Did we somehow jump in a time machine and land back in 2006? It sure seems that way until you realize that LeBron James is standing next to Dwyane wade instead of Shaq. No, this is the 2011 NBA finals and even though the Miami Heat's opponent is the same as 2006, they are vastly different. Both are the same, but different.
Only two members of the Heat team that won it all in 06' remain on this 2011 roster (Wade, Haslem), and the same could be said about the Mavericks (Nowitzki, Terry). The Heat also have one other member with a ring (Eddie House), but do not expect him to play much at all this series.
The Mavericks are the older, more seasoned team. They have a lot of players with tons of miles on their treads, but with those miles comes years of experience. Miami is the younger, more athletic team that has finally seemed to bring it all together at the right time and looks almost unstoppable. These Finals are going to be fun to watch, that is for sure...but for now let us do the usual player by player comparison.
Point Guard: Mike Bibby vs Jason Kidd
Bibby played very well against Derrick Rose in the last round of the playoffs. Kidd is another tough match up, but this is one that Bibby should have an easier time to defend. Kidd is one of the best assist makers in the NBA today, and even at 38 years of age he still manages to find his own shots and find open shots for all his teammates on the floor. you can not leave him open, and you can not let him create space or he will eat you alive. Bibby has not performed well at all in these playoffs, but that does not mean he can't turn it around with some three point makes and some nice, quality minutes on the court. Still, I feel that Jason Kidd, despite being a lot older, still holds the advantage in this position. His experience and knack for making all the right plays keep him playing right alongside the NBA's best in this position.
Advantage: Dallas
Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade vs DeShawn Stevenson
Let us be perfectly honest: Wade should by all accounts have a huge edge against Stevenson. He is no Bogans, he can't defend like Iguodala, and he is not the offensive threat that Ray Allen is. Don't get me wrong, Keith Bogans is not that great either, but Mr. DeShawn is a lesser version of Bogans if that tells you anything. Wade SHOULD have the advantage in the series. He should be the X-factor for the Heat when they needs runs. I say should because no one knows the extent of Wade and his phantom injury. Is he injured or was he just tired? Who knows. I hope he is healthy and as close to 100% as he can be, because if that is the case then he will have a great series against the Mavs...once again.
Advantage: Flash
Small Forward: LeBron James vs Shawn Marion
Will the King without a crown finally reclaim his spot on the top of the NBA world? If he continues to play at this level, then I believe so. LeBron James has looked almost as unstoppable as he was supposed to look ever since he came into the league. His size, strength and speed combination is unparallel. He has found a jump shot that works. His post game is strong. he can drive to the basket at will. He collapses defenses and finds open teammates for uncontested jumpers. He has been doing it all this post season. When his team needed a boost, he gave it to them. When his all star teammates needed someone to carry the load, he let everyone jump on his back. he is doing it and dong it well and personally I don't think Marion can stop him. Marion did well enough against Kevin Durant in the Western Conference Finals, but KD is no LBJ and I think Marion will find that out the hard way.
Advantage: King James
Power Forward: Chris Bosh vs Dirk Nowitzki
For each of these comparisons I have been a huge Bosh supporter. I have been backing him ever since the entire media outlet started calling him overrated and exposed. I know Bosh has the talent to play with the best of the best and this match up is against the best. Dirk Nowitzki, the seven footer jump shooting German is hungry for a title. He was close in 06', but Wade stole it right in front of his eyes. he is back now, and playing at an even higher level then before. Bosh is great, but Dirk has the edge in this one. It is going to take all of the 6'11'' Miami big man to just keep Dirk from going too crazy. If Miami wants to win these Finals, Bosh along with James and Haslem are going to have to play the best defense of their careers to stop the Dallas juggernaut. Bosh will get his, but hopefully anyone who defends Dirk with hold him at bay. Stopping, or containing Dirk will be the key for Miami to win it all in these Finals.
Advantage: The Hoff
Center: Joel Anthony vs Tyson Chandler
Joel Anthony is such a liability on offense it is a shame that Miami does not have any better options to throw out there in these games. Tyson Chandler is a great story. Thought of as garbage and thrown out of his former teams, the Mavs pick him up thinking he would be a decent back up Center for Brendan Haywood. Somehow Chandler finds his second wind in Dallas and fights back into the starting lineup of this squad. Give his coach all the credit, because Chandler looked to have lost his fire and passion for the game before this season started. He is a good Center. He plays like Joakim Noah, but is able to collect more rebounds and is thriving from the play of his point guard Jason Kidd. Anthony's teammates try to get him the ball, but he plays so clunky on offense, the ball just seems to bounce right out of his hands. Anthony can defend great, but Chandler provides a much more overall player in the Center position.
