<div align="center"><font size="4">EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS</font> <font color="Red">MIAMI HEAT</font> VS <font color="Blue">DETROIT PISTONS</font></div> Well people, we've waited all year for this. Let the discussions begin. What will we see from the Heat? Pistons? Shaq? Wade? Wallaces? Rip? Billups? Van Gundy? Larry Brown? <div align="center">Match ups: 1-<font color="Red">Damon Jones</font> v. <font color="Blue">Chauncy Billups</font> 2-<font color="Red">Dwyane Wade</font> v. <font color="Blue">Richard Hamilton</font> 3-<font color="Red">Eddie Jones</font> v. <font color="Blue">Tayshaun Prince</font> 4-<font color="Red">Udonis Haslem</font> v. <font color="Blue">Rasheed Wallace</font> 5-<font color="Red">Shaquille Oneal</font> v. <font color="Blue">Ben Wallace</font> 5b- <font color="Red">Alonzo Mourning</font> BENCH: <font color="Red">Alonzo Mourning</font> v. <font color="Blue">Antonio McDyess </font> <font color="Red">Keyon Dooling</font> v. <font color="Blue">Carlos Arroyo</font> <font color="Red">Rasual Butler</font> v. <font color="Blue">Lindsey Hunter</font> <font color="Red">Christian Laettner</font> v. <font color="Blue">Elden Campbell</font> <font color="Red">Shandon Anderson</font> v. <font color="Blue">Darvin Ham</font> <font color="Red">Michael Doleac</font> v. <font color="Blue">Darko Milicic</font> <font color="Red">Steve Smith</font> v. <font color="Blue">Ronald Dupree</font></div> I expect Wade to continue his brilliant playoff season. I know the Pistons will send Prince to cover him, but I don't see him slowing down. Shaq needs to contribute if the Heat are going to win. <font color="Red">I'LL TAKE THE HEAT IN 6.</font>
NOw this is gona be a real test for us. I'm excited about this match and I'll have my Heat in 6 as well.
This is the war we've all been looking forward to ever since Shaq was traded to the Eastern Conference. The match-up attention has shifted from Shaq v. the Wallaces into Wade v. Prince. I think this is the key match-up in the series at this point. Will Prince be able to guard Wade straight up, or will the Pistons need to double team him? Can Prince stay out of foul trouble against Wade? Another key will be who the Heat match Wade up with on defense. I don't think they want Wade having to chase Rip Hamilton around and running into multiple screens. Wade needs to use most of his energy on offense, since Shaq's health is a huge question mark. So this would leave him having to guard Billups or Prince, both are capable of scoring so Wade will have to expend energy on defense. The Pistons have to be concerned though with their ability to stop dribble penetration. Jamaal Tinsley got to the basket fairly easily in the last round, and if the Abuser can get into the paint against the Pistons, Grandmaster Flash shouldn't either. With the added pressure on Wade in the series, the Heat really need Keyon Dooling to produce when Wade takes a breather. He will probably be the key role player off the bench for the Heat. If he can out do Hunter and Arroyo's contributions for Detroit off the bench the Heat will be in good shape in the series.
^ The Heat will likely have Eddie Jones on Rip Hamilton, Wade can't run around chasing guys like that. Damon Jones will probably be on Chauncey Billups, and Wade on Tayshaun Prince. Against the Nets and Wizards, he's still had to guard a capable offensive player. Nets: Kidd | Carter | Jefferson Wizards: Arenas | Hughes | Jamison ..and I'd even so both those teams have overall more capable offensive players from the 1-3 than the Pistons do.
Wade on Tayshaun Prince, if that does indeed materialize, would likely become a major mismatch for Wade. Prince is a pretty good backdown player, and he would likely use the 5 inches or so advantage to back down on Wade. Although Wade is athletic enough to at least be a challenge to Prince, it won't be a fair matchup.
