference to be Champions...

[heatlespeatles]

wtf

[Laazard]

I think he meant "... without Lebron"

I think they would. Probably something like 4-7 seed.

[frizzledizzle]

Hmmm what is exactly your question ? For your information, we beat 2 year in a row the best team in the Western Conference to be Champions...

And?

This past season for example consisted of beating two bad teams and two good teams in the playoffs. Bucks and Bulls suck. Playing in the West means you'd play 4 good teams throughout the entire playoffs regardless of your seed. Essentially got two first round byes playing the Bucks and Bulls. Not sure why you just assume beating 1 Western team is the same as 3 on the way to a championship to play the best team in the East. It's really not... if you think beating the Bucks, Bulls, Pacers and Spurs automatically means you would beat say the Warriors, Grizzles, Thunder and Pacers for example last season then you haven't really thought it through. Bucks and Bulls didn't push the Heat at all. In the West, Heat might not be walking out of the 1st two series 4-0 and 4-1. They might be playing 6 or 7 in both series which obviously would make the following rounds harder. Playing 14 games prior to the conference championship would be harder than playing 9 games. Right? So... simply beating the best team in the West after two byes in the East doesn't mean you could go to the West and are guaranteed to make it the finals. Bucks and Bulls were essentially byes. You wouldn't have those byes in the West.

[Maroko]

Hmmm what is exactly your question ? For your information, we beat 2 year in a row the best team in the Western Conference to be Champions...

And?

This past season for example consisted of beating two bad teams and two good teams in the playoffs. Bucks and Bulls suck. Playing in the West means you'd play 4 good teams throughout the entire playoffs regardless of your seed. Essentially got two first round byes playing the Bucks and Bulls. Not sure why you just assume beating 1 Western team is the same as 3 on the way to a championship to play the best team in the East. It's really not... if you think beating the Bucks, Bulls, Pacers and Spurs automatically means you would beat say the Warriors, Grizzles, Thunder and Pacers for example last season then you haven't really thought it through. Bucks and Bulls didn't push the Heat at all. In the West, Heat might not be walking out of the 1st two series 4-0 and 4-1. They might be playing 6 or 7 in both series which obviously would make the following rounds harder. Playing 14 games prior to the conference championship would be harder than playing 9 games. Right? So... simply beating the best team in the West after two byes in the East doesn't mean you could go to the West and are guaranteed to make it the finals. Bucks and Bulls were essentially byes. You wouldn't have those byes in the West.

Could you tell me what is our current record since the big 3 ? OK this is what i thought

Can you remember me what was the Spurs results 2 years ago before they choked against the Thunder ? Ok this is what i thought !

If we were in the Western Conference it will be a free ride because this kind of play is exactly our strength.

[Slot Machine]

Hmmm what is exactly your question ? For your information, we beat 2 year in a row the best team in the Western Conference to be Champions...

And?

This past season for example consisted of beating two bad teams and two good teams in the playoffs. Bucks and Bulls suck. Playing in the West means you'd play 4 good teams throughout the entire playoffs regardless of your seed. Essentially got two first round byes playing the Bucks and Bulls. Not sure why you just assume beating 1 Western team is the same as 3 on the way to a championship to play the best team in the East. It's really not... if you think beating the Bucks, Bulls, Pacers and Spurs automatically means you would beat say the Warriors, Grizzles, Thunder and Pacers for example last season then you haven't really thought it through. Bucks and Bulls didn't push the Heat at all. In the West, Heat might not be walking out of the 1st two series 4-0 and 4-1. They might be playing 6 or 7 in both series which obviously would make the following rounds harder. Playing 14 games prior to the conference championship would be harder than playing 9 games. Right? So... simply beating the best team in the West after two byes in the East doesn't mean you could go to the West and are guaranteed to make it the finals. Bucks and Bulls were essentially byes. You wouldn't have those byes in the West.

You're right. Even with LeBron I don't think we'd make the playoffs in the West. Honestly, the West is so tough, I don't think it's a reach to say that we'd be the worst team in the conference.

[Yaphet Kotto]

blah blah blah

GTFO my board

[shanedude]

Ummm what West teams do well... we do even better The WC would get rolled.

[DefenseWins]

Won our 19 of our last 20 against the West and then this question pops up

The thing about the West, is that their defense for the most part sucks. The defensive powerhouses are USUALLY in the East. The Heat's defense isn't as good as it should be right now, but even so, Heat would be top 3 seed in the West right now.

The Heat's offense would also strive in the West. If anything, the Heat play like a Western conference team with our shooting... the Heat would fit in perfectly.

edit : uh, if it really is "without LeBron", I think we can. It's our style of play that I think allows us to be maybe a 5th-6th seed in the West if we didn't have LeBron.

But this thread is way too hypothetical...

[SlowPaced]

I'm pretty sure the question is what we'd do in West without LeBron.

[Umbooki]

Maybe. If I'm being honest, it all depends on three things:

1. Can Wade remain healthy for an entire season and put up All-Star numbers?
2. Can Chris Bosh put up big numbers on a regular basis?
3. Is the rest of the team immune to the wild injury bug that's sweeping the league?

Assuming both of those things are possible, I can see Miami sneaking in as a 6-7 seed or something in the West's current state. The team would have some terrible match-ups (Hello KD!), but if the goal was to be a treadmill team ala the Joe Johnson Hawks, they could potentially pull it off. If Batum was able to ruin Wade's night, I'd hate to see how a series against the Warriors would play out.

[Maroko]

nice troll attempt 6 or 7 seed

[Sgt P]

The OP should change the topic for clarification. Past 20 games 19-1, we would be 20 if not our own mistake ( Wario ). Beat Portland, without LJ and Wade playing below average. Western teams are more Run and Gun, lite on Defense. Heat currently is not defensive monster it can be ( rounding into Mid-Season form ). I have a feeling that after AS break the defensive intensity will pick up headed into the playoffs.

IDK... looks like a Troll
smells like a Troll...

OP clarify, currently this thread is in the TZ ( Trollish Zone )

Spoiler:

[Sgt P]

[BFRESH44]