Miami Heat Are By Far The Most Talented Team In the League

[tpols]

They have Lebron, thats what give them the edge over Lakers and OKC. But Lakers have 4 top 20 players and 2 of them are top 5 as well. Miami's problem is that they have absolutely NOTHING at the 5 position. They've totally neglected the most important position while the other teams have not.

But they have a play style that makes it ok. All time great perimeter D plus all time great playmakers scorers and shooters plus a lethal fast break to compliment their defense.. They counter size with speed absolutely perfectly.

[NumberSix]

Jorts = automatic chip

[lilgodfather1]

The Lakers on paper would look to be a better team from 2-6, but the Heat's 1 is so much better than anyone on the Lakers it almost nullifies the difference.

[Money 23]

The Lakers on paper would look to be a better team from 2-6, but the Heat's 1 is so much better than anyone on the Lakers it almost nullifies the difference.

Yup. So it comes down to the will of that number 1 ...

[lakerspng]

The Lakers on paper would look to be a better team from 2-6, but the Heat's 1 is so much better than anyone on the Lakers it almost nullifies the difference.

wow, when did Lebron reach such a pedestal? He's better than anyone else in the league but not by that much. Even last year he was outplayed in several games, including by kobe in their matchup at Staples when they got their butt handed to them.

[IGOTGAME]

wow, when did Lebron reach such a pedestal? He's better than anyone else in the league but not by that much. Even last year he was outplayed in several games, including by kobe in their matchup at Staples when they got their butt handed to them.

nah, Lebron is a good deal better than everyone else right now unless he chokes. He has a propensity to get nervous so that is always a possibility. But if plays up to his skill level than the Heat should win.

Oh, and the Eastern Conference is horrible. Heat only have to play one real series in the Finals. Western Conference teams are gonna have to go through battles. I mean OKC, LAL, Memphis, LAC, Spurs.....thats 5 teams more dangerous than the second best team in the East.

[Money 23]

nah, Lebron is a good deal better than everyone else right now unless he chokes. He has a propensity to get nervous so that is always a possibility. But if plays up to his skill level than the Heat should win.

This is truth.

[Da_Realist]

Size, size, size. The Lakers are the wrong type of team for the Heat. IF (big, bold, capital letters) the Lakers can figure out how to best use everyone, they will win.

I think Dwight Howard is a clown but the Lakers winning culture (not to mention, Kobe's will) may push him to take the game more seriously. If he can work within the fabric of the team on offense and spend most of his focus on defense/rebounding...I don't think the Heat can match up. The Thunder are basically a jump shooting team that's either too slow (Perkins) or too thin (Ibaka) to bang with Howard down low.

Now you got Kobe and Artest out on the perimeter knowing they got somebody back there to clean up any mistakes. Now Gasol can let Howard bang the other team's enforcer. Everything shifts now. What's Garnett gonna do? He can't try to punk Gasol with Howard demanding his attention. Gasol can just sit at the elbow and knock down jump shots all game.

The Lakers keep winning titles because they keep restocking talented big guys. It's become a perimeter league, but the Lakers could take us back to the old days. They're going to force everyone else to get their weight up.

If this team reaches it's potential, wow. Howard wants to prove he's a winner. Kobe wants to prove he's still a winner. I'd be surprised if they didn't beat OKC and at least make the Finals. They should've beaten them last year.

[guy]

Ummm, Miami might be the most talented team, but they aren't BY FAR that, and the only reason they might be better is cause of Lebron. Thats a ridiculous thing to say.

[lilgodfather1]

wow, when did Lebron reach such a pedestal? He's better than anyone else in the league but not by that much. Even last year he was outplayed in several games, including by kobe in their matchup at Staples when they got their butt handed to them.

The gap is quite substantial at this point now that Kobe has slowed down a little. Three years ago the gap wasn't that big, two years ago it wasn't huge, but now it is pretty big. LeBron is more often than not the best player on the floor over the 82 (or 66...) game regular season, and might be bested 5 times during that span.

Basically as said I think it comes down to how much he wants to win, and if he plays like 2012 LeBron I don't think anyone has a chance against the Heat. If they get 2011 Wade then call it a series after game 1.

[rmt]

Question is who would defend LAL's frontline if they meet in the finals - Bosh and Anthony aren't going to cut it against DH and Pau.

BUT, and it's a big BUT, LA has to get past OKC first. They haven't addressed the problems against OKC - lack of speed and perimeter defense (guarding Durant/Westbrooke/Harden) while OKC still have Obaka and Perkins for DH and Pau. Match-ups are b***h, aren't they?

[Money 23]

Basically as said I think it comes down to how much he wants to win, and if he plays like 2012 LeBron I don't think anyone has a chance against the Heat. If they get 2011 Wade then call it a series after game 1.

It's not that simple, either.

2012 Wade's reduced numbers wasn't him just playing with injuries. Or the dumb ISH asinine assumptions of him "rapidly declining." Wade willingly gave the alpha status to LeBron for the greater good of the team, at his own statistics / game's expense.

Every team needs a hierarchy. In 2011 they were averaging roughly the same numbers, and they tried taking turns and it also damaged LeBron mentally ... being he was never used to at times not being "the guy" that everyone relied on. It hurt his confidence and visibly shook his game.

Wade was good in 2012, yea he had some bad games / series but so do alot of players. He wasn't an after thought. He produced well enough for them to win.

If he gets back to 2011 health, then yes ... that would help a great deal. But that doesn't need to be reflected in statistics.

I think the addition of Ray Allen covers the holes in Wade's game. You now have a guy you can pair with LeBron who doesn't need the ball in his hands, like Bron to do his thing. He can move off screens, catch and shoot, hit spot up jumpers.

You could even bring Wade off the bench as the most dynamic fire power, feasting on opposing team's second string defenders.

And in the process allows them both to play their natural games. Ball dominant, do everything players, who need their rhythm and ego stroked.

Plus, with a lineup of Chalmers, Allen, Battier, Bosh ... you space the floor so much for LeBron or Wade that one of those guys is the ultimate penetrator.

The reason LeBron had such difficulty penetrating in 2011 and still at times in 2012, is that when Wade and Bron are on the floor together, teams pack the paint and ask them to shoot jumpers. Surround either guy with shooters, and they can organically do what they do best on the floor.

[chips93]

people talking about rashard lewis? what is he gonna do that james jones couldnt do last year? and he never got on the court

[lilgodfather1]

Question is who would defend LAL's frontline if they meet in the finals - Bosh and Anthony aren't going to cut it against DH and Pau.

BUT, and it's a big BUT, LA has to get past OKC first. They haven't addressed the problems against OKC - lack of speed and perimeter defense (guarding Durant/Westbrooke/Harden) while OKC still have Obaka and Perkins for DH and Pau. Match-ups are b***h, aren't they?

I don't think you have to defender Dwight as much as you think you do. Wow that was a weird sentence to say, but I hope you get what I mean.

With Dwight Bosh is going to play C, meaning Dwight is going to get his points, but on the Heat's offensive possessions Dwight Howard has to guard Bosh all the way out to the three point line making the best part of Dwight's game all but useless (defense) against the slashing LeBron, and Wade.

IMO you let Dwight go off on Bosh, but on the other end LeBron, and Wade have a green light to go ham to the bucket.

[swi7ch]

Lakers would still beat them in a series.