Last time I checked, the Heat were in 6th and the Wiz were in 3rd. However Toronto edged them out for 3rd, but the Wizards schedule gets so much easier than ours. Anyways, I was saying, the Heat can handle both the Raptors and Wizards. Meaning they can easily get past the first round. Where the meet the Pistons most likely (Since the 5th seed faces the winner of the 1st and 8th seed game). Which I think they have a legit shot at. Dont count the Heat out this year.
:happy0144: (Sarcastic Thumbs up)Im hoping they pass the Wiz, but not us. It is wishful thinking really since I would like to matchup with the Wiz. Homecourt would be given to us.
I certainly hope so. I love it when the Pistons play the Heat in the playoffs. We're starting to build a mini rivalry. Now with Webber and Shaq getting back to form, it should show for another great series if these two teams match up again.
Yes they will and they match up very well to the Pistons. The Pistons biggest weakness on defense is at center while that is the Heat's biggest strength on offense. Even without Wade I think the Heat can pull through in a 7 game series with the way Eddie Jones has been playing.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Mar 26 2007, 04:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yes they will and they match up very well to the Pistons. The Pistons biggest weakness on defense is at center while that is the Heat's biggest strength on offense. Even without Wade I think the Heat can pull through in a 7 game series with the way Eddie Jones has been playing.</div>I agree, but Chris Webber isnt too bad of a defdner, he could cause problems for Shaq.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Mar 26 2007, 03:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yes they will and they match up very well to the Pistons. The Pistons biggest weakness on defense is at center while that is the Heat's biggest strength on offense. Even without Wade I think the Heat can pull through in a 7 game series with the way Eddie Jones has been playing.</div>See the thing is, it doesn't really matter if you are a good defender if you are going against Shaq. You just need a big body to try and get in his way and foul if needed. If Shaq is destroying Webber, easily put Rasheed, Davis, or Nazr on him. Keep someone new on him all of the time.
For sure we can beat the Wizards and the Raptors if we face them. The Pistons are the only team that worries me. We have been able to take care of the Cavs, Raptors, and Wiz over the years. We took care of the Pistons last year but everytime we match up against them they cause problems and that series can go either way.
Yes the Heat make the playoffs, but in order to make a run in the playoffs they need to have Wade at 100%. Shaq has done a great job and the players around have stepped it up big time. The Heat were under .500 when Shaq wasn't though so he is obviously a huge part with the Heat. Wade couldn't bring this ball club to above .500 so it's a must the Heat must have their main two guys to make a run.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cavsrules @ Mar 26 2007, 06:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Wade couldn't bring this ball club to above .500 so it's a must the Heat must have their main two guys to make a run.</div>Wrong, they were over .500 with Wade.As for the Heat making a playoff run, they need Wade. If not for anything else he does, he finishes games and can take over the game in the 4th. Against a team like the Pistons where most games will be pretty close, that will be huge.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ Mar 26 2007, 08:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Wrong, they were over .500 with Wade.As for the Heat making a playoff run, they need Wade. If not for anything else he does, he finishes games and can take over the game in the 4th. Against a team like the Pistons where most games will be pretty close, that will be huge.</div>For how long were they at 500? And wasn't Shaq there during the stat of the season? Doesn't matter if they were there one time, he couldn't keep his team above 500 or near it. Shaq had to come back and make it happen.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cavsrules @ Mar 26 2007, 07:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>For how long were they at 500? And wasn't Shaq there during the stat of the season? Doesn't matter if they were there one time, he couldn't keep his team above 500 or near it. Shaq had to come back and make it happen.</div>They were 1-2 with Shaq at beginning of season before he went down to injury. Wade kept them over .500 when he played. When he didn't, they were 1-7, and that is why their actual record was below .500. Shaq isn't the reason why the Heat have been so good lately, it's the addition of Eddie Jones, return of Riley, Walker/Posey/Williams now all healthy, and the veterans stepping up at the right time. Yes, Shaq's return was huge, and they will need him big time to make a run in the playoffs, but if Shaq was in Wade's position from November-January, the team would have the same, or even worse record than what Wade led them to.
Let me stop you at the "addition of Eddie Jones, return of Riley, Walker/Posey/Williams". Before I heard junk saying Wade never had a great cast of players, now that his team is doing the best they have done this season without Wade. The Heat will need Wade to make any type of run at all, I doubt Wade is 100% before the playoffs so I doubt he makes an impact during their run. If there is no Wade that team will only go so far, and more then likely a 1st round exit. Bottom line is, they Heat are playing better basketball then they have all season and it's without Wade. That should say something.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (P0W3RBALLIN @ Mar 26 2007, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>They'll get a first round exit.</div>How can you guarantee that? they're facing the Wiz or the Raptors. Shaq will absolutely dominant against the Wiz down low, and will destroy Rasho and Garbajosa and even Bosh against the Raptors. Hes unstoppable.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cavsrules @ Mar 26 2007, 08:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Let me stop you at the "addition of Eddie Jones, return of Riley, Walker/Posey/Williams". Before I heard junk saying Wade never had a great cast of players, now that his team is doing the best they have done this season without Wade.</div>Prove me wrong. The only consistent options he had was GP (shooting under 40%), Zo (who, as much as I love him, is a backup center), and Haslem. And after the 8 game winning streak, the team is starting to fluster a little bit. Losing games in the 4th and at times lacking an offensive spark. Wade provides that. Last year they won a ring with Wade putting up 36PPG in the Finals, and the year before it was because of HIS injury they didn't reach the Finals. He carried the heat without Shaq in the semi's in 04-05, and with Shaq only scoring 14PPG and having to be pulled out in the 4th, he carried the Heat to a ring last year.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The Heat will need Wade to make any type of run at all, I doubt Wade is 100% before the playoffs so I doubt he makes an impact during their run. If there is no Wade that team will only go so far, and more then likely a 1st round exit. Bottom line is, they Heat are playing better basketball then they have all season and it's without Wade. That should say something.</div>Like Shaq, Wade's presence alone gives other players open shots and more room to operate. Wade will still be effective, especially since his non shooting shoulder is the one that was injured. He will still score points, still will get into paint and dish it off to open players, and as I said, his presence alone will make the team much better. He is much more than a scorer, and he will make the team much better.And for the last time, in the last 8 games Wade played they were 7-1. It isn't like they were all of a sudden a much better team without Wade. Once everyone was getting healthy they started to play well, and that happenned when Wade was still in the lineup.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (P0W3RBALLIN @ Mar 26 2007, 07:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>They'll get a first round exit.</div> Simple as this.. without Wade we are capable of beating any team in the East in a 7 game series with the exception of the Pistons. WITH Wade, asuming he's close to 100% healthy during the playoffs we can definitely make it to the finals and I think put up another pretty good shot at taking the championship.