Bench:
Miami has an eight man rotation which might grow to nine if Coach Spolestra wants to add James Jones into the line up. Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller are the three players that come off the bench and give the Big 3 time to rest. Haslem and Miller are the unexpected players that stepped up in the last series for Miami. if they can continue to provide that boost they added against Chicago, then Miami won't need too much of anyone else to contribute.
On the flip side, Dallas has a whole slew of players to relieve their starters. Jason Terry, J.J. Barea, Brendan Haywood, Corey Brewer, Peja Stojakovic, and maybe Ronny Beaubois are all threats off the bench. Terry is the biggest concern for Miami since he can drive and also nail crucial three pointers. In fact, Dallas has the best three point shooters in the game if you think about it. Terry, Kidd, Stojakovic, and Nowitzki are all big time three point aces. Dallas just has more option then Miami if someone is having an off night or in foul trouble.
Advantage: Dallas
In short, both teams have strong and weak points. Dallas is a powerful offensive team with great wing scorers, but their defense is invisible. Miami has a bunch of talented players who can play both sides of the ball and have one of the best transition offense in the league, but their depth is lacking. Both have All Star players and future Hall of Famers on their rosters. My gut tells me that Miami, despite their shortcomings has enough to win it all this year. They have blown by all of the opposition, and I think Dallas is the final step in the redemption song for LeBron James and company.
Miami in 6. GO HEAT!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
One on One with the "MVP"
Derrick Rose is a tremendous talent, but now that he has been eliminated by LeBron James and the Miami Heat, was he truly deserving of the Most Valuable Player label?
I do not think so.
Here's a look at LeBron James and Derrick Rose exclusively in their Eastern Conference Finals meeting. The stats do not lie.
Rose
PPG 23.4 REB 4.0 AST 6.6 BLK 0.2 STL 1.0 PF 2.6 TO 3.8 FT% .813 FG% .350 3P% .233 MIN 42.0
James
PPG 25.8 REB 7.8 AST 6.6 BLK 1.8 STL 2.4 PF 3.0 TO 3.6 FT% .864 FG% .447
3P% .389 MIN 45.2
LeBron James out performed Derrick Rose in EVERY statistical category that matters. He even played a higher minute total then Rose, so you can not use the excuse that James was more rested either. Even the categories that a Point Guard should excel in (assists, steals, fewer turnovers) did the SF James either average the same or better stats then the PG Rose. Rose could not out shine James in any category and could not squeeze by LeBron James' shut down defense.
Sure James is a good four inches taller then Rose, but Rose should be able to blow by James with his impressive speed, but it never happened. LeBron James could and did defend Rose. Derrick Rose could not and can not defend James.
Derrick Rose won the MVP because he was the new kid on the block. He deserved some attention, but after a certain point, none of the voters gave anyone else more then a second glance. If you want to argue that LeBron James had Dwyane Wade helping him, then I would say that Dwight Howard at least deserved the MVP over Rose.
Remove James from the Heat and they are not the number two seed. Sure they still make the playoffs because of Wade and Bosh, but losing James means losing a lot regardless.
Remove Rose from the Bulls and you still have a playoff team as well. They either sneak in the playoffs or are on of the lower seeds. No Rose means, the other Bulls get a lot more looks to score. Rose is still a bad shooter, and with him gone, you remove the hero ball function of the Bulls offense. Their defense is the same, if not better with Rose out of the line up. Deng, Boozer, Noah, Brewer, Gibson, and maybe even Korver and Watson help anchor this team to a first round elimination in the playoffs.
Remove Howard from the Magic and what do you have? Not a good team by any stretch of the imagination. Howard anchors the defense, and is a monster on the offensive boards for put backs. He led the team in PPG as well.
So if you want to argue that Rose was essential for the Bulls team to be good, then you would be correct, but Howard was even more essential. If that is the case then he should have the MVP award, not Rose.
If you want to argue that Rose is a better athlete that Howard, then you would have to also say that James is a better player then Rose. if that is how they justify the MVP award then James should be the three time award winner, not Rose.
In either case, Rose should not have been awarded this trophy. He was exposed in the playoffs, and that is all I am going to say about that.
I do not think so.
Here's a look at LeBron James and Derrick Rose exclusively in their Eastern Conference Finals meeting. The stats do not lie.
