The Lakers are a good team, but please, let's not let our favoritism and early season success get us carried away. The Nets have beaten the Spurs at home and on the road before and have gone on winning streaks as long as 14 games, but that doesn't automatically make them a true contender nor better than Miami. Shaq may be injured, but you can't exclude him from the picture. Yeah, the Heat are sucking, but isn't this similiar to what happened last year? They rested Shaq in the regular season and that only gave them motivation and energy to explode in the postseason, leading to the championship. I'm not saying that this will happen again, but as of now, they have proven themselves. The Lakers have yet to in the postseason.
The Heat are just not playing up to par, whether it's from being shorthanded, or just being lackadaisical, or a combination of both. But you can't just use their struggle to your advantage and say that Lakers are better, because 1) They have yet to play against each other, and 2) we have teams like the Jazz who have exploded in the beggining but know they are going to be thumped in the playoffs, assuming if they make it. So using the fact that the Lakers beat the Spurs doesn't mean much. 1) It was at home. 2) They beat them by only 6 or 7 points; it wasn't a blowout. 3) The Bobcats beat the Spurs on the road.
Just because Wade is out for a couple games because his wisdom teeth are being removed, doesn't mean he won't be there come playoff time. He will be there, he will be 100%, and he will play great. Shaq, on the other hand, I don't know. IMO, I think he will be healthy. We'll just have to wait and see.
Also, basically the same thing happened last year with the Heat. They struggled, then Wade went CRAZY scoring the last 17 points for the Heat in the last 3 minutes against Detriot, including the game winner. That was the spark. After that they went on a tear, and it continued through the playoffs.
Originally posted by DanZeke25
Just because Wade is out for a couple games because his wisdom teeth are being removed, doesn't mean he won't be there come playoff time. He will be there, he will be 100%, and he will play great. Shaq, on the other hand, I don't know. IMO, I think he will be healthy. We'll just have to wait and see.Also, basically the same thing happened last year with the Heat. They struggled, then Wade went CRAZY scoring the last 17 points for the Heat in the last 3 minutes against Detriot, including the game winner. That was the spark. After that they went on a tear, and it continued through the playoffs.
His wisdom teeth being removed will affect his game......j/k
But you see the Heat needed those points from Wade even with Shaq, do you actually think he can do that again? and consistently through the playoffs?
I don't know about that but for now you have to respect the teams that are doing good and not give the benefit of the doubt to a team that is 9-12.
Which are the Spurs,Lakers,Suns,Mavs,Jazz and Rockets. Then on the East you have teams like the Magic,Pistons, and Cavs who all have better records than the Heat and who you have to give respect to. Rather than just speculating on rather a team will be healthy enough to win a championship or not.
And at least let this team show some improvement first, they haven't looked good all season, even with Shaq and Wade in there.
But for now those teams I mentioned up post are all > than the Heat.
Originally posted by Lord Evolution
Teams that will stop the Spurs: Lakers, Rockets, Mavs, and no eastern teams.
My posts have been simply based on this comment. I'm not saying whether Heat or Lakers are better, I'm just saying that the Heat do have a chance of knocking the Spurs out as well.
Don't forget, we are talking playoffs, not regular season. So, Christmas won't show shit (especially since Heat are without Shaq and Lakers are without Odom).
But you see the Heat needed those points from Wade even with Shaq, do you actually think he can do that again? and consistently through the playoffs?
He doesn't need to. He just needs to pick up the pace when he absolutely has to (like the Finals and maybe one other series in the east). Remember, east sucks so they just need to gel enough to get to the later rounds and then Wade will need to kick it in gear.
Originally posted by Myth
My posts have been simply based on this comment. I'm not saying whether Heat or Lakers are better, I'm just saying that the Heat do have a chance of knocking the Spurs out as well.
Which I think is a better chance than the lakers knocking out the Spurs. What I'm saying is that the Lakers can beat the Spurs here and there, but to eliminate them in a 7 game series? Honestly, let's not get carried away.
