[treytalkssports.comParticipant]

Miami looks really really good this year, but there is an eerie similarity between one of the opponents they might face in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and the team that they were beat by in the championship two years ago.

The Heat are a different team with better depth, but consider the comparisons between the Mavs of 2011 and the Knicks of this year.

C Chandler
PF Dirk
SF Marion
SG Carter
PG Kidd
PG Berea
SG Terry
SF Brewer
SG Stephenson
SF Novak
C Haywood
SF Stojakavic

C Chandler
PF Anthony
SF Copeland
SG Shumpert
PG Kidd
PG Felton
SG Smith
PF Stoudemire
SF Novak
PG Prigioni
C Thomas
PF Martin
PF Wallace

You get the idea. Just like the Mavs of 2011, the Knicks are built around a solid defensive presence inside (with veteran depth), a scoring forward, a lot of shooters, and a bench scorer.

The only thing that the Knicks don’t really have, is a Marion-type of player who can defend Lebron one on one.

All that said, what percentage chance do you give the Knicks in a 7-game series with the Heat.

[kingofbumsParticipant]

their real kryptonite are dwades fadeaway jumpshots lol

[ReekoParticipant]

He did not win a ring with the Mavs.. he signed with them the following season.

[treytalkssports.comParticipant]

my bad …

[stepback3Participant]

It was Caron Butler not Carter. But Caron was injured.

[Sotos14Participant]

If anybody is going to do it in the east its the Knicks, but still don’t see it happening. One of MIA’s big 3 will have to miss at least 3 games due to injury in series while NYK having healthy Chandler, Amare, and any one of the remaining bigs (Martin, Sheed, Camby, Thomas).

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

I don’t see the Heat losing to anyone, playing a team 4-7 times in a row within 2 weeks, is a HUGE difference between playing them 4 times in a year.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

I don’t know if anybody can beat the Heat outside of OKC in a 7-game series.

It would probably be a close 6 game series but the Heat would wear the injury-prone Knicks out. Not to mention, Miami is going to be extremely fresh for the playoffs. Spoelstra is resting these guys a lot and they’re still winning. This just goes to show how strong their bench is.

I mean, look at what their bench/role players have been doing while the Big3 is resting (7 games; 6-1)

Udonis Haslem: 7 PPG, 6.8 RPG
Shane Battier: 7.1 PPG, 2.4 RPG
Rashard Lewis: 8.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG
Chris Andersen: 6.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG
Mike Miller: 12 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.2 APG
Ray Allen: 13.5 PPG, 3 RPG, 3.1 APG
Norris Cole: 11.2 PPG, 2.8 APG
Mario Chalmers: 8.7 PPG, 5.5 APG

Not only is Miami resting their starters, but they’re getting the rust off of their deep bench which is going to come in handy in the first few rounds of the playoffs. I don’t see LeBron averaging 40+ MPG in the first two series to be honest with you, especially the way Lewis, Miller, and Battier are playing.

[BigMac12111Participant]

I might be in the minority, but I think both the Knicks and Pacers could beat the Heat in a 7 game series. Will they? Probably not, but I think they can do so.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

Those teams can.

It is the NBA, anything can happen and if there is any team that can knock the Heat out in the playoffs it’ll come down to the Pacers and Knicks. (If Rose comes back, the Bulls are added)

But if I’m going the Heat vs the East… I’m going with the Heat.

[BigMac12111Participant]

I would personally go with the field though. Think the Pacers have the tools to beat them (West/Hibbert down low, good defensive wing players, best rebounding team in league) and think the Knicks have the shooters to beat them (if they get/stay hot). Again, it’s unlikely to happen but I think those two teams are much better prepared for them compared to last year.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

Yes, the similarities are obvious. This is the Dallas Title defense that Cuban gave up on when he didn’t resign Chandler. Put Melo at PF to fill the role of Dirk, start Shump at SF to guard Lebron, and the similarities are spot on. JR Smith fills the role of Jason Terry. Kidd and Chandler were key to that title run and Melo and JR Smith fully fill the scoring roles of Dirk and Terry.

The problem is that Chandler isn’t healthy. JKidd is another two years older and he has had his wheels run off by being overplayed. And the Heat are better this year than they were two years ago. I’m worried about the Knicks getting out of the first round. They are just too beat up right now. Management is searching the ranks of unemployed ball players, not to fill out the bench, but to actually play meaningful minutes in the playoffs.

[stepback3Participant]

Not that it changes anything but Kurt Thomas has been waived

[Author]

Posts