Who: <font color="teal">New Orleans Hornets</font> and <font color="red">Miami Heat</font> Where: Miami, Florida When: Tuesday, May 4th <u>Records:</u> <font color="teal">Hornets (41-41, 3rd in Central)</font> <font color="red">Heat (42-40, 2nd in Atlantic)</font> Series tied 3-3 <u>Likely Starters</u> <u>Key Matchups</u> Baron has been a bit erratic this series, as has Wade, but both have come through in clutch situations througout the six games. Baron for the most part has outplayed Wade, but the key has often been homecourt. If Baron can throw off that stigma, there's a good chance the Hornets will advance. Magloire has been noticeably quiet in the series, putting up dismal numbers compared to the ones he posted after the all star break, especially in the last month of the season. If the Hornets hope to win on the road in front of a hostile crowd, JMags is gonna have to step it up, and he knows it. <u>Keys to the Game</u> <font color="teal">Hornets</font> - Feed the ball to Jamaal. He's gotta get active and get involved in the game. If the Hornets leave the ball with Baron and let him over dribble, they're done for. - Control the boards. The Heat, in Caron Butler, Lamar Odom and Brian Grant, have done a superb job of getting on the glass and corralling rebounds. If the Hornets really want to win, they've gotta establish some dominance on the boards which they should have had all series. - Spread the points evenly between Baron, Wesley and Jamaal. In the past, Hornets' playoff opponents have had the luxury of keying in on one scoring threat. If they can take that away from the Heat, then they'll be eyeing another 2nd round berth. <font color="red">Heat</font> - Get Wade going early. He's shown that he wants the ball in clutch situations, and can handle the demands of being the top scorer, so Van Gundy needs to take advantage of that. - Feed the ball to the inside. Not only will it get them some easier baskets, but may get the Hornets' big men into foul trouble, which would help immensely in keeping Magloire out of tune. - Play controlled and play to the crowd. The home team has dominated in this series, and the Heat need to remember that and just play their game, and let the crowd beat on the Hornets. <font color="gold">Starman's Prediction:</font> Well, this series is the first of 2004 to go the distance, and for good reason. Both teams are battered, the Hornets moreso than the Heat, but this is like two heavyweight boxers going at it. The Heat are the younger team, a young prizefighter looking to deliver a knockout blow at home to the older veteran team. But the Hornets have experience, having been in six playoff series in the past four years to the Heat's two. Baron Davis knows that its all on him. He's responded to the challenge before, and can easily remember back to 2002 when he took over the game and won the series. But now it should be easier, with Jamaal Magloire at his side. Baron needs to get Jamaal involved and still stay on top of the game. He's gotta prove why he's one of the 1st tier players in the league, an elite star. I believe in BDiddy, and I believe that the Bugs are back. Hornets 87, Heat 82
I think the KEY to this game is going to be experience. In Game 7 experience play's a major role. Obviosuly, New Olreans has much more experience than this young Miami Heat team. I could see Miami being a little nervous and try to force the issue and not let the game come to them. So I think New Orleans will be victorious. I say they win this one by 12.
I honestly don't think experience will matter one bit in this game, yes the Hornets have guys who have made the playoffs before but yet they have never won a 7 game series. The only guy who has championship experience is Steve Smith. I only see experience coming into place when you are going up against a team that has battled and either won a championship or been all the way to the finals, which we know New Orleans havn't done. Heat also have a very mature bunch of guys, Eddie Jones is their main leader a guy who has just as much experience as any of the Hornets players when it comes to the playoffs. All series It has been down to homecourt advantage I don't see that changing tonight. I wish more people were interested in this series, personally I have enjoyed watching every game but game 2 (Was a blowout and was not pretty basketball) apart from that game all the match-ups have been entertaining. Nothing better than two very evenly matched teams going head to head with each taking care of their homecourt.
