** NBA Conference Finals **

[Hornacek]

Frankly I'm surprised by the Heat love. Is this a sexy underdog pick, or are people jumping onto the bandwagon that quickly? The Heat just don't match up well with the Pistons, period. They (and Shaq) have a pretty poor record the last few years vs the 'Stones.

[holeplug]

[ QUOTE ]
Frankly I'm surprised by the Heat love. Is this a sexy underdog pick, or are people jumping onto the bandwagon that quickly? The Heat just don't match up well with the Pistons, period. They (and Shaq) have a pretty poor record the last few years vs the 'Stones.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't like their roster as much this year but both Shaq and Wade are healthy. Last year Shaq was playing on 1 leg and Wade got hurt in game 5 and Miami still almost won the series.

[Gunny Highway]

[ QUOTE ]
Frankly I'm surprised by the Heat love. Is this a sexy underdog pick, or are people jumping onto the bandwagon that quickly? The Heat just don't match up well with the Pistons, period. They (and Shaq) have a pretty poor record the last few years vs the 'Stones.

[/ QUOTE ]

The Heat are healthy and finally playing well. The Pistons peaked too early. I wouldn't put money on this either way.

[MacGuyV]

[ QUOTE ]
Frankly I'm surprised by the Heat love. Is this a sexy underdog pick, or are people jumping onto the bandwagon that quickly? The Heat just don't match up well with the Pistons, period. They (and Shaq) have a pretty poor record the last few years vs the 'Stones.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would've thought the same thing a couple of weeks ago, but as of today based on recent games I think there are some legitimate reasons to like the Heat.

IMO there is more to it than "Detroit played a better team last round". Prior to the last round what evidence was there to indicate that New Jersey wasn't a better team than Cleveland? I mean, the Cavs were pretty lucky to beat the Wizards from what I saw.

[teamdonkey]

[ QUOTE ]
Frankly I'm surprised by the Heat love. Is this a sexy underdog pick, or are people jumping onto the bandwagon that quickly? The Heat just don't match up well with the Pistons, period. They (and Shaq) have a pretty poor record the last few years vs the 'Stones.

[/ QUOTE ]

it's no secret, they've been playing badly. if they keep playing badly they're gonna lose. even if they don't, they might lose. This isn't the same Heat team as last year? It isn't the same Pistons team either.

Pistons in 7, Mavs in 6

[Bulldog]

[ QUOTE ]
Frankly I'm surprised by the Heat love. Is this a sexy underdog pick, or are people jumping onto the bandwagon that quickly? The Heat just don't match up well with the Pistons, period. They (and Shaq) have a pretty poor record the last few years vs the 'Stones.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, these matchups are killing Miami. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[tuq]

[ QUOTE ]
Pistons and Mavericks in 6.

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This were my choices as well. I think the responses thus far are way overvaluing the Heat (agreed with whoever said they were better last year) and I do think the Suns can take more than one game in the other series.

[Hack]

I like the Heat in 7 and Dallas in 6.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
The Suns averaged 10+ more assists than Dallas in those games.


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This doesn't mean a whole lot since Dallas was second to last in the NBA in assists and second to last in the playoffs as well, this is b/c they run so many isolation plays b/c of their skill guys that they just don't tally the assists that a run and gun team (headed by a guy like Nash) like PHO will. It is kind of a trivial stat b/c those isolation plays are Dallas' bread and butter. This stat is meaningless.

[Ryan Beal]

[ QUOTE ]
This stat is meaningless.

[/ QUOTE ]

That team stat was the only one that stood out besides the PPG. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] I never implied that it means anything.