In the Nets series Wade was guarding Scalabrine most of the time. The difference between the Pistons and those other two teams is the Pistons ability to score in the post. The Pistons are tough to double team and rotate against because all 5 starters can score. If Prince backs down Wade and the double team comes, who do the Heat leave open? The same thing goes for the Heat, the only player who lacks offense is Haslem, but he's smart enough to cut to the basket for 2 foot shots or dunks. Both of these teams really punish you when you double team them.
^ Wade was actually on Jefferson, or either Carter or Kidd [not much] most of the time. Scalabrine started the first 3 games, but he only averaged 15 MPG, and the most minutes he played was 25 minutes in game 1. The next games, he playd 13-15- and 8 minutes respectively. You leave Ben Wallace open, he knows how to cut in for dunks, but just have 4 eyes on Tayshaun, and creep up to him, but don't double hard. Wade can hold his own fairly well against him, but Tayshaun does have the huge height advantage no matter who guards him. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Wade on Tayshaun Prince, if that does indeed materialize, would likely become a major mismatch for Wade. Prince is a pretty good backdown player, and he would likely use the 5 inches or so advantage to back down on Wade. Although Wade is athletic enough to at least be a challenge to Prince, it won't be a fair matchup.</div> Well it's either Wade or Eddie Jones. Eddie Jones is 1 inch taller than Wade, and a few pounds lighter. Damon Jones is obviously not an option in this case. Wade is 6'5, and about 220 lbs, Eddie Jones is 6'6 and about 200 lbs, either way their's a mismatch. Wade also has a longer wingspan than Eddie Jones, and he is stronger and more athletic. Wade doesn't have to body to follow an offensive player around screens all day, and you don't want to tire him out defensively, so you don't put him on Rip Hamilton. Damon Jones isn't quick or athletic enough to be put on Rip Hamilton, so Eddie Jones is the obvious choice. That leaves Billups and Tayshaun to guard, and Wade and Damon Jones as the remaining defenders, and to me the choice is obvious.
Another delicious basketball match-up. The last 4 teams in the playoffs are all intriguing, probably the best in the last decade. The way the Pistons are playing, I just think they are the better "team". It will be a war, and I expect them to go 7-games. Having said that, both teams are so close that it wouldn't be a surprise if Miami takes it either. It will be a surprise if this series doesn't go more than 5-games.
Bill Simmons of ESPN <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Second, who guards Rip Hamilton in this series? If you put Wade on him and ask Wade to bring the ball up, he'll be dead by Game 4. If you put Eddie Jones on him, then there's a size mismatch with Wade guarding Tayshaun Prince -- although that might not be a bad thing because Detroit could get out of its offense trying to feed the ball to Tayshaun.) </div> Some good points and I pretty much agree with them. It makes sense to put Eddie Jones on Rip because he's the only one on the squad that can keep up and guard him. His focus this post-season is his defense played on his man. He'll be locked in on Rip this series and focus on how to guard/contain him. I predict a the Heat to take this series in 7. They have home court advantage which is the ultimate factor in me choosing them over the Pistons. They don't have a healthy Shaq, but they do have Dwyane Wade and a team that has stepped it up on D this season that's also good on offense without Shaq. Despite the fact that Wade played poor against the Pistons this season in some games, he has stepped it up in the post-season once again, and if he continues to attack the basket, it spells trouble for Detroit. With Wade playing at this level, along with DJ and EJ hitting their jumpers, to go with Zo's defensive presence and Shaq's overall presence, the Heat have a good chance to win this series.
I specifically remember Wade guarding Scalabrine because I was screaming at Scalabrine to post him up instead of linger around the 3 point line. Wade did also guard Jefferson and did a solid job considering he was undersized. It makes the most sense for Wade to guard Prince out of process of elimination. Mr. Big Shot, Chauncey Billups better take full advantage of Damon Jones on him. With Shaq, and homecourt advantage I also favor the Heat in the series. They have been getting the most out of their bench and the Pistons lapses on offense is going to haunt them in this series. The Heat are just too, good at scoring baskets and going on 9-1 runs or 12-1 runs for the Pistons to have any offensive letdowns. Without Shaq though, I have the Pistons winning in as early as 5 games. I don't think Alonzo can give the Heat back to back solid performances and the Pistons playoff experience and knowing how to close out a team is invaluable.
