Are you predicting a Pistons loss in this series?

Miami's bench is deeper than the Pistons and more seasoned. But I would like to see if Flip can incorporate the bench so as to relieve the starters for a spell. If the bench can hold serve while the starter's rest then I think they will win a hard fought series. I don't feel panicked at the thought of getting Hunter, Davis and Delk. Delfino/Evans may be enough for spot duty depending on the situation. Ideally it would have been nice having a Mike James behind Dice. I did mention that Joe fell short in this area IMO. Let's see what happens. Pistons need to just hold HCA.

Nope. I am the biggest I BELIEVE slappy.

I am just tired of people referencing the regular season for the Heat or Pistons. Teams get better. Teams get worse. Forget the (regular) season. We got last game, this game and next game to look at.

Walker is playing his best ball in years. Shaq is adjusting to how the refs call him. The Heat are rested so their biggest achilles heel of fatigue shouldn't be much of a factor.

I expect this will be a 6 or 7 game series. If the MVP Billups doesn't show up and continues his lukewarm play of the last round, it could get very interesting. Hence why I said the Pistons will have to play very well to win.

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Nov 13 LW Milan Lucic had an active night. He scored his first goal in eight games since his Oct. 25 hat trick and also pounded Michael Komisarek in a third-period fight. Lucic cut his hand in a fight with Michael Komisarek. "I'll be fine," he said. "(X-rays are) negative, but there's so many broken bones in there from before you can't really tell."

Agree. I think the boys will show up. Miami is a known rival and they won't take them lightly. Walker hitting his stride does bother me. Only saving grace is that he is a ball hog and sucks on defense. If he gets his shots someone other starter is not getting the ball.

Chauncey needs to show up and show up big. Period.

Toine didn't become good over night. Trust me. The length of our frontcourt will force him into even more bad/rushed shots. Frankly, I think we'll see Posey more than Toine. Posey is very dangerous from the three point line, but nothing else really. Wade will be Wade. Shaq will be Shaq. J Will is a key. Don't let him get hot from outside or it will open the entire game up.

Personally, I hope they throw a few different looks at Shaq. Foul him early and often. Then later in the game, let Ben just try to hold his ground as Shaq tires out. If I were coach I'd bring Dale Davis in the game VERY early, so that we don't have a guy guarding him that is scared to pick up fouls guarding him to start the game.

If the Refs call Shaq on those early offensive fouls as they did in the Nets series, the Heat are in for a tough ride.

Wow, I don't even know if I want to read any more posts by Micro. It is obvious to me and to everyone else who is a fan of this team that we are gonna have to play well to win the series. I undertstand that Miami has a slight edge on paper but playoff series are played on the court as we found out last round. Cleveland made a fantastic adjustment on the defensive end as far as containing our backcourt from going wild offensively. The was the difference as far as the Caveliers even being in the series as a far as I'm concered. Miami will not be able to neutralize our guards like Cleveland did, not even close. Living here in South Florida, all Miami Heat fans were hoping and praying that they did not have to face us again the conf. finals. Yes they are saying we are vulnerable now but all down here know that they will have to play their butts off to beat us especially because of the fact that we have homecourt in this series as oppose to last year. Detroit's offensse will flourish more in this series, my main concern is that we lose focus on defense. If we can stay very stingy on D, I really don't believe they can beat us with homecourt. Micro have more faith, you know this team at times struggles and never does anything easy. Go Pistons!!!!!!!!!!!

I think he does have faith. He's just saying this is going to be tough as hell. I thought his analysis of the Miami squad was very realistic. (I disagreed on the Prince/Walker thing but that is arguable.

Faith is good. Blind faith sets you up for a big letdown.

I'm with Micro on this. I'm looking at a long series and at this point I think either team could win. Miami is a much improved team over the last couple of months.

Micro: You want answers?
Explosivity: I think I'm entitled.
Micro: You want answers?
Explosivity: I want the truth.
Micro: You can't handle the truth.

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Nov 13 LW Milan Lucic had an active night. He scored his first goal in eight games since his Oct. 25 hat trick and also pounded Michael Komisarek in a third-period fight. Lucic cut his hand in a fight with Michael Komisarek. "I'll be fine," he said. "(X-rays are) negative, but there's so many broken bones in there from before you can't really tell."

C'mon even if we had beaten Cleveland in 5 games everyone knew here that this was gonna be a tough series. Each series I really believe is a different animial from every other one played. In the 04 series if you all can recall that the toughest series was against the Nets in the second round and they at the time were not the team to beat. Basketball is a game of match-ups, intensity and most importantly execution of the gameplan. Who ever wants it the most and executes the most always wins a 7 game series. Don't make the mistake of us transfering the play of the last series into this one. We will play better offensively in the series Guaransheed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't see this one being as tough as the CLE series. For one, I don't think our guys will be half-assing the way they were against CLE. This is one of the few teams that our guys actually get up and put forth maximum effort for.

I see us winning this one in 6 at the most.

I think Tay will actually defend Walker better than anyone the Bulls or Nets could put out there and I think Rip running Wade off all those screen will take a lot more out of him than people think. Wade can get to the basket and draw fouls at will, but will he be able to maintain that over the course of a series where he'll actually have to play some D. I doubt it. Shaq has NEVER single handedly destroyed us so I have no fear there.

Matchups are key in the playoffs and we match up very well with MIA. Nevermind the fact that this team isn't as strong as last year's bunch. I don't see them getting more than 2 games unless our guys take a night off.

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