Rose
PPG 23.4 REB 4.0 AST 6.6 BLK 0.2 STL 1.0 PF 2.6 TO 3.8 FT% .813 FG% .350 3P% .233 MIN 42.0
James
PPG 25.8 REB 7.8 AST 6.6 BLK 1.8 STL 2.4 PF 3.0 TO 3.6 FT% .864 FG% .447
3P% .389 MIN 45.2
LeBron James out performed Derrick Rose in EVERY statistical category that matters. He even played a higher minute total then Rose, so you can not use the excuse that James was more rested either. Even the categories that a Point Guard should excel in (assists, steals, fewer turnovers) did the SF James either average the same or better stats then the PG Rose. Rose could not out shine James in any category and could not squeeze by LeBron James' shut down defense.
Sure James is a good four inches taller then Rose, but Rose should be able to blow by James with his impressive speed, but it never happened. LeBron James could and did defend Rose. Derrick Rose could not and can not defend James.
Derrick Rose won the MVP because he was the new kid on the block. He deserved some attention, but after a certain point, none of the voters gave anyone else more then a second glance. If you want to argue that LeBron James had Dwyane Wade helping him, then I would say that Dwight Howard at least deserved the MVP over Rose.
Remove James from the Heat and they are not the number two seed. Sure they still make the playoffs because of Wade and Bosh, but losing James means losing a lot regardless.
Remove Rose from the Bulls and you still have a playoff team as well. They either sneak in the playoffs or are on of the lower seeds. No Rose means, the other Bulls get a lot more looks to score. Rose is still a bad shooter, and with him gone, you remove the hero ball function of the Bulls offense. Their defense is the same, if not better with Rose out of the line up. Deng, Boozer, Noah, Brewer, Gibson, and maybe even Korver and Watson help anchor this team to a first round elimination in the playoffs.
Remove Howard from the Magic and what do you have? Not a good team by any stretch of the imagination. Howard anchors the defense, and is a monster on the offensive boards for put backs. He led the team in PPG as well.
So if you want to argue that Rose was essential for the Bulls team to be good, then you would be correct, but Howard was even more essential. If that is the case then he should have the MVP award, not Rose.
If you want to argue that Rose is a better athlete that Howard, then you would have to also say that James is a better player then Rose. if that is how they justify the MVP award then James should be the three time award winner, not Rose.
In either case, Rose should not have been awarded this trophy. He was exposed in the playoffs, and that is all I am going to say about that.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Miami versus Chicago
Number 1 vs number 2
MVP versus the former MVP
Bragging rights and a trip to the finals await as well.
Let's get down to the nitty gritty.
Point Guard: Derrick Rose versus Mario Chalmers
Okay. The MVP of the league versus some on again off again starting PG. This one is not going to be pretty. Rose has all the confidence in the world, and he should get the best of Chalmers. That is of course if the Heat decide to keep Rio on Rose for the entire series, which I don't see happening. For the time being Rose has the advantage over any Heat PG, but expect to see Wade or James covering Rose in the crunch.
Advantage: Bulls
Shooting Guard: Keith Bogans versus Dwyane Wade
Wade is about the hardest cover in the league. He can switch directions better and faster then anyone in the game right now. And while Keith Bogans is an exceptional defender I do not think he can keep up with the man they call Flash. Wade also smothered Ray Allen, who is a much better version of Keith Bogans in the last series. I can't even imagine how Chicago could have an advantage in this situation.
Advantage: Heat
Small Forward: Luol Deng versus LeBron James
There should be no contest here either. Luol is a good player and can usually find a mismatch against whoever he faces. Too bad he is going up against the best player in basketball right now. LeBron James seemed to exorcise the demons of playoff failures in his last series against Boston. James was playing out of his mind and a huge burden should have been removed after eliminating the Celtics. Expect more dominance and more explosiveness from the once and future king.
Advantage: Heat
Power Forward: Carlos Boozer versus Chris Bosh
Ah, here we go again. Chris Bosh versus another good Power Forward. Bosh has played well in the playoffs, minus one or two vanishing acts. Boozer showed some promise in his last game against the Hawks when he finally hit thew 20 point mark in quite some time. Both are capable of delivering tons of damage, and both are also capable of canceling the other player out. You can expect either a stalemate or whoever gets the better in this match up to give his team much needed advantage.I personally think that Boozer is a little too slow to cover Bosh by himself. I think CB is going to have the advantage all series long in this position. Boozer might have more rebounds in the end, but Bosh should abuse him on the offensive side.
Advantage: Heat
Center: Joakim Noah versus Joel Anthony
Both players are undersized for their position, but both also play with tons of emotion and energy. Noah has the size advantage over Anthony and for that he seems to have the advantage. Noah can also seemingly find his own shot and produce on the offensive side where as Anthony can not. (and should not. Not NEVER!)
