I know. I don't think there has been a series in which I despised the 2 teams any more. If I have to pick one I pick the Heat. I would like to see the Pistons get another chance at the Heat and I would love to see the Benny Bulls lose in the 1st round. Either way, whoever does not make it out of the 1st round is going to be hating it. The Heat can just blame it on Wades injury though. The Bulls would have to answer a lot of questions this summer.
The thing is... if the Heat can keep up with the Bulls... then we can not rely on them being to old anymore.
I agree Max. I cannot think of two teams I hate more, although I like Deng, Nocioni, Hinrich,Wallace, and a couple other Bulls. I also like Wade despite his frequent histionics. My hatred of the Bulls is an old healthy hatred dating back to the Pippen/Jordan era, and my hatred of the Heat from the more recent rivalry.
I've noticed the whole Shaq thing as well. He picks up fouls against the Bulls, even last year, that would NEVER be called if the Heat were playing the Pistons . . .
Don't tell his mama but Ben ain't got such a pretty face, so the way I see it this is nothing more than a no harm no foul on Shaq's part. LOL
Ben got quit a few calls in the 04 Finals, seemed like Shaq was always in foul trouble. He did not get too many calls last season because he played like sh!t. When Flip took him out in crunch time to avoid the foul shooting like Skiles did he was fuming. Guess its ok now, Skiles must have put him in his place.
Whatever happen in this series, I just hope it goes the distance (7 games).And if the Pistons can close out the Magic in a maximum of 5 games, we will have the physical edge. And if it really goes 7 games, I expect we will have a better chance playing the Heat as the team is much older. (like Pistons vs the Cavs last year). Seems like we have match up problems against the Bulls (Warriors vs Mavericks). Rather not play them. Raptors and Nets series may end up 6 games. Cavs and Wizards series should be over in a maximum of 5 games. Therefore the Cavs will have the biggest advantage being the 2nd seed.
Interestingly, Shaq thinks that this is as good as Chicago team can play and that Miami has another notch to turn. It is also possible that he is not going to get fouls called on him as much in the future games, making them all that more interesting. But I agree, I'd love to see them go 7 with Miami winning, so that they could be in the same shoes that Detroit was last year.
I don't know about that. Deng isn't going to blow up like that in every single game, but how often is Antoine going to go for 20? Plus, Hinrich contributed almost nothing, and he and Gordon were a combined 0-9 on 3s. Still, like I said upthread, it was a weird game and I'm not sure how predictive it's going to be of how this series will play out.
I don't think most of the first games are any indicator. Just look at the West. Most still think that Mavericks and Spurs will win their respective series.
Right, I agree. I was just responding to Shaq's statement that you mentioned. If he thinks Chicago already played their best in Game 1 and that Miami can only play better, I'm not sure I agree.
Who do we want to win this series? I'm not sure which team we match up better against. Miami barely winning in 7 with Wade re-aggrevating his shoulder would probably be ideal (not wishing for injury, but re-injury... I think that is a loophole that doesn't make it in bad taste).
That would be good. I'd take Miami after 7-game series with Bulls without Wade. Maybe they can step on Shaq's ankle while at it? And then we could have Nets injure LeBron for the Conference Finals. I don't think we're going to have it that easy. What I am afraid of is Chicago winning in 5-6 games and being totally ready for Pistons with a couple of days of rest for Wallace.
This will be a great chance for CHI to send MIA home early. If they stick to their offense, continue to attack the basket, and Skiles continues to NOT aggressively double or triple team Shaq they WILL win. The reason we struggled so much last year is that Dolphin continued to throw aggressive double/triple teams at Shaq and he just continued to find open Heat players instead of taking all the shots himself, that coupled with our player insisting on trying to D up Wade chest to chest instead of making him a jump shooter. If they continue to have Hinrich and Sefolosha back off of Wade and not allow him to drive the paint, this will be and easier series for CHI than anyone anticipated. Shaq will continue to wear out at the end of games and become ineffective with Ben guarding him (as evidenced by Shaq not being able to score 50/60 pts in the playoffs). He will never score enough on his own to beat you if you defend the other Heat players straight up because he will always become fatiqued as the game wears on...especially with Wallace being one of the few NBA players strong enough to exert resistance to Shaq's movements.
I'm definitely rooting for Chicago... but not sure if I should be. The Pistons seem to be better at stopping superstars.
Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Monday for throwing his mouthpiece into the stands during a playoff victory over the Miami Heat. Hinrich fired his mouthpiece into the stands after picking up his fourth foul early in the third quarter, and got a technical. The guard finished with two points and five fouls in the Bulls' 96-91 win at United Center on Saturday.
More from Wade: Dwyane Wade acknowledged again that his physical woes, primarily a sore knee, limit his offensive explosiveness and defensive ability. Going back to the previous conversations we've had on this - what's his usefulness if he can't play?
Chicago's win was a good thing. I figured Miami would take game one. Now we'll have a 7 game series. Both teams will be tired by the next round. Go Shaq........................Go Ben ...........................
I'm pulling for Chicago all the way. Personally, I think Chicago will be a harder match up for the Pistons over a 7 game stretch, but I also think it will make for great, great basketball. Ben vs. Webber should be awesome!
