Is the Heat still the team to beat?

RunningJumper

Super Moderator
I'm not just wondering this because the Knicks decisively beat the Heat in all of the games this season so far, and I'm not just wondering this because the 2-13 Wizards beat them. Those don't make the Heat look like a force to be reckoned with for the Knicks, but it's still early in the season so I'm not gonna say those are the only reasons.

Last post-season Rose got injured, so the Heat faced the Sixers, who gave them a tough time anyway. The Pacers' depth gave them trouble. The Celtics weren't far from beating them. And the Thunder were young and inexperienced.

This is not to say the Heat weren't good, but Wade wasn't that good in the post-season, and the only game I remember their best player DOMINATING was that one game against the Celtics, game six I think. LeBron seemed all he had to do was be solid against the Thunder, instead of needing to be amazing. That's not to say he WOULDN'T have been amazing if he had to, but I wasn't impressed with his play as far as Finals performances go.

Wade also isn't the same. He's older, but maybe he just has to get healthier.

I see the Thunder being a tougher match-up for the Knicks.

What do you think?
 
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Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
The champs are always the team to beat. And look at the collective experience. On top of that, they've got nagging injuries all throughout their lineup: Chalmers, Battier, Wade, in particular are not at 100%.

It's early days and they're still the 2 seed regardless of anything. There'll be article after article about whether they need to trade, the fact that they have no interior D - as exposed by the Knicks last night - and so on, but the fact remains that Miami are still a super team, and they still have the best player on the planet.

Only injuries will stop them, but that's standard for any and all elite teams in both conferences. They're absolutely the team to beat until their season is over.
 

smokes

Huge Member
The Knicks just match up extremely well with the Heat. Not sure who is the better team overall but versus each other I think we counter them well, and I'm pretty sure that's what the front office was going for.

Teams like OKC, Memphis, healthy Chicago and the Nets (on paper) are scary because their extremely talented and deep front courts dwarf ours and inside out game is especially potent in a 7 game series.
 

petescud

Starter
I still feel the toughest team to beat is OKC ... Heat did it last year but i think this year OKC would win against the Heat. I'm interested in seeing where we are when we play them, as it could be this years Finals
 

knicksince 93

Rotation player
They are the team to beat and guess what, we beat them. We are the best team in the league. If our players we ranked 1-15 I'd put stat and shump at 2 and 3 respectively and we are dominating the league without them. I really don't like the term defending champs in sports it makes no sense. They are the 2011-2012 champs and if they don't win it all this year they will still be that years champ. there is no defending champ for this season, there are favorites but u can't defend something u don't have. This isn't wrestling in which u actually defend and lose titles, its basketball and they are not the champs of this season.

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deamon

Benchwarmer
It's not even 20 games of the season. Too early to saying things like that. Let's wait till April, to say Heat are or aren't to beat, or at least till ASG. Knicks players (Felton, Smith, Kidd talked about it) have more humility than some of their fans.
We don't know Stat back will make us better or will destroy our chemistry. So saying we aren't playing at 100% too, it isn't right.
 

knicksince 93

Rotation player
We are missing our second best player and third we certainly not 100 percent. Whether we are better or not remains to be seen but we aren't 100 percent and thats a fact

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KingCharles34

All Star
I dont think it matters that the Heat haven't been at 100%...We're more crippled then they are and its not like Wades gonna get any better at this point. He never had great skills, he had good skills and great athleticism. Now he just has good skills and good athleticism. Hes slowed down just enough where some of the other guards can stay with him on defense now and more easily contest his shots.

At the end of the day i think we can slow down everybody on the Heat except Lebron but its been proven that he cant win it by himself. No player has ever been able to. We're a huge matchup problem for them and they should definitely be concerned about us. With that being said the Heat are still a great team and an elite team...and the team to beat.
 

NYk_Reloaded718

★KNICKS-TAPE★
I would think their the team to beat, they are the defending champs after all.

Dont be fooled by records or where a team is siting in the standings

Miami and Boston are both two teams who can easily turn their gears to a different level in the playoffs... especially if fully healthy.
 

Starks

Starter
As Crazy said, the champs are always the team to beat. Great teams have a way of turning it on when needed and as long as Bron is on the court, they could alter a game at a moments notice. I do suspect that the Heat haven't taken us seriously though. The first game of season seemed like an aberration. As for the second game, I do think that weren't prepared. They don't see, as hungry as last year and they probably didn't expect us to be that much of a force without Melo. It was as if they kept thinking they could just squash us at some point later but the shooting was an absolute shelling. Lets see what happens the rest of the year.
 

knicksince 93

Rotation player
I would think their the team to beat, they are the defending champs after all.

Dont be fooled by records or where a team is siting in the standings

Miami and Boston are both two teams who can easily turn their gears to a different level in the playoffs... especially if fully healthy.

So the title they're defending is the 2011 2012 championship correct? Which means whoever whens the championship is the new 2011 2012 champion correct? Because after all that is what they're defending. That term is used so much out of context on sports its unreal, u can't defend something you don't have and thats the 2012 2013 championship. How are they defending something that they don't even need to be beaten to attain? They may be the favorites to win it all but they aren't defending anything. When a new champ is crowned they will still be the 2011,2012 champs. In order to defend something you have to be able to lose it in which they will never lose that championship

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bigapple

Starter
its much harder do defend own title than earn title everyone is look on you how u defend that.

motivation is not same Wade already have 2 there is very few players that have more than one title in this league right now and middle age.


Knicks have serveral player with big playoff exp such as Kidd Chandler Melo Thomas Stat JR Camby and Brewer.

if knicks will be playing like that there are big chances for 50+ win and eastern finals but its too early for such talks.
 

Kidd Karma

Benchwarmer
Is Melo's top 7-8 (Melo, Amare, Tyson, Felton, Brewer, Kidd, Smith, Sheed, Novak versus, James, Battier, Bosh, Chalmers, Wade, Allen, Lewis, Cole, Miller) supporting cast able to carry us to the 4th quarters in late May and June? will Melo have enough gas in the tank the final 5 minutes? Harden couldnt' answer the call last summer. Right now Allen, Lewis are wildcards, they won't run the 82 games, so the record maybe a mirage, plus the Heat were down 2-1 to Indy and James willed them to a win, if the Chips are down, can Melo put up an epic performance? I don't need to see 40, when we win by 20.

We got JR and Felton, will they disappear in the playoffs? They have to come up big for us offensively, defense will be there, it's the offensive support around Melo that needs to show up consistently in the playoffs. Our depth is helping us grab headlines and wins right now, but once the benches shorten for the playoffs, is our top handful of guys enough to get it done? I think the key lies with Amare right now. If he provides bench support, we should be in good shape to take down the Heat.
 

petescud

Starter
yeah, Heat, Spurs, OKC, Grizz...quite a few quality teams this year. Should be more exciting then years past
 
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