Wade has fouled out twice out of the 3 head to head meetings and averaged 6 points lower than his season average I believe. The attention he will get will be ten times more than he got in the previous two series combined. Damon and Eddie Jones need to have strong series otherwise the Heat along with Shaq not being 100% shouldn't stand much chance to compete honestly. Shaq needs to be on top of his game while their shooters having strong % series. One thing is for sure though, the Jones's won't get the kind of looks they had so far in this post season. Facing the Pistons defense is a completely new animal that what they are used to. This will be a great series but Shaq needs to be 100% for them to win It and I honestly don't think he is nor will he be. Chauncey needs to have a huge series with Damon Jones guarding him which is why I feel Dooling may get alot of his minutes late in games. As thats mr big shot's time to shine. Rip is still struggling with his injury, the same kind of injury Shaq has yet Rip still poured in 28 in game 6 of the Indiana series. Take a note of that Shaq. A guy who plays through pain. Rasheed didn't shoot the ball that well in the season series, that needs to change he can take advantage of Haslem in every possible way. It's up to Sheed to step up like he needs to.
You know, I'm actually not worried about his PPG average against the Pistons during the season being a factor. It was really just caused by the game without Shaq towards the end of the Reg season, where he fouled out in only 21 minutes, and had 5 points on 1-6 shooting. Before that he had the triple double 31-10-10 game where he also shot 12-18, and before that game he had the other foul out game where he scored 17 points on 6-17 shooting, and the Heat lost by 1. The matchups will definately be interesting though. A lot of people act like Shaq was beat up last season in the finals, but he played fairly well against the Pistons, and as well all know, Wade is not Kobe. Wade will not play the same way, he'll always be looking to attack the basket, and it will definately be a positive for the Heat. The foul trouble is a concern though.
I'm interested to see how Tayshaun Prince guards D-Wade. I wonder if the supporting cast can step up and help D-Wade with the scoring. X Factors: Tayshaun's defense and whether Shaq is 100% or not. From what I hear he's supposed to be out for 6 weeks but I'm sure he's gonna try to play thru the pain <font color="Red">Pistons in 6</font>
Even though I am really hoping the Heat will win, something tells me the Pistons will win because of their teamwork and strength at all positions. Since Shaq isn't 100%, I think the Pistons will take the series in 7.
Shaq is off to great start. Hes 4/4 right now. This is great news for the Heat. The crowd is loving it right now.
Shaq found the fountain of youth, he looks great out there tonight. He's moving great on both ends of the court and not rushing his shots on offense. The Heat lead it 25-24 after the 1st quarter. Leading scorers are Shaq (8 points) and Sheed (9 points). So far only Eddie Jones has more than 1 foul for either team.
At the half the Pistons took the lead 44-43. The Pistons are killing the Heat with the pick and roll, and are catching the Heat off balance leading to easy layups and dunks. Dwayne Wade struggled in the first half shooting 3-13, and has seen 3 different looks so far by the Pistons. The difference so far is the Heat are having a harder time scoring than the Pistons. Rip Hamilton looks tired tonight, he's not running around like he normally does, and is only 3-10 from the field. The game is very competitive so far, and no one has a significant edge. The Heat have to like the fact they are still only down by 1 point after a poor shooting first half by Wade. The Heat are still shooting 46% from the field and they are barely missing a lot of open looks. The Pistons game plan seems to be attacking Haslem and it's working well. Sheed hit 3 straight shots from behind the arc on him early, and Big Ben took him to the hole a couple of times.