Advantage: Bulls
Bench:
If only the Heat's bench could do anything consistently. They would be invincible. Other then the big three, no one steps up to help produce numbers. I have to give it to the Bulls bench which consists of Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, and Taj Gibson.
Advantage: Bulls
Final thoughts? while on paper in those categories it seems like the Bulls are favorites, I will not ever doubt the fire that burns within James and Wade. When those two players are playing their best, there isn't a team in the league that can stop them consistently. Plus, they are MY favorite team, so yeah i am not picking against them.
HEAT WIN IN 6 GAMES!
GO HEAT!
MVP versus the former MVP
Bragging rights and a trip to the finals await as well.
Let's get down to the nitty gritty.
Point Guard: Derrick Rose versus Mario Chalmers
Okay. The MVP of the league versus some on again off again starting PG. This one is not going to be pretty. Rose has all the confidence in the world, and he should get the best of Chalmers. That is of course if the Heat decide to keep Rio on Rose for the entire series, which I don't see happening. For the time being Rose has the advantage over any Heat PG, but expect to see Wade or James covering Rose in the crunch.
Advantage: Bulls
Shooting Guard: Keith Bogans versus Dwyane Wade
Wade is about the hardest cover in the league. He can switch directions better and faster then anyone in the game right now. And while Keith Bogans is an exceptional defender I do not think he can keep up with the man they call Flash. Wade also smothered Ray Allen, who is a much better version of Keith Bogans in the last series. I can't even imagine how Chicago could have an advantage in this situation.
Advantage: Heat
Small Forward: Luol Deng versus LeBron James
There should be no contest here either. Luol is a good player and can usually find a mismatch against whoever he faces. Too bad he is going up against the best player in basketball right now. LeBron James seemed to exorcise the demons of playoff failures in his last series against Boston. James was playing out of his mind and a huge burden should have been removed after eliminating the Celtics. Expect more dominance and more explosiveness from the once and future king.
Advantage: Heat
Power Forward: Carlos Boozer versus Chris Bosh
Ah, here we go again. Chris Bosh versus another good Power Forward. Bosh has played well in the playoffs, minus one or two vanishing acts. Boozer showed some promise in his last game against the Hawks when he finally hit thew 20 point mark in quite some time. Both are capable of delivering tons of damage, and both are also capable of canceling the other player out. You can expect either a stalemate or whoever gets the better in this match up to give his team much needed advantage.I personally think that Boozer is a little too slow to cover Bosh by himself. I think CB is going to have the advantage all series long in this position. Boozer might have more rebounds in the end, but Bosh should abuse him on the offensive side.
Advantage: Heat
Center: Joakim Noah versus Joel Anthony
Both players are undersized for their position, but both also play with tons of emotion and energy. Noah has the size advantage over Anthony and for that he seems to have the advantage. Noah can also seemingly find his own shot and produce on the offensive side where as Anthony can not. (and should not. Not NEVER!)
Advantage: Bulls
Bench:
If only the Heat's bench could do anything consistently. They would be invincible. Other then the big three, no one steps up to help produce numbers. I have to give it to the Bulls bench which consists of Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, and Taj Gibson.
Advantage: Bulls
Final thoughts? while on paper in those categories it seems like the Bulls are favorites, I will not ever doubt the fire that burns within James and Wade. When those two players are playing their best, there isn't a team in the league that can stop them consistently. Plus, they are MY favorite team, so yeah i am not picking against them.
HEAT WIN IN 6 GAMES!
GO HEAT!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Bosh vs Garnett
Miami has beaten the Boston Celtics in five games. We all know what D. Wade and King James bring to the table. No one in Boston could match up against them all series long. Of the big three, Chris Bosh has received the most scrutiny for his supposed soft play and timid attitude on and off the court. Now that it is all said and done, let us look at his stats against the eventual Hall of Fame Power Forward, Kevin Garnett.
These will be the two players total numbers from all five games.
Chris Bosh
51 Rebounds 7 assists 6 steals 5 blocks 8 turnovers 12 fouls 64 points
Kevin Garnett
53 rebounds 9 assists 9 steals 6 blocks 7 turnovers 19 fouls 72 points
Just to point out that most of Garnett's stats come from his monster game three performance when he accumulated 28 points and 18 rebounds. On paper it looks like KG got the best of Bosh, but from what I saw I saw CB play KG almost to a standstill and that could have been what gave Miami the edge over Boston in the long run.
Taking away game three these are the rebound and points totals for both players.
