JVG thinks the Heat will be the greatest team EVER

Fixed...

 

Apparently Jeff thinks Morey's 35 win prediction was as idiotic as I did. The Heat, by virtue oof playing in a guard-oriented league where you cannot touch an offensive wing, will be a juggernaut. Once you realize that two of the 3 most dominant perimeter players in the league have just teamed with a floor stretching 4 AND 5, it becomes clear that 70 wins is definitely in the crosshairs.

There is one way to beat this team and that is via the paint, with an offensively and defensively dominant HEALTHY big man (or big men, if you're lucky). Unfortunately, outside of Dwight Howard, there aren't many of those around (our resident center cannot be considered until he proves himself to be durable). Therefore, the regular season will be a Miami Heat and NBA-as-a-business promotional love fest, where ratings and hatred for the Miami FT Legends blasts through the roof. Come playoff time, though, when they have to face Orlando or Boston - teams with legitimate, TRUE big men to sodomize them in the paint - they'll have their first real test. It'll also be where they exit the playoffs, since slowing the game to a halfcourt battle with true bigs forces Wade and Bron to their proverbial Achilles - shooting long range in a halfcourt setting under pressure. While either CAN get hot, they're better served running or penetrating...as are most players.

Until then, just sit back and enjoy. They be tremendously fun to watch. It'll almost be as fun as watching DD waffle on his "chemistry" claims. For the record, these guys will NOT have chemistry concerns. LeBron will be MORE than happy to be the Magic Johnson to Wade's Byron-Scott-on-Clemens-esque-talent-roids while Bosh destroys single coverages, just as Big Game James did. I mean, the only thing that prevents them from emulating that team (besides Cappy, aka Kareem, in the middle being a real big man...which, as previously mentioned, I believe will hinder this team), is a link to that team...someone who understood the on court and locker room dynamics of such a team. Oh wait, they have THE ARCHITECT...the man who actually was there coaching that team. Riley, and Showtime, are being reincarnated in South Beach. I just hope Dwight or Yao or anyone occupying the paint has a little Ralph or Hakeem in them...

 

Saying these 3 had played well together is a stretch. In Olympics their main weapon was full court press and fastbreak. Most teams were inferior and it's just easy. Team Spain however, had NBA quality backcourt and had no trouble move the ball up the court. Team USA couldn't figure out the zone defense. And it's a tightly contested game. Down the stretch, they put the ball in Kobe's hand and Kobe hit some contested shot from 16 ft beyond. They won, but it's safe to say they didn't run offense well.

IMHO, they're going to be a very good team in regular season. Simple ISO and P&R works well in regular season, I won't be surprised if they win 60+. In playoff however, teams will push them to their weakest spots. Wade is bad from long distance, LeBron is bad from mid-range. Neither is good at C&S. Also Bosh is not a post player. If they are taking turns ISO in perimeter, a zone defense can be very effective. It all depends on how tight refs call the illegal defense and handcheck. If it's like 2006 finals, yes, they can win it all easily. If refs let them play and be physical, they may not be able to win it on offense side. They'll lose rebounding game and a legitimate post player can pound them from inside.

Not saying they're a bad team. They are almost guaranteed to win some rings down the road given their age and the team's capability to get some quality FA via MLE in offseason. But I don't think they are the favorite this year. Both Lakers and Celtics are more balanced at this point.

 

What legitimate, true big men does Boston have? Do you think it's going to be the two washed-up O'Neals or the gimpy Perkins that dominates Miami inside?

 

(HUGE CAVEAT) If healthy, (/HUGE CAVEAT) those three are enough to shut down the paint in a series versus Miami.

Portland, especially if Oden stops impersonating Bowie/Yao/Walton, will be an interesting regular season foe, as well. They'd have a big to patrol the paint (after those internet pics, would you post up Oden? Maybe Richard Jefferson would, or Amaechi, or Zeke, but that's probably it), and an Aldridge to challenge Bosh. I do have concerns about their perimeter capabilities, though.

 

How many people outside of the US were rooting for the '92 Dream Team?

 

Considering the fact that Michael Jordan was loved by basketball fans around the world, probably a lot.

 

If healthy, those guys can clog the paint. But they're not going to be dominating like Dwight Howard would. Shaq is a horrible defender and no longer a consistent dominating force on offense. Jermaine O'Neal and Perkins are both guys you don't have to worry about on offense. Your previous statement that they would be "sodomizing" the Heat was ridiculous.

 

Miami will be good, but they're obviously not going to dominate to that extent. And the Lakers are still the 2-time champion, and they're still our biggest rival (IMO), and their fans are still the most obnoxious (again, IMO).

 

I think they win 60ish games......

But not 70.....they will be a great team, but not a dominant one...at least not the first year.

DD

 

Everybody, that's why they were signing autographs to the opposing team before the game.

 

JVG is a straight talker. He doesn't say things just for the sake of it. He usually says what he thinks. That's why so many people, myself included, love him as a commentator.

But if you want an objectively accurate view on things, he might not be the first to consider. I think he is a bit too strongly opinionated to be accurate in evaluating things.

 

I'd ask Jack Nicholson to sign autograph. That doesn't mean I root for the Lakers. I think TheFreak has a point. Most people want to see the overwhelming favorite to lose. You can call it the Goliath effect.

 

Hyperbolic, sure. Ridiculous? No. You said it yourself that they can clog the paint, but be left alone on offense. I tend to think that is all that is necessary to beat the Heat. You beat the Heat with meat (don't invert that statement, please. It's already a sticky subject.).

I don't think Boston needs to rely on Perk, JO, or the Shaqrechaun offensively. Their job, particularly against Miami, will be to clog the paint defensively, rebound, and beat the squash outta Bosh. If they can get a few posts and opportunity buckets, it's smooth sailing. The effect of clogging the paint, though, and rendering the Heatmisers into Heat Checkers, is more than enough sugar in their gas tank.

 

In what Chemistry class is 60+ wins, in your first season together, not an A+?

Also, that win total in the East gets a #1 or #2 seed. I don't see any 7s or 8s knocking out Miami...that is unless Orlando or Boston has some unforeseen, season altering, Rocket-esque rash of injuries.

 

That's not really a useful analogy, given the fact that Jack Nicholson doesn't play for the Lakers.

 

What do you think their final stat lines are going to read by the end of the year because the current ones are when they are the go-to guys for the past teams. enlighten me

 

lebron: 23ppg, 10rpg, 9-11apg

wade: 25ppg, 4rpg, 5apg

bosh: 21ppg, 13rpg, 2bpg

 

JVG likely is correct. This is not just a 3-man show, and their low post players are plenty stout.

PG Wade / Chalmers / Arroyo
SG Miller / House
SF James / Jones
PF Bosh / Haslem / Howard
C Magloire / Ilgauskas / Pittman

The Lakers have a chance IF Artest can slow down James, Gasol/Bynum/Odom dominate the boards, and Kobe lights up the scoreboard.

 

I mentioned Nicholson just for the effect. :grin:


Let me try again.
I'd ask Kobe to sign autograph. That doesn't mean I root for the Lakers.
I'd ask Deron Williams to sign autograph. That doesn't mean I root for the Jazz.
I'd ask Duncan to sign autograph. That doesn't mean I root for the Spurs.
etc...