*FAN SUBMISSION by Jack Bolesta of College Park, MD. Follow on Twitter @JackBolesta.*
Though the Miami Heat’s win streak was broken, as they did not break the 1971-72 Los Angeles Laker’s 33-game win streak, LeBron James has re-ignited the flame again for the Heat, even with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade on the beach. The Heat recently beat the Philadelphia 76ers 106-87. The Heat went to outscore the 76ers 29-11 in the fourth; a 27-point performance from LeBron James that was near flawless.
With just one-third on their superstars, the Heat seems to not miss a beat. Is this something we should expect to see come the playoffs from LeBron James and his two fellow superstar teammates, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh?
The Miami Heat has clinched the Eastern Conference and the number 1-seed to go with it. With the possibility of facing the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, many people are wondering what team will be able to cause the Heat trouble in the playoffs.
With a regular season record of 37-39, the Milwaukee Bucks are the only team who could enter the playoffs with a losing record. With that in mind, along with their struggles to stay consistent, it is hard to imagine that they would be able to knock off the Miami Heat, much less cause them trouble. If the Heat can lock up the Buck’s sharp shooters, the Heat will sweep the Bucks in the first round.
Currently the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference is the Boston Celtics; they are set to go head-to-head with the New York Knicks in round one. If the Celtics beat the Knicks or manage to fall to the 8th seed before the start of the playoffs, their seeding will not matter at all when they face the talents of South Beach. Though the Celtics lost Ray Allen to the Heat, the games between Boston and Miami have been physical match-ups that usually come down to the wire.
After losing their 3-2 lead and the Eastern Conference Finals series to the Heat last year, KG and the Boston Celtics should have nothing but revenge on their mind if they were to face the Miami Heat. This could be what pushes them to another 7-game series in a possible match up. To beat the Heat, the Celtics will need superstar performance from their starters every minute of every game.
What about the New York Knicks? The Heat should worry about Carmelo’s jump shot that seems to be falling non-stop, and that’s about it. The Knicks seem to be missing a piece of the puzzle, but nobody seems to know what that piece actually is. Though they are currently the second seed in the Eastern Conference, I think the Knicks season will end shorter than Carmelo and Knick fans anticipate. I do not see the Knicks being a playoff threat, until they re-organize their roster and put other players around Melo.
Courtesy: Washington Post
A real threat to ending the Heat’s season early is the Indiana Pacers; they should not overlook Indiana, as many NBA spectators do. Last year the Pacers almost sent the Heat home packing with a 2-1 lead before losing three games straight and are currently the NBA’s best rebounding and defensive team. Both will play a major role in slowing down the Heat’s transition game, something no team has done all season. If these two teams match up during the playoffs, the success on the road will determine who takes the series.
The Chicago Bulls can scare the Heat’s chances at returning to the NBA finals for a third consecutive time. On March 27, 2013, the Chicago Bulls defended the Miami Heat and snapped their 27 game winning streak; all without Rip Hamilton, Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose. That win is what could spark the belief come playoff time. If Rose does return come playoffs it would be the key for Chicago but he Bulls have already proven they can play with the “top dogs,” while their superstar remains sidelined.
Though the Heat is the returning Champions, it does not mean they have an easy road to get back to the NBA Finals. After winning the title during a lockout season, many fans and critics do not want to give the Miami Heat credit. This year’s playoffs will be LeBron James and company’s biggest challenge yet.