Chris Bosh
46 rebounds 58 points
Kevin Garnett
35 rebounds 46 points
Good show Baby Bosh. Jolly good show!
These will be the two players total numbers from all five games.
Chris Bosh
51 Rebounds 7 assists 6 steals 5 blocks 8 turnovers 12 fouls 64 points
Kevin Garnett
53 rebounds 9 assists 9 steals 6 blocks 7 turnovers 19 fouls 72 points
Just to point out that most of Garnett's stats come from his monster game three performance when he accumulated 28 points and 18 rebounds. On paper it looks like KG got the best of Bosh, but from what I saw I saw CB play KG almost to a standstill and that could have been what gave Miami the edge over Boston in the long run.
Taking away game three these are the rebound and points totals for both players.
Chris Bosh
46 rebounds 58 points
Kevin Garnett
35 rebounds 46 points
Good show Baby Bosh. Jolly good show!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Of the Remaining Opponents...
Miami has had mixed success with the remaining teams left in the playoffs. Let's take a look at some of those matchups.
Boston - Miami is currently leading the series 2-0. But Miami was only 1-3 versus the Celtics in the regular season. I've talked enough about Boston in the other posts, so lets move on.
Chicago - 0-3 - Miami has yet to beat the Bulls this season in three tries.
Memphis - 1-1 - Miami split the series against the Grizzlies. Something to note: Memphis won their first meeting against Miami by a buzzer beating jump shot by now injured Rudy Gay.
L.A. - 2-0 - Miami swept the season series against the Lakers.
Dallas - 0-2 - Miami could not win in Dallas or at home against the Mavericks in the regular season.
Atlanta - 3-1 - Miami won three out of four games against the Hawks in the regular season.
Oklahoma City - 1-1 - Miami split the series against the Thunder in the regular season.
Which means Miami was a unimpressive 8-11 against these playoff teams. Ouch.
Boston - Miami is currently leading the series 2-0. But Miami was only 1-3 versus the Celtics in the regular season. I've talked enough about Boston in the other posts, so lets move on.
Chicago - 0-3 - Miami has yet to beat the Bulls this season in three tries.
Memphis - 1-1 - Miami split the series against the Grizzlies. Something to note: Memphis won their first meeting against Miami by a buzzer beating jump shot by now injured Rudy Gay.
L.A. - 2-0 - Miami swept the season series against the Lakers.
Dallas - 0-2 - Miami could not win in Dallas or at home against the Mavericks in the regular season.
Atlanta - 3-1 - Miami won three out of four games against the Hawks in the regular season.
Oklahoma City - 1-1 - Miami split the series against the Thunder in the regular season.
Which means Miami was a unimpressive 8-11 against these playoff teams. Ouch.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Temper Temper
I love the Miami Heat, and I think Dwyane Wade is a phenominal superstar, but he very well may be their biggest liability in the series aginst the Boston Celtics. Don't get me wrong, Wade has played at a high level all season long, bt it has been Wade, not his superstar teammate Lebron James who has vanished during their four games against the Celtics. Wade has averaged less then 13 points per game against Boston this season and his tournovers sloppiness is one of the biggest reasons Miami could not win against Boston in their first three attempts.
And now for something more challenging.
So the Heat advanced into the second round of the playoffs like everyone thought would. Now comes the hard part, shrugging off the win over the less-then-stellar 76ers and focusing all of their attention to the Boston Celtics.
The Boston Celtics. The originators of the big three and the team that has loomed their champion calibre team's shadow over the Miami heat all season long are now ready to give Miami's big three everything they can handle. The chase to the title will have to wait, Miami has a lot of skeletons left to deal with if they want to advance any further.
Miami has a pair of champions on their team, but one has not played all season, so the Heat's sole ring bearing active player is Dwyane Wade. The Celtics have proven that their team is at that championship level that Miami is still hoping to achieve. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett aren't even the big three any more. Rajon Rondo has emerged and made that dynamic trio welcome in a fourth member. Together they have won a championship and almost won a second ring last year.
This year's Heat are looking for that type of success in 2011.
For the second year it seemed as though the Celtics were limping into the playoffs, but after a quick sweep of the Knicks the Celtics seem to be in top form once again. No team should or can sleep on Boston. They are proven as a team, and if Miami wants to be considered a champion, they have to beat the current Eastern Conference Champions just to advance to the next round!
As any good sports reporter would do, I want to analyze both teams. Focus on their strengths and weaknesses as individuals and as teammates. I want to break down every position and try to see which team truly has an advantage over the other.
