<u><font face="Tahoma"><font size="3">Projected Starters</font></font></u> <font face="Tahoma"><font color="navy">New Jersey Nets</font></font> <font face="Tahoma"></font><u><font face="Tahoma"><font color="#b61f24"></font></font></u><u><font face="Tahoma"><font color="#b61f24"></font></font></u><font color="#b61f24"> <font face="Tahoma"><font color="red"></font></font> <font face="Tahoma"><font color="red">Miami Heat</font></font> <font face="Tahoma"></font> <font face="Tahoma"><font color="black"> </font></font> <font face="Tahoma"><font color="black">Heat Keys to Win Series</font></font> <ul> [*]<font face="Tahoma"><font color="black">Get Shaq alot of touches, often and early; same as previous series. Getting Shaq active early against Collins will be key so he will have momentum through out the game. The Heat and Shaq need to keep him out of foul trouble in able for him to play consistent minutes. </font></font> [*]<font face="Tahoma"><font color="black">Dont settle for jumpshots; attack. The Nets have no shot blockers or intimidating inside player, so the Heat need to put the ball and attack, cuz the chances are, their bigs aren't going to block it. </font></font> [*]<font face="Tahoma"><font color="#000000">Shut down VC and Krstic as scorers and playmakers. If you can shut down those two, the Heat have a good chance of winning the series. Posey needs to stick on Carter like glue and not allow him to average 39 PPG like in the regular season. Getting Haslem on Krstic would be a good idea on the perimiter, since Shaq can't go out there and stop him.</font></font><font color="#000000"><font face="Tahoma"> </font>[/list]<font face="Tahoma"><font size="1">Note: Sorry for the late preview, didn't have time to fit in Nets keys.</font></font> <font face="Tahoma"></font> <font face="Tahoma">Post your thoughts and predictions in here</font> <font face="Tahoma"></font></font></font>
They won by a bit more lol JKidd exploded but I doubt he will score that consistenty all series long.
I think the Nets will run away in 5 games as long as Vince Carter keeps dancing around with the ball.
Wow the Nets were too much last night. Antoine couldn't chase RJ, D Anderson looked lost in defense. Shaq couldn't get his rhythm, D Wade was shut down in the 2nd half. I wonder if it was the Nets or ourselves that beat us.
The heat didn't play like they did against Chicago. It seems like the Nets trio wer e dominating. The game got pretty boring, i didn't even bother watching it after the half.
Today is a must win for the Heat. With RJ doubtful, they need to get this win, its' flat out embarassing losing the first two games that are at home in any series.
The Heat are owningggg the Nets right now. Offensively and defensively doing the job. 55-31 right now with 5+ mins to go. Wade with Three 3's!
Has there been an overwhelming amount of blowouts this year in the playoffs? I don't remember this many lopsided games in the post season before. Tonight the Heat are just draining everything from behind the arc, and the Nets have no rhythm like Game 1.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Has there been an overwhelming amount of blowouts this year in the playoffs? I don't remember this many lopsided games in the post season before. Tonight the Heat are just draining everything from behind the arc, and the Nets have no rhythm like Game 1.</div> It's also weird since we just had an amazing first round of playoffs with plenty of games determined in the final seconds.
Great victory for the Heat, we needed this win and we took care of business. It was just complete domination and everybody contributed well, I liked how Shaq stayed out of foul trouble and played his "finesse game", and Wades three shot has really impressed me he also played amazing. I think also what helped us this game was our defense, we stopped the Big 3 tonight and got the job done. Hopefully the Heat can build on this victory and keep the W's coming. <div align="center"><u>Game 2 Recap</u></div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI (Ticker) -- In a complete reversal from Game One, the Miami Heat were at their best and the New Jersey Nets were a total mess. Dwyane Wade scored 17 of his 31 points in the decisive first quarter as the Heat rolled to a 111-89 victory over the Nets that evened their Easern Conference semifinal series at one thorough beating apiece. Shaquille O'Neal scored 21 points for the second-seeded Heat, who were dominant on both ends of the floor as they played with the controlled desperation made necessary by their awful performance in Game One. In the opener, Miami fell behind by 17 points after one quarter, allowed 64 points in the first half and heard boos from the American Airlines Arena crowd as they gave away home-court advantage with a lackluster 100-88 loss. On Wednesday, it was third-seeded New Jersey that appeared to be going through the motions. With a road win already in hand, the Nets fell behind by 20 points in less than six minutes and got no closer than 15 points thereafter as they began to look ahead to home games on Friday and Sunday. Making things easy for Miami was Wade, who stepped a bit out of character to get his team back in step. The superstar guard made just 13 3-pointers during the season but sank three in the first five minutes to set the tone. Wade's first 3-pointer capped a 7-0 spurt that opened the game. He beat the shot clock with his next shot from the arc and added another on the next possession, giving Miami a 16-4 lead. A timeout by the Nets did nothing to cool the Heat. Jason Williams made a jumper and 3-pointer, Wade threw in a reverse layup and Udonis Haslem sank a