Originally posted by RecSpecs110
Which I think is a better chance than the lakers knocking out the Spurs. What I'm saying is that the Lakers can beat the Spurs here and there, but to eliminate them in a 7 game series? Honestly, let's not get carried away.
Lakers have a better chance to knock off the Spurs than the sorry ass Heat who can't get their act together.
My bet is that you don't even watch Laker games.
Miami matches up better with the Spurs though. Yeah the Heat don't have their act together now, but people said the same thing last year at this time. Shaq really holds the team together and he hasn't been able to do that of late. Come playoff time, the Heat will be much different from the Heat team you see now.
Originally posted by Lord Evolution
Lakers have a better chance to knock off the Spurs than the sorry ass Heat who can't get their act together.My bet is that you don't even watch Laker games.
Why do I have to watch Laker games? So I can worship Kobe dribbling all over the place and getting 50 points every night? You think that because Kobe scores like this the Lakers are invincible. Not only will it be a lot harder to score against the Spurs' defense, it will be that much harder to contain the Spurs in the first place. The Heat (with Shaq and Wade) have a lot more weapons and can pretty much fire on all cylinders at any given time. Don't use the fact that their 2 stars are out to say that they can't get their act together. Just imagine if both Kobe and Lamar were out for LA. Yeah, not a pretty picture.
Anyhow, the Heat aren't playing well now. But with a coach like Riley and an overall veteran team, that's not going to continue for long, especially in the playoffs. All NBA teams have their losing streaks and winning streaks throughout the season. Just because Miami is on a losing streak and LA is on a winning streak in the beginning of the season doesn't mean that it will be that way forever. It only takes 1 win to shift momentum towards your favor or against it. The Heat have a better chance than the Lakers, because they are overall more experienced with each other and a more powerful team.
Originally posted by Myth
Miami matches up better with the Spurs though. Yeah the Heat don't have their act together now, but people said the same thing last year at this time. Shaq really holds the team together and he hasn't been able to do that of late. Come playoff time, the Heat will be much different from the Heat team you see now.
That is not true at all. Lakers definitely match up against the Spurs better than the Heat. Spurs have Duncan, but we have Kwame with his big body and who is very unimportant to our offensive game plan to match up against him. Kwame has the bigger body and you and Rec would know this if you was to watch the Lakers Spurs games you would see he does a pretty good job up against him. Where you would have Shaq probably never guarding Duncan but if he did he would get in foul trouble and their goes your offensive game plan. Then they wouldn't have anybody else to guard him, but we would have the 7'1 youngster Andrew Bynum.
The Spurs have team speed. The Heat are old and one of the slowest teams in the NBA. Whereas the Lakers have team speed, as a matter of fact we are faster than the Spurs.
We definitely have one of the best offenses in the league and the Spurs have one of the best defenses, but the Heat are at the bottom of the league in the scoring department and even last year I don't think they were exactly blowing teams away with their scoring.
So we match up against the Spurs a hell of a lot better than the Heat do, which is why if we played in the playoffs we would have more of a chance to eliminate the Spurs than the Heat even if they were all healthy.
Originally posted by Lord Evolution
That is not true at all. Lakers definitely match up against the Spurs better than the Heat. Spurs have Duncan, but we have Kwame with his big body and who is very unimportant to our offensive game plan to match up against him. Kwame has the bigger body and you and Rec would know this if you was to watch the Lakers Spurs games you would see he does a pretty good job up against him. Where you would have Shaq probably never guarding Duncan but if he did he would get in foul trouble and their goes your offensive game plan. Then they wouldn't have anybody else to guard him, but we would have the 7'1 youngster Andrew Bynum.
Actually, Haslim and Mourning would be on Duncan duty and they would do a hell of a better job than Kwame. Also, Kobe would guard Manu, but which Laker's will guard Parker? Smush?
Also, in a 7 game series, there is plenty of adaptation by the coaches. The deeper your team, the more options you have. Miami is simply deeper, which is much more valuable in the playoffs than in the regular season (just ask last years benchless Pistons).
We definitely have one of the best offenses in the league and the Spurs have one of the best defenses, but the Heat are at the bottom of the league in the scoring department and even last year I don't think they were exactly blowing teams away with their scoring.