Let's start with the Point Guards. This time I will focus on the potential starters and reserve the backups all under the bench category.
Point Guard: Rajon Rondo versus Mario Chalmers
When Rajon Rondo is on his game, their is little any PG can really do against him. He isn't the most prolific scorer and because of that defending PGs often give him space and allow him to try to sink long shots. The real Rondo is a pass first type of PG at heart and his crisp passing skills will be the biggest hurdle the Heat will have to overcome in order to beat Boston in this series.
On the other hand, Mario Chalmers is Miami's best defensive PG by a leaps and bounds. It also seems logical to think Chalmers has earned himself a spot back at the starting PG position after a solid game 5 performance where he scored a season high 20 points off the bench. Rio is a much better scorer then Rondo, but needs to work on his assist making skills in order to really strive in this Heat team. With players like Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh it would be in Miami's favor if the ball was in his hands and he could find those players open shots. He has yet to reach that plateau yet, so Miami will have to deal with Rio's great defensive play and hope he can make Rondo look human.
Still, Rondo is the better PG at this time. Advantage: Celtics
Shooting Guard: Ray Allen versus Dwyane Wade
He got game, and it shows more so in the playoffs. Ray Allen has been a headache for D. Wade to guard all season. Not only is Allen one of the best pure shooters in the game, but he is always moving which makes Wade use up all of his energy just defending him. Allen has the Celtics hottest hands from downtown. He is shooting over 65% from behind the 3 point line in the playoffs which can and will hurt any team should that carry over into the next series. In the regular season, Allen has had Wade's number and has limited Flash's performances to that of pedestrian numbers. If that continues it does not bode well for the Heat.
Dwyane Wade should be regarded as one of the best players at his position, but he has yet to have a signature game against Boston all year long. his point per game is under 13 against the Celtics this year which is extremely below his season average of 25 PPG. Wade needs to find his grove against the Celtics and Allen and find it quick. Miami can not afford to continue to start slow and wade needs to be the one to spark that fire under his team. He has proven he is capable of shining at pivotal and important moments in playoff games and the Heat will need Mr. Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. to be at the top of his game if Miami wants to send Boston packing.
Though the regular season has not shown it I still say that Wade steps up in the playoffs for Miami. Advantage: Heat
Small Forward: Paul Pierce versus Lebron James
This battle has happened before, but James was wearing Cavalier colors then. Now Paul Pierce looks to stay on top of his game against one of the hardest players to defend in the game of basketball. Has he done it? in the regular season Pierce has averaged 17 PPG while James has been averaging almost 29 PPG. The simple stats of it all says that in the regular season James has eaten up Paul Pierce, but we are not in the regular season anymore. Pierce who is a much better long ball shooter is capable of defending James well. The truth is a player that always needs to be guarded, he can strike from almost anywhere on the court.
Enter Miami's mercenary. Lebron James came to Miami for one thing: to win a championship. They may well be on their way this year, but James is going to have to wash away the years of defeat that Boston has piled up in his closet in order to do so. Boston has eliminated James in 2008 and in 2010 and the agony of defeat lingers on. No one more then James needs this victory to prove himself as a great player and to vindicate his decision to take his talents to south beach. The once and future king can accomplish this by performing at a level that Paul Pierce is unable to compete against. He can do it, and needs to in order for Miami to make short work of Boston.
There is no other SF in the game I consider better then James, so the choice is simple. Advantage: Heat
Power Forward: Kevin Garnett versus Chris Bosh
Both of these players are the anchors of their respected teams. Kevin Garnett's career speaks for itself. The guy is an outstanding player and still plays at the top of his game even at 34 years old. He is a presence in the paint and the best defender on the Celtics. Look for him to provide double teams relatively quickly. he size and speed is a problem for almost any PF in the game and has held Bosh's game to below his season average.
Bosh needs to take advantage of his speed over Garnett often and early. Garnett recently mentioned that when Bosh plays well, the Heat dominate. True this may be, but it could also be a ploy to get KG pumped in order to play at an even higher level against Bosh. Bosh has such a silky shot, that he may be tempted to pull up and take long range jump shots, but he needs to be aggressive and catch the Celtics in the air so he can go get much needed free throws. This position battle could very well be the deciding factor in the series.
While one player excels in offense the other is slid on defense. It's hard to pick between the two. Advantage: Tie
Center: Jermain Oneal versus Joel Anthony
Jermain Oneal is playing like his knees aren't giving him trouble, and that could spell trouble for Miami if he stays that way. With Shaq still uncertain, the other Oneal has stepped his game up and has looked like the the player Miami was hoping for just a couple of seasons ago. Now wearing the Celtic green, both Oneals are the enemy. Look for Miami to test Jermain the most in the paint and try to get him in early foul trouble.
