nixluva wrote:The Keys to beating the Heat are #1 play great defense! The Knicks simply have to put pressure on the Heat and they are more than capable of doing that as we've seen this Knicks team defend that team well in several games.

#2 Ball and Player movement has to be executed.

#3 JR has to be aggressive but also smart. The Heat don't leave the paint open as they always are a step away from getting back to the paint area on any penetration. You can't put your head down and just force your way to the basket. You have to attack and look for passes to open teammates or be ready to pull up for floaters and midrange jumpers.

playa2 wrote:The worst thing Spoelstra could have done was let his stars watch Melo destroy the heat almost single handedly.

Lebron was already heard asking Melo to respect him while he was shooting free throws like he was intimidated by him, when Melo dissed him during the game.

Miami has no answer for the knicks when the Knicks play as a team.

Even the guys on TNT say the knicks are a dangerous veteran team come playoff time when they move the ball.

MJ Bulls won because you can't defend and win against the best player and the refs even when hand checking was allowed. The momentum calls were crucial in those series in the 90's.

Miami always plays D 24x7 even in defeat.

I am a knick fan but this team wont beat HEAT 4 of 7 in any shootout
& of course Ny if they move ball around for few quarters will make it
tough but dont discard Heat play of other knicks.

Aside from Miami injuries NY isnt ready yet but will make it interesting

Playoffs different story dont get fooled by ..these matchups

Ny must use size & spread offense & defending to win 4 of 7
they wont do that this year

Nalod wrote:

VCoug wrote:

K22 wrote:Isn't this basically how Detroit stomped the Lakers into the ground in '04? Letting Shaq do whatever he wanted, locking up Kobe and daring the other guys to beat them?

The question there is did Detroit do that to Kobe or did Kobe do that to Kobe? Shaq and Kobe's relationship was completely toxic at that point; they both hated each other. Kobe tried to prove to everyone that he didn't need Shaq to win and ended up having a horrifically bad Finals performance. That Game 5 was the last game Kobe and Shaq ever played together outside of the AllStar game; Kobe forced LA to trade Shaq in the offseason.

Also, it should be mentioned that the champion Pistons were a much, much better defensive squad than we are.

Shaq was a free agent and Lakes didn't want to give him a big contract as he would be soon becoming "The Big Decline". He still had two good years left in him but with that in mind, and his toxic existence with Kobe it all added up to do a sign and trade to get something.

Perhaps Kupchek was reminded of Ewings ungracefull decline and exit.

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/Search/SearchResults.php?Player=Shaquille&Team=&BeginDate=&EndDate=&PlayerMovementChkBx=yes&submit=Search

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1839693

Sorry, you're mistaken. Shaq had two years left on his deal when he was traded. The ESPN article does state that Shaq requested the trade not Kobe though it was still because the two of them hated each other.

DJMUSIC wrote:

playa2 wrote:The worst thing Spoelstra could have done was let his stars watch Melo destroy the heat almost single handedly.

Lebron was already heard asking Melo to respect him while he was shooting free throws like he was intimidated by him, when Melo dissed him during the game.

Miami has no answer for the knicks when the Knicks play as a team.

Even the guys on TNT say the knicks are a dangerous veteran team come playoff time when they move the ball.

MJ Bulls won because you can't defend and win against the best player and the refs even when hand checking was allowed. The momentum calls were crucial in those series in the 90's.

You wont win NBA titles with your main guy Melo scoring bunched points
& no defending or key rebounds occurs.

Miami always plays D 24x7 even in defeat.

I am a knick fan but this team wont beat HEAT 4 of 7 in any shootout
& of course Ny if they move ball around for few quarters will make it
tough but dont discard Heat play of other knicks.

Aside from Miami injuries NY isnt ready yet but will make it interesting

Playoffs different story dont get fooled by ..these matchups

Ny must use size & spread offense & defending to win 4 of 7
they wont do that this year

If you noticed in all 4 games the knicks played against Miami, they dictated the tempo and only one of the games they gave away at the end with poor execution.

With KMART into the mix, the Knicks have a different identity, the toughness is present reminiscent of the 90's Knicks something true Knicks fans can appreciate.

Miami has Lebron and Wade, Melo can offset Lebron in scoring and Shumpert can get in Wades head . that leaves J.R Smith and Bosh to make the difference.

smackeddog wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:JR Smith is the key of the Knicks chances vs Miami, not Melo ISO.

Problem is JR usually shoots really badly against the Heat- he didn't do much in the playoffs last year, and this season he's shooting about 28% FG against them. Don't know if we can rely on him against the Heat. However maybe Felton can pick up the load.

I agree that we shouldn't fall into the Heat trap of going iso-Melo. That is absolutely their strategy- I remember Wade kept encouraging Melo to shoot in one of the earlier games against them.

Exactly. We don't even need a great JR, just like 40% shooting JR, along with the other things he's been doing. Felton can definitely pick up some of the slack if his play during this 10 game win streak is any indication.