Heat- Predictions

[wilt the stilt]

I say the Lakers are still better. The Lakers are a good all around team with the right parts including the best low post player(scoring) in the game. They have also played together for 3 years.

I also think that Orlando will give Miami fits. As you all know I am no great fan of Dwight Howard but Miami has no center and even signing Z and Juwan Howard will not help.

Boston- not sure about them. they may be too old. Perkins is probaly out until Feb.

It will be interesting.

[trumad]

1. I agree with your assesments.....

Miami is practically a brand new team and will most likely take a year to fit the pieces... but once they do, watch out.

Don't underestimate Pat Riley.

[Upton]

2. delete

[Upton]

3. Lets see..LeBronedict will continue his narcissistic tour of the NBA

all the while enabled by ESPN, he'll continue to rub Cleveland's nose in it. You can count on that. This of course, along with that disgraceful display of last week, will lead to him being booed lustily in every arena in the NBA. Something he richly deserves.

Any suggestion of collusion, true or not, will be swiftly swept under the rug by Stern..who is about as crooked as it gets.

The NBA hasn't had a good villain in awhile..not since the pressure has let up on Kobe. I have no doubt the James led Heat will now become the most hated team in basketball.

[Carnage251]

6. LeBronedict?

Get Over It

[trumad]

12. Don't let the Barry Bond's worshipping fool bother you...

Uptons claim to fame here in the sports forum was the ball licking of his hero, Barry Bonds.

He's simply to stupid to see the irony in anything he posts regarding LeBron.

[JonLP24]

9. It's so bizarre how Miami became the most heated team over night

I wish Phoenix was Miami right now. I really do.

This off-season the big moves they made was re-signing Channing Frye and adding Hakim Warrick. They lost Amare Stoudemire to the Knicks because he was a free agent. Not a traitor. I still like him as a player, and will root for his success with the Knicks which is a team I used to hate. Owners aren't accusing him of "cowardly betrayal" and fans here aren't burning his jerseys.

As to Miami's success. I think they will be a contender for years to come. They may not win it every year or not even at all, they will be among the top 5 I predict.

[TZ]

13. Ha: Iverson and Carmello Anthony

were supposed to make Denver a multiple championship team. How'd that shape up?-Miami will be exactly like Cleveland--Good record in the regular season, out in the first or second round EVERY year. They will be the arrogant bridesmaids of the NBA for years to come-especially as I hear "the big three" fancy themselves as better coaches than Riley...If you don't know why they are hated think about why people hate Terrell Owens, the Yankees and Kobe and the Lakers..Sheer arrogance. Lets not even get into the likelihood of Cleveland's downtown becoming a very depressed area without any large sports draws. (RRHF is a JOKE). It would be bizarre if Miami WEREN'T despised. And this isn't going to change.

[JonLP24]

21. I don't know about supposed to

I will agree they were considered a top Western team but the West has always been deep this last decade. I recall they were the first and only 8 seed to get 50 wins. Which bring me back to a point I made they may not even win one because winning it all in the NBA is very difficult to do. I'm also not into making predictions as to what rounds they will fall into in the playoffs. Just saying I think they will be contenders.

What I was saying is I wish Phoenix pulled a move like this. But unfortunately they didn't have the cap room. I'm glad they signed Josh Childress and I'm glad they are trying to lure Turkoglu(Didn't look the name up) to Phoenix.

[Yavin4]

30. Without Interior Defense and Rebounding, They Aint Winning Shit

Right now, the big men of the Celts and Magic have free access to the boards when they play the Heat.

[HuckleB]

28. Most true basketball fans in Phoenix are glad to see Stoudemire gone, however.

[JonLP24]

31. Not me

[backwoodsbob]

4. Heat-Lakers final

No idea who will win.will depend on how good those three ego's can mesh.

if all three play as good as a team as they have played individually they can't be stopped

[joeybee12]

5. Ah, the team the Celtics swept...I still think the Celtics are better...

...and I think the egos will doom the Heat, thank God.

[trumad]

10. Yeah the team the Celt's swept with just Wade....

quite a diff now ya think?

[joeybee12]

20. Yeah, a difference indeed..they now have 3 ball hogs...

...doubt they'll get past the first round next season.