Meanwhile Joel Anthony has been playing at such a high level it seems crazy to think Miami will keep him on the bench for too long. Big Z might start the game, but you better believe that Anthony is the Center of choice for the Heat. Anthony provides a much needed boost of energy and athleticism in the Center position. He is a ball hawk on the boards and is ever present in his defensive mindset. Joel even provided some very clutch free throws at the end of the Philly series that sent the 76ers to an early vacation. He is not prettiest offensive specimen, but his energy on the defensive side of the ball is very much needed.
I don't expect Jermain Oneal to continue this level of performance for too much longer. I also think it was due to a poor new York team that allowed Oneal such easy buckets. Anthony should erase those stat lines well enough. Advantage: Tie
Bench Players or Role Players:
Here is Miami's biggest and most glaring weakness: the lack of depth on the team. Boston does not have that problem. Here is a list of the player you can expect to play significant minutes on both teams from their bench.
Miami: James Jones, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mike Bibby
Boston: Glen Davis, Jeff Green, Delonte West, Shaq (if healthy)
You may see Carlos Arroyo or Nenad Kristic come off Boston's bench as well. Needless to say the reserves on Boston are much more active. James Jones is the current three point champion and has had a hot hand in the playoffs. He needs to come off the bench and provide some much needed bench points for Miami. Still Boston has more pieces on the bench that allows their star players much needed rest. Advantage: Boston
So what did we have? Two positions in favor of Miami, two in favor of Boston (including the bench as a position), and two ties which means this is going to be a very exciting playoff series. I can't wait. GO HEAT!
The Boston Celtics. The originators of the big three and the team that has loomed their champion calibre team's shadow over the Miami heat all season long are now ready to give Miami's big three everything they can handle. The chase to the title will have to wait, Miami has a lot of skeletons left to deal with if they want to advance any further.
Miami has a pair of champions on their team, but one has not played all season, so the Heat's sole ring bearing active player is Dwyane Wade. The Celtics have proven that their team is at that championship level that Miami is still hoping to achieve. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett aren't even the big three any more. Rajon Rondo has emerged and made that dynamic trio welcome in a fourth member. Together they have won a championship and almost won a second ring last year.
This year's Heat are looking for that type of success in 2011.
For the second year it seemed as though the Celtics were limping into the playoffs, but after a quick sweep of the Knicks the Celtics seem to be in top form once again. No team should or can sleep on Boston. They are proven as a team, and if Miami wants to be considered a champion, they have to beat the current Eastern Conference Champions just to advance to the next round!
As any good sports reporter would do, I want to analyze both teams. Focus on their strengths and weaknesses as individuals and as teammates. I want to break down every position and try to see which team truly has an advantage over the other.
Let's start with the Point Guards. This time I will focus on the potential starters and reserve the backups all under the bench category.
Point Guard: Rajon Rondo versus Mario Chalmers
When Rajon Rondo is on his game, their is little any PG can really do against him. He isn't the most prolific scorer and because of that defending PGs often give him space and allow him to try to sink long shots. The real Rondo is a pass first type of PG at heart and his crisp passing skills will be the biggest hurdle the Heat will have to overcome in order to beat Boston in this series.
On the other hand, Mario Chalmers is Miami's best defensive PG by a leaps and bounds. It also seems logical to think Chalmers has earned himself a spot back at the starting PG position after a solid game 5 performance where he scored a season high 20 points off the bench. Rio is a much better scorer then Rondo, but needs to work on his assist making skills in order to really strive in this Heat team. With players like Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh it would be in Miami's favor if the ball was in his hands and he could find those players open shots. He has yet to reach that plateau yet, so Miami will have to deal with Rio's great defensive play and hope he can make Rondo look human.
Still, Rondo is the better PG at this time. Advantage: Celtics
Shooting Guard: Ray Allen versus Dwyane Wade
He got game, and it shows more so in the playoffs. Ray Allen has been a headache for D. Wade to guard all season. Not only is Allen one of the best pure shooters in the game, but he is always moving which makes Wade use up all of his energy just defending him. Allen has the Celtics hottest hands from downtown. He is shooting over 65% from behind the 3 point line in the playoffs which can and will hurt any team should that carry over into the next series. In the regular season, Allen has had Wade's number and has limited Flash's performances to that of pedestrian numbers. If that continues it does not bode well for the Heat.