jumper for a 25-4 bulge with 6:11 left in the first period. A 15-footer by Wade closed the quarter and gave the Heat a 41-19 advantage. While shooting 70 percent (14-of-20) from the field, Miami held New Jersey to five baskets and forced six turnovers. Although the shots stopped dropping in the second period, the Heat extended their lead to 25 points just before halftime with aggressive defense that had the Nets struggling in their half-court sets. Limited by foul trouble in Game One, O'Neal got going in the third quarter, scoring 11 points as he dominated the interior. It could have been more had he not missed five straight free throws. That allowed the Nets to creep within 84-67 entering the final period, but a 3-pointer by Antoine Walker and two by Gary Payton rebuilt the margin to 97-72 less than three minutes later. Miami was 11-of-20 from the arc after making just 4-of-22 in Game One. Williams scored 14 points, Haslem added 11 and 10 rebounds and Payton 11 points for the Heat, who shot 53 percent (39-of-74), held a 38-30 rebounding edge and committed just 12 turnovers. Vince Carter scored 22 points and Richard Jefferson added 16 for the Nets, who shot just 40 percent (28-of-70) and had their four-game postseason winning streak snapped. Ironically, Jefferson was doubtful with a bone bruise on his right ankle suffered in Game One.</div>
The Heat need to play more like this and for all those haters out there. DWade has come along from beyond the arc, now he really is unguardable.
Wow! Can anyone possily have guessed D Wade sinking 3 3pointers in first quarter? Not even himself I bet ya Anyways, the only concern is 7 turnovers by J Will but we got the win so it doesn't matter for the moment. However, I think Pat Riley still wants to see less turnovers. Turnovers are always no good..
Very even game so far tonight. This looks like it's gonna be a great game & easily the best of the series. Edit: Toine witha 3!!
This was a fun game to watch. Wade tookover in the 4th Q, dishing out some dimes and going to the line 8 times down the stretch. Walker also played a very good game, not settling for jumpers, and putting it on the floor, creating some oppurtunities for himself and others. Shaq played well, again he was in foul trouble, but it wasn't as bad as previous games. If the Heat want to take the series, they need Wade and Walker to play like they did today with a foul free Shaq contributing like usual.
Agreed, Antoine was huge last night and he really gave us a lift in the first half. DWade comes back after another injury after that elbow and takes over he was out of control. James Posey or Dwyane just can't stop Vince so they should switch their focus onto Jefferson and Kidd because there is no one on the Heat's roster that can stop Vince. Jefferson struggled last night and the key was shutting down Kristic. I think Miami wins in 5. Let's go HEAT!
The Heat are taking control of the series by dominating the inside. Dwyane Wade got to the line anytime he wanted in the 4th quarter. I think he shot 11 FTs in that quarter alone. It put New Jersey's defense back on their heels and opened up the middle for Shaq to get some easy baskets. The Heat need to keep up this high level of basketball in the next game as well. They've had a tendancy to have let down games after a big win. The Pistons are going to make short work of the Cavs, so Miami cannot allow them to have additional rest if they advance to the ECF. The Heat need Zo to be as healthy as possible if they are going to have any chance of beating Detroit. Wade is taking a lot of hits in the post season as well. His body has to be wore down by this point, and we all know Detroit is going to be very physical with him.
Great job by the Heat last night, we pounded them inside, and Wade was just incredible. Walker hit some huge shots, but I think the most important reason why we won was because we made some big defensive plays, I think the key to us winning is if we play defense or not. When the Heat play that type of defense we win, but when they play lazy defense we get slaughtered. No matter what Vince Carter does this series, Heat are going to be victorious. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Wade is taking a lot of hits in the post season as well. His body has to be wore down by this point, and we all know Detroit is going to be very physical with him.</div> Definitely, that is one of the things I have been worrying about, we all know Wade is a warrior, hes shown it a million times but hopefully his injuries don't slow him down vs. Detroit because we really need him for that series. GOO HEAAAAT!!!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting playmaker15:</div><div class="quote_post">Agreed, Antoine was huge last night and he really gave us a lift in the first half. DWade comes back after another injury after that elbow and takes over he was out of control. James Posey or Dwyane just can't stop Vince so they should switch their focus onto Jefferson and Kidd because there is no one on the Heat's roster that can stop Vince. Jefferson struggled last night and the key was shutting down Kristic. I think Miami wins in 5. Let's go HEAT!</div>It's very hard to stop any shooter who ISOs. The only thing you can do is try and contest their shots. You guys some of the ridiculous shots VC has taken in this series. There's not a lot of players trying to win a title that would take the shots that VC takes. Granted, he took 34 shots so you would expect a lot of points (unless you're don't know much about Basketball yet). VC could've had a lot more than 34 shots but we trapped him a lot of times and forced him to be a fascilitator.