[JonLP24]

22. Ball hogs?

Dwayne Wade and LeBron James have excellent assist statistics. I'm not sure about Bosh but that typically isn't his job to get assists. Just get in the post and try to get a good shot.

[joeybee12]

23. I'm using it in the general term since I haven't used it in a while...

...selfish players is probably more apt.

[taterguy]

7. All chefs, no dishwashers

Honestly, I haven't followed the Heat enough to know but behind every Superstar is a player willing to do the dirty work so the "Star" could stay clean. Jordan was great, but only when he had Horace Grant or Dennis Rodman doing the dirty work. Jordan didn't win shit when he didn't have one of those two. Without them he'd be another George Gervin: A flashy player that was perceived as not really being a winner.

A select few can be both, ie, Tim Duncan, Olajuwon and of course Bill Russell, which is why Russell has more rings than anyone ever will. One of the most impressive, under-appreciated and unbreakable records in sports.

[wilt the stilt]

8. actually the guy who did the dirty work

for the Celtics was Bailey Howell otherwise know as Mr. garbage.

[trumad]

11. They'll have plenty of dishwashers and have already signed a few.

[TZ]

14. Yeah, like some wizards player!

Thats a team just DRIPPING with talent.

[trumad]

15. Your credibility is pretty much shot with this...

Let's see--- Pat Riley or some shrill internet poster named TZ?

[TZ]

16. Umm

So tell me what record the Wizards had last year? Even with Gilbert Arenas, they weren't that good. LOL. If Pat Riley is such a genius why has Miami had loseing records for years after Shaq left? With Mr. Wade who I concede is one of the best players in the league?LOL- He reminds me a lot of Vinny Cerrato- NO FEEL for chemistry but every now and then again he gets a good team out of luck. Good luck with actually winning anything.
You have proven over and over that outside of Miami you have no clue about whats going on. And especially seem to be ignorant about DC sports. Want to tell me again how the Nats are "the laughing stock" when almost every expert thinks within the next year or two they will be competing?
Edit: If he was a good GM, he would actually have gotten ex-Wizard Steve Blake, whom LA grabbed up instead. I'd bet real money Blake performs much better for LA, than this loser from the Wizards for Miami

[trumad]

17. What the fuck are you talking about?

You're really fucking incoherent.... I could give a rats ass about the Wizards and how much they suck. Riley steals a 3 point shooter from them and you spout this as proof that Riley doesn't know what he's doing.....just a fucking really stupid statement.

You puff your chest out claiming I don't know shit about anything outside Miami and then make a statement like this: "If Pat Riley is such a genius why has Miami had loseing records for years after Shaq left"?

See the fact is... you don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

The Heat were 46-35 in 2010 and made the playoffs.

Here's their record for the last several years...

Again---if you're going to go all high and mighty about your errr superior sports knowledge---you might want to Google before you do.

[insanity]

18. Eastern Conference teams and their records=useless

Also, get off your high horse and open your fucking eyes, what 'the big three' did is not good for the game of basketball at all.

[trumad]

19. High horse---LOL

A fucking Blazer fan talking smack.

That's funny.

[Yavin4]

24. The Orlando Magic Should Be The Best Team in the NBA

They just don't play like it enough on a consistent basis. The most intense guy on your team cannot be your coach.

[wilt the stilt]

25. Van Gundy- Brockport

Wilt the Stilt(me)- Brockport.
I was just a couple of years ahead of him. I am rather fond of Brockprt alumni. It was not uncommon for us to play with the Bball team in the summer in pickup games.

[Yavin4]

26. Without Van Gundy

The Magic would be the 7th or 8th seed in the East.

[HuckleB]

27. It all comes down to which team is healthy.

LA has only improved itself in the off season, so Miami is no sure thing. Further, young teams may put a wrinkle in things. Oklahoma, or even Portland, if it gets healthy, could make this whole off season drama meaningless.

[trumad]

29. Of course Miami is no sure things...

but I would say they're just as young as any team in the league.

[hughee99]

32. I'm still curious to see how they'll all work together with only on ball on the court,

I think they'll have home court in the Eastern conference in the playoffs. I wouldn't be surprised to see them fail in the Eastern conference finals to Orlando, Chicago or Boston, though.