Dwyane Wade should be regarded as one of the best players at his position, but he has yet to have a signature game against Boston all year long. his point per game is under 13 against the Celtics this year which is extremely below his season average of 25 PPG. Wade needs to find his grove against the Celtics and Allen and find it quick. Miami can not afford to continue to start slow and wade needs to be the one to spark that fire under his team. He has proven he is capable of shining at pivotal and important moments in playoff games and the Heat will need Mr. Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. to be at the top of his game if Miami wants to send Boston packing.
Though the regular season has not shown it I still say that Wade steps up in the playoffs for Miami. Advantage: Heat
Small Forward: Paul Pierce versus Lebron James
This battle has happened before, but James was wearing Cavalier colors then. Now Paul Pierce looks to stay on top of his game against one of the hardest players to defend in the game of basketball. Has he done it? in the regular season Pierce has averaged 17 PPG while James has been averaging almost 29 PPG. The simple stats of it all says that in the regular season James has eaten up Paul Pierce, but we are not in the regular season anymore. Pierce who is a much better long ball shooter is capable of defending James well. The truth is a player that always needs to be guarded, he can strike from almost anywhere on the court.
Enter Miami's mercenary. Lebron James came to Miami for one thing: to win a championship. They may well be on their way this year, but James is going to have to wash away the years of defeat that Boston has piled up in his closet in order to do so. Boston has eliminated James in 2008 and in 2010 and the agony of defeat lingers on. No one more then James needs this victory to prove himself as a great player and to vindicate his decision to take his talents to south beach. The once and future king can accomplish this by performing at a level that Paul Pierce is unable to compete against. He can do it, and needs to in order for Miami to make short work of Boston.
There is no other SF in the game I consider better then James, so the choice is simple. Advantage: Heat
Power Forward: Kevin Garnett versus Chris Bosh
Both of these players are the anchors of their respected teams. Kevin Garnett's career speaks for itself. The guy is an outstanding player and still plays at the top of his game even at 34 years old. He is a presence in the paint and the best defender on the Celtics. Look for him to provide double teams relatively quickly. he size and speed is a problem for almost any PF in the game and has held Bosh's game to below his season average.
Bosh needs to take advantage of his speed over Garnett often and early. Garnett recently mentioned that when Bosh plays well, the Heat dominate. True this may be, but it could also be a ploy to get KG pumped in order to play at an even higher level against Bosh. Bosh has such a silky shot, that he may be tempted to pull up and take long range jump shots, but he needs to be aggressive and catch the Celtics in the air so he can go get much needed free throws. This position battle could very well be the deciding factor in the series.
While one player excels in offense the other is slid on defense. It's hard to pick between the two. Advantage: Tie
Center: Jermain Oneal versus Joel Anthony
Jermain Oneal is playing like his knees aren't giving him trouble, and that could spell trouble for Miami if he stays that way. With Shaq still uncertain, the other Oneal has stepped his game up and has looked like the the player Miami was hoping for just a couple of seasons ago. Now wearing the Celtic green, both Oneals are the enemy. Look for Miami to test Jermain the most in the paint and try to get him in early foul trouble.
Meanwhile Joel Anthony has been playing at such a high level it seems crazy to think Miami will keep him on the bench for too long. Big Z might start the game, but you better believe that Anthony is the Center of choice for the Heat. Anthony provides a much needed boost of energy and athleticism in the Center position. He is a ball hawk on the boards and is ever present in his defensive mindset. Joel even provided some very clutch free throws at the end of the Philly series that sent the 76ers to an early vacation. He is not prettiest offensive specimen, but his energy on the defensive side of the ball is very much needed.
I don't expect Jermain Oneal to continue this level of performance for too much longer. I also think it was due to a poor new York team that allowed Oneal such easy buckets. Anthony should erase those stat lines well enough. Advantage: Tie
Bench Players or Role Players:
Here is Miami's biggest and most glaring weakness: the lack of depth on the team. Boston does not have that problem. Here is a list of the player you can expect to play significant minutes on both teams from their bench.
Miami: James Jones, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mike Bibby
Boston: Glen Davis, Jeff Green, Delonte West, Shaq (if healthy)
You may see Carlos Arroyo or Nenad Kristic come off Boston's bench as well. Needless to say the reserves on Boston are much more active. James Jones is the current three point champion and has had a hot hand in the playoffs. He needs to come off the bench and provide some much needed bench points for Miami. Still Boston has more pieces on the bench that allows their star players much needed rest. Advantage: Boston
So what did we have? Two positions in favor of Miami, two in favor of Boston (including the bench as a position), and two ties which means this is going to be a very exciting playoff series. I can't wait. GO HEAT!
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