Is comparing the Heat to their last year's team suppose to be a bad thing? And don't forget the old notion, "Defense wins championships."
Originally posted by Myth
Actually, Haslim and Mourning would be on Duncan duty and they would do a hell of a better job than Kwame. Also, Kobe would guard Manu, but which Laker's will guard Parker? Smush?Also, in a 7 game series, there is plenty of adaptation by the coaches. The deeper your team, the more options you have. Miami is simply deeper, which is much more valuable in the playoffs than in the regular season (just ask last years benchless Pistons).
Is comparing the Heat to their last year's team suppose to be a bad thing? And don't forget the old notion, "Defense wins championships."
Miami is a deeper team than the Lakers? I'm sorry but you are wrong again, not only do we have one of the best benches in the league but we aren't old asses like the players from Miami.
And Haslim and Mourning do not do a better job against Duncan than Kwame does. I think you need to check your stats on that one, Kwame sucks ass but he does a great job on Duncan, once again if you would watch their games you would know.
Smush does a good job pressing Parker and then we have Sasha who is a hands on defender and we have Farmar. I'm not saying they can stop him but they keep him from going off and if he is the only one scoring then we win anyways because Kwame and Bynum have Duncan contained and the Spurs basically don't have a center.
We beat the Spurs already and are 16-7, there is no justifiable reason to put the Heat ahead of us. You are now starting to grasp for straws.
It is all about matchups and we just matchup against the Spurs better than the Heat do.
Originally posted by Lord Evolution
Miami is a deeper team than the Lakers? I'm sorry but you are wrong again, not only do we have one of the best benches in the league but we aren't old asses like the players from Miami.And Haslim and Mourning do not do a better job against Duncan than Kwame does. I think you need to check your stats on that one, Kwame sucks ass but he does a great job on Duncan, once again if you would watch their games you would know.
Smush does a good job pressing Parker and then we have Sasha who is a hands on defender and we have Farmar. I'm not saying they can stop him but they keep him from going off and if he is the only one scoring then we win anyways because Kwame and Bynum have Duncan contained and the Spurs basically don't have a center.
We beat the Spurs already and are 16-7, there is no justifiable reason to put the Heat ahead of us. You are now starting to grasp for straws.
It is all about matchups and we just matchup against the Spurs better than the Heat do.
Haslim and Mourning WOULD do a better job them Kwame. The end.
As for the benches, I'd take Mourning, Posey, and Payton over anybody who comes off your bench anyday. Payton and Williams would do a better defensive job on Parker then Smush would.
Originally posted by DanZeke25
Haslim and Mourning WOULD do a better job them Kwame. The end.As for the benches, I'd take Mourning, Posey, and Payton over anybody who comes off your bench anyday. Payton and Williams would do a better defensive job on Parker then Smush would.
No actually Kwame has a bigger body than both of them and Duncan averages more against the Heat than he does against the Lakers.
I heard someone say the Heat are deeper than the Spurs, I disagree, I think the Spurs and Mavs are the two deepest teams in the league. The Heat aren't playing there best right now, but its only the beginning of the season and they have been hampered by injuries, you cant tell which team is better than which at this point, espicially when were not even halfway through the season. But whens he's on, like he will be come playoff time nobody can guard Duncan, not Haslim or Mouring, and definetly not Kwame.
Originally posted by wuTa
I heard someone say the Heat are deeper than the Spurs, I disagree, I think the Spurs and Mavs are the two deepest teams in the league. The Heat aren't playing there best right now, but its only the beginning of the season and they have been hampered by injuries, you cant tell which team is better than which at this point, espicially when were not even halfway through the season. But whens he's on, like he will be come playoff time nobody can guard Duncan, not Haslim or Mouring, and definetly not Kwame.
Guarding Duncan is guarding Duncan, if you can do it in the regular season then I don't see why it would change in the playoffs. Kwame is probably one of the best Duncan defenders in the league. He uses his body it's not like come playoff time he will lose 100 pounds and no longer be able to guard him as good as he does.