The second seeded Heat made easy work of the Bobcats who posed no threat to the reigning champs. There was really only one player on the Bobcats who semi caused some problems for the Heat but other than that it was easy sailing for the Heat who won their opening series in four games. The Heat and their big three, which consists of Lebron, Wade, and Bosh, carry this team. However when they are at their best is when their supporting cast is playing well. In this series, they will need their role players to play well in order to win this series against a veteran led Nets squad.
NETS
The Nets come into this second round matchup coming off of a tough seven game series with the Toronto Raptors. Joe Johnson was a big reason why they won game seven as he scored 26 points. Another reason they won the series was the veteran leadership of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Both players had at least 10 points and Paul Pierce had the deciding block on the final shot by the Raptors to try to win that game. The Nets will need their veterans as well as Johnson and Williams to play well in this series if they want to upset the Heat and go on to the Eastern Conference Finals.
BACKCOURTS:
HEAT
The Heat's backcourt consists of a decent point guard who is good at making corner three and an aging shooting guard who is one of the better players in the NBA when healthy. When healthy, this is one of the better backcourts in the NBA. Though their point guard does not really have to do much except sit in the corner and wait for one of the big three to pass it to him in the corner for a three. Wade, their shooting guard and one of the Heat's big three, is good at taking it to the rim. You want to Heat to be shooting jump shots if you can. One thing to watch for is what Wade shows up. If he shows up being one of the best players in the NBA the Nets will be in trouble.
NETS
When the Nets backcourt is doing well and on track, they are one of the better ones in the NBA. However sometimes they get off track and tend to slack off. I do not think that they will be doing that because off the veterans on this team and because they are facing the defending champs. Also their shooting guard has a back for preforming well in the forth quarter at the end of games. He usually is the one to make big shots and usually he makes them. He will have to be making shots throughout the game though if the Nets are to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
FRONTCOURT
HEAT
The Heat's front court consists of the other two thirds of the big three as well as a decent player that pays well with the big three. When you have the best all around player on you team it usually means good things for you. How to Heat use him though will be interesting to watch will he mainly be behind the three point arc or will he be in the post and making drives to the basket and getting to the free throw line. Also the other players on the team will have to have some impact for the Heat to move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.
NETS
The Nets front court consists of two very experienced veterans who help this team especially in the playoffs. These are players who have won the championship before and also have beaten the Miami Heat before. They know what it takes to get to the top and win it all which is what they were brought in to do. They play the best when the pressure is at its highest and they will have to show up now that they are playing the reigning NBA champs.
Bench
HEAT
The heat's bench has a lot of veterans who bring a number of different things to the team. Some are really good at shooting threes. Others are really good at playing defense and playing at the rim on the offensive end. The Heat's bench will just have to play decent enough to keep the score differential at what it is at so that the Heat can win and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.
NETS
The Nets bench has a number of players that shoot threes at a decent rate as well as a few players that play good defense and do not produce much at this point on the offensive side of the ball. Their bench will have to do better than the Heat's bench if they want to win this series and move on.
PREDICTION:
Somehow the Heat had trouble with the Nets during the regular season as the Nets were the only team in the NBA to beat them every time that they played them. The Nets somehow found a way to get passed the Heat during the regular season. However, the playoffs are a different story. The Nets will have to prove that the regular season games were not a fluke and that they can beat the Heat in the playoffs. I do not think that they can beat the Heat 4 times out of 7. I think that it will be closer than people think it is though. Heat in 6.
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