**Official Heat vs. Pistons Eastern Conference Championship Thread.**

[Ianco15]

The Miami Heat are the new Los Angeles Lakers. Even with a healthy Shaq the Pistons win the series. Because Shaq is hurt, Pistons win in 5.

[Badboyy]

yes sir you are correct

[[censored]]

[ QUOTE ]
The Miami Heat are the new Los Angeles Lakers. Even with a healthy Shaq the Pistons win the series. Because Shaq is hurt, Pistons win in 5.

[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps, but a few things are different. #1 this Heat team unlike the Kobies (Lakers) knows it needs to get the ball to the big man and work off of him. You won't have Kobe taking 10-15 horrible and forced shots everygame, preventing the the other players from getting in a groove.

#2 This heat team is much more athletic than the lakers and will not be as easily out hustled.

#3 With Alonzo Mourning the Heat have a legitimate threat when Shaq in not in the game.

Still I think the Pistons are the favorite going in and willw win just not in a walk like you seem to think.

[holeplug]

I don't think many people realize just how bad that Lakers team that faced the Pistons last year in the finals was.

[cab4656]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think many people realize just how bad that Lakers team that faced the Pistons last year in the finals was.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, they sucked. They just got lucky for three seven-game series.

Pistons in 6, but I think Pistons in 5 is almost as likely. Miami's supporting cast is going to be completely shut down, and Wade and an injured Shaq can't beat the champs by themselves. If Shaq were 100%, I think Pistons in 6 or 7 would be the pick.

[Joe826]

wow, does everyone think the pistons will win? i picked the heat in 6 /images/graemlins/blush.gif. shaq is going to play, right?

[istewart]

If Shaq is at his best I really don't think it's close.

But Shaq will clearly not be close to optimum. However I hate the Pistons with a [censored] passion so I am just rooting for a series at this point.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I am picking the heat.

[Terrabon98]

Pistons in 5...but im a bit biased

[Ianco15]

Last years Lakers with Shaq, Kobe, Malone, Payton and Derrek Fischer was an awesome line up. I think that that team matches up in talent pretty closely to the Heat with Shaq, Wade, Mourning, Damon Jones and Eddie Jones.

The Heat are very athletic but lets not forget that the Lakers were also very good last year. In the playoffs the Lakers destroyed the west at will. Almost everyone picked the Lakers to beat the Pistons last year in the finals; many predicted a sweep. The Pistons matched up very well against the Lakers last year, as I feel they do against the Heat this year. The most important match up will be Tayshaun Prince vs. Dwane Wade. Tayshaun smothered Kobe in the finals last year and I think he can do a great job against Wade this year. If Prince can stop Wade even half as well as he stoped Kobe the Heat are doomed.

[Terrabon98]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think many people realize just how bad that Lakers team that faced the Pistons last year in the finals was.

[/ QUOTE ]


that seems to be the general opinion from people who don't wanna give the Pistons the credit they deserved...the Lakers sucked, but were good enough to weed out all the "best" teams in the West, but their true poor skills showed when the Pistons beat them...right

[istewart]

.04 seconds /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[istewart]

The Pistons were solid, but a lot of that Finals was just the demise of the Lakers dynasty, epitomized in one series.

And the Malone/Payton additions were extremely disappointing in the end IMHO.

[ggbman]

The pacers just went 6 with the pistons, so it's a coin flip with the heat IMO, this is by no means the pistons series to lose.

[Badboyy]

[ QUOTE ]
If Shaq is at his best I really don't think it's close.

But Shaq will clearly not be close to optimum. However I hate the Pistons with a [censored] passion so I am just rooting for a series at this point.

[/ QUOTE ]

why ? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[DBowling]

[ QUOTE ]
Last years Lakers with Shaq, Kobe, Malone, Payton and Derrek Fischer was an awesome line up.

---------------
The Heat are very athletic but lets not forget that the Lakers were also very good last year. In the playoffs the Lakers destroyed the west at will.

[/ QUOTE ]

did you even watch the playoffs last year?

[Ianco15]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Last years Lakers with Shaq, Kobe, Malone, Payton and Derrek Fischer was an awesome line up.

---------------
The Heat are very athletic but lets not forget that the Lakers were also very good last year. In the playoffs the Lakers destroyed the west at will.

[/ QUOTE ]

did you even watch the playoffs last year?

[/ QUOTE ]

I did watch the playoffs. The Lakers turned it on at will and destroyed the west. Until they played the Pistons they looked unstopable. The only games where they were weak was the first two games of the Spurs series. After those games the Lakers turned it on and won the next 4 against the Spurs.

If the playoffs ended after the Conference Championship round the Lakers would have been considered by far the best team last year.

[DBowling]

The miami heat are much better than the lakers that the pistons faced last year.

edit: assuming shaq is healthy

[Ianco15]

[ QUOTE ]
The miami heat are much better than the lakers that the pistons faced last year.

edit: assuming shaq is healthy

[/ QUOTE ]
Not much better. Either way, Miami's season ends in 5 games.

[holeplug]

I guess I'll bump this since the game is tonight. I think this series will be closer than alot of people think *if* Shaq is healthy. Thats why it is so hard to gauge this series since it all comes down the how healed his bruised thigh is. If he can give the Heat 20/10 a night I think Miami will win in 7. Detriot almost literally has no bench since McDyess is their only guy that averages decent minutes while Hamilton and Prince are averaging over 43 min in the 11 games they have played.

If Shaq sucks though then Det. will just destroy Miami in 5 or 6 games since their defensive pressure will be too difficult for Miami to handle.

[Sephus]

detroit in 6 or miami in 7.

[thatpfunk]

Limb: Heat in 5.

Anyone give me good odds?

[Sephus]

no but ill bet this is one of the worst pregame shows ever.