I love both teams a hell of a lot. They both deserve to advance, but if I were to choose, it'd have to be the Heat. This being because I'd only want either team if they were at their best, 100%, better yet, although not possible, it could've been for the Hornets, but Gold winning material. That's what I said about the Nuggets as well. I only want them to go forward if they win something. I see the Hornets becoming major contenders next year, regardless of Mashburn being gone. He was great, hell, he still is. But he won't be around so, yeah. Personally I think Butler and Wade will be the biggest factors. They're awesome defenders, especially Butler. Not to mention how good Wade is on home ground. Heat by 5-7 in a difficult struggle. It'll be close mostly throughout, but I feel and strongly believe that they'll pull away in the fourth quarter.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I honestly don't think experience will matter one bit in this game, yes the Hornets have guys who have made the playoffs before but yet they have never won a 7 game series. The only guy who has championship experience is Steve Smith. I only see experience coming into place when you are going up against a team that has battled and either won a championship or been all the way to the finals, which we know New Orleans havn't done. Heat also have a very mature bunch of guys, Eddie Jones is their main leader a guy who has just as much experience as any of the Hornets players when it comes to the playoffs.</div> Although, the Hornets have not won a 7 Game series, they know what it’s going to take to win. Against a young first time Playoff Miami Heat team. They're experience will play a role. They Hornets been in the Playoff's the last couple of years. While you have the Miami Heat who has a bunch of young players. And which there top 2 players has never been in the Playoff’s. Dwayne Wade is still a rookie. Even though he hasn’t been playing like it. He's still a rookie. Remember that. I think they might be putting a little too much pressure on him anyways. Then you have Lamar Odom who is a great player but has yet played a Playoff game till this year. Eddie Jones is their best bet to provide them with some leadership. But he has yet to do so. And I don’t expect him to start toady. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I wish more people were interested in this series, personally I have enjoyed watching every game but game 2 (Was a blowout and was not pretty basketball) apart from that game all the match-ups have been entertaining. Nothing better than two very evenly matched teams going head to head with each taking care of their homecourt.</div> Same here. I was expecting the Knicks/Nets, Kings/Mavs and Lakers/Rockets to be a good series. I was sleeping on the Hornets/Heat. I would watch the their games time to time. Change the channel here and there. But after the Game 2 I really got into it. From that point on I watched all of their games. Now that's its going to a Game 7, I think they proven that their series was the best first round series.
Well, the Hornets lost the game. I think when Baron got hurt early in the game most people predicted that. Congratulations to the Heat, a young, up and coming team. This could have been the Hornets last playoff appearance in several years since they're moving to the big bad West, but we'll see about that when it comes.
Congradulations Heat. Hopefully they can give Indiana who's has been resting forever a run for their money.
Congratulations to the Heat. They played hard and got away with the win. I think I was right when I said experience was going to play a part in this game. New Orleans made some runs in the second half and had a chance of getting real close. They made a big run in the 4th quarter and got it down to 5 Points. But they fell short. I think if Baron Davis was still in the game things would be different. But I’m not taking away anything from the Heat they played well and they won. But an experienced team wouldn’t allow the Hornets w/o their All Star guard to get within 5 in a Game 7 in the 4th quarter.
Congrats to the Heat but I wanna give more props to Steve Smith how he almost brought the Hornets back.Just think,your star player gets injured you step in and almost bring your team back after being down by double digits in the deciding Game 7 of the series the player of that game was Steve Smith.
Big props to Smitty for his performance but in the end as I expected homecourt was the difference. Hornets just come out too flat, they looked as If this was the 7th game of the regular season than a playoff game 7. They just didn't want the win bad enough, Heat got off to a fast start and New Orleans were always playing catch-up after that first quarter. You also can't use Baron Davis getting hurt as an excuse, Miami were up by over 14 points when his injury occured. Heat would still of likely come out on top. Infact If Baron was heathly I highly doubt Steve Smith would even been out there. And he was the only reason the Hornets cut the lead down. Congrats to the Heat, from 27 wins last year to 4th seed and making the 2nd round is quite a turnaround.
