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heat in 5 .. discuss.

5 games seems a bit too optimistic.

Heat in 7.

Bringing out the realist instead of the optimist for this call...

Pistons in 6  :'(

2 threads about the Heat all year. Bandwagon time. Fairweather Miami.


Denverdamus says Fat Shaq is hurting more then helping. Start Mourning.

Pistons in 6.

You can say bandwagon all you want, but Fau, Stroke, VidKid, and myself all shared in season tickets this year.

The games are so hard to get to, though...ugh....we didn't renew.

Were you a season ticket holder before Shaq came to Miami ? Let's review.....

No.  But I was a season ticket holder before he ever played a game.  Sports are entertainment...and Shaq brought a more entertaining product.  I see nothing wrong with that.  A bandwagon hopper is someone who stops liking their team when they are no good.

When the Fins started playing crappy, I had no beef with people who didn't renew their tickets.  They still liked the team, but weren't willing to pay $60 to watch Wanny take this team into the toilet.  I can't blame them.  Now that Saban has turned things around and the team is exciting, people came back.

Bandwagons aside, I think the Pistons will win.  It seems that they have a better overall 5 guys, plus home court.

Billips, Hamilton, Rasheed, and Prince are all scoring threats, and Wallace is a good match-up for Shaq.

I don't see the Heat having enough depth to match up with all of them.  However, I think that Udonis will be an asset on the boards....something desperately needed to beat the Pistons.

Even though my Heat fanhood is secondary to my Suns loyalty, I did go to probably 4-6 home games each of the three seasons prior to Shaq coming aboard. I just enjoy watching good basketball.

I'm just not scared of the Pistons. 

Last year, we were up 3-2, and then BOTH Shaq and D-Wade went down, didn't even play game 6, and Wade had to make a Isiah Thomas miracle comeback to even walk out onto the court in game 7, and they still barely won.

This year, we've had the rest, and we have a head coach with championship experience - Pat Riley.  This year, the Pistons have been struggling in the playoffs, and have a head coach who hasn't done squat yet - Flip Saunders. 

I'm sorry but the slight edge has to go to the Heat.  Heat in 6.

I'm with FAU.   Heat in 5.  We'll give 'em a game,  The mob....I mean, Stern needs the ratings to stay up a bit.    ;D

Heat in 6 really close games.

Win game 1, since the Pistons are coming off a 36 hour turnaround.
Lose game 2
Win games 3 and 4
Lose game 5
Win game 6 at home.

Neither Wallace can defend Shaq so long as he keeps his elbows down.  Walker should be able to push the 145 pound Tayshaun Prince around on offense.  Wade can present the same problems LeBron did.  Payton can defend and body Billups up in the 4th quarter (he's strong enough to do it).

Isn't good basketball and anything regarding the NBA an oxymoron?

Addressing the delegate from the NBA Sucks Coalition...

Why no, it isn't an oxymoron at all.  ;D

This is going to come down to coaching.  Both teams have plenty of players with high-game, championship game experience.  The Detroit team is virtually the same as it was 2 seasons ago, and the Heat have Shaq (multiple NBA finals), Gary payton (NBA Finals), Wade (last year East Finals), Walker (NBA East Finals w/ the Celtics a few years ago), Mourning (A lot of NBA playoff experience).

Flip Saunders - Mediocre Playoff Performance with the Minnesota Timberpansises, who did not advance out of the 1st round of the NBA playoffs 7 straight years...and then flopped against the Lakers in the only year he finally made it.

Pat Riley - Holds multiple NBA titles, and multiple Conference and Division Titles.

Detroit Baskettttttttttttttttttball in 6 baby.


Once again a relatively easy series over the soft ass NETS, have lured heat fans into a false sense of security versus the pistons.


The heat will have the two best players on the court in SHAQ and Wade, but the pistons have the better overall team. I see no one on the heat being able to contain Chauncey billups. He should be able to get by his man at will, and if they decide to give him space he can kill miami with his shooting.

Rasheed Wallace at 6'11 should also be able to dominate haslem. Whether it's posting up or taking him beyond the arc haslem is in for a long series.

Tayshaun Prince was the most consistent player in the series versus the cavs, and no one on the heat can guard him.

Those uncontested 3-pt shots miami recieved in the prior series will be a thing of the past. Everything in this series will be contested. As long as the pistons stick to their formula, which is to man- up on SHAQ, and cut off the role players, the pistons will be fine.


Let's see if Antoine walker will be able to create off the bounce. I see walker having a huge problem finishing around the basket due to the pistons great length. Lindsey Hunter should be  key in applying full- court pressure, and making the heat waste time off the shot clock.


And i also expect the pistons to go deeper into their bench with the likes of dale davis, and kelvin cato. If nothing more, to foul SHAQ, and give Ben Wallace a breather.

The heat isnt near the defensive team the pistons are. These games will be grinders, nothing easy. The pistons have proven to many times no matter what the situation, no matter how much adversity, they can overcome. Dont fool yourselves, the pistons didnt take the cavaliers seriously, that wont be the case with miami. The pistons will be motivated, and for the opponent that means trouble.

See ya Miami Cheat!!!!!!!!

Heat have a better bench, heat have better coaching .. and cleveland solved the pistons defensive issues .. the formula is out there on how to stop the pistons .. switch on every screen to deny the outside shot and funnel all drives to the middle .. the pistons can't take anyone off the dribble and have to repeatedly rely on a prince post up .. which he can't manage over walker ..  detroit pistons .. dead man walking.

Until Flip Saunders actually DOES something in the NBA playoffs...the advantage goes to the opposite team.

Call me when a Flip Saunders' coached team actually plays consistenly well in the playoffs and almost doesn't have his team lose to the 1-man band of the Cleveland Cavs.

And no, if the Pistons lose, you are NOT allowed to jump to the Mavs' bandwagon, Mr. Dallas Cowboys fan. 

Antoine Walker will be that third guy we need to step up as he has throughout the playoffs.  Miami has showed us a completely different side of themselves at all angles in these playoffs.  The deciding factor will be our perimeter defense, the pistons are deadly from 3-point range.  But, their tired, sore and.....just need a good ass kickin'.  Sweet Revenge!!  Miami in 6.

I fixed your prediction to match your current statement. 

Until the defending eastern conference champs are dethroned they are the FAVORITES.


What has pat riley accomplished since Magic, Kareem, and Worthy RETIRED? Nothing that's what.

Coaching in the NBA is over-rated. A coach can make a subtle adjustment here& there, but it wont be anything significant to determine the outcome of the series.

If coaching was so important, then why did phil jackson blow a 3-1 lead against the suns? Did jackson suddenly forget how to coach, or did the better team win?

Greg Popovich's 3 championship rings really helped him out last night over Avery johnson. When was the last time a coach scored a basket or stopped someone. It comes down to personnel and macthups. That's what i love about a 7 game series, the better teams usually comes out victorious.


Funny how you blast flip saunders, just 3 weeks ago when the heat were deadlocked at 2-2 with the bulls everyone wanted pat riley fired. Now 2 weeks later he's a genius.

Players win in the NBA, not coaches, ask the NEW YORK KNICKS. 11 milion dollars buys you 23 wins.

This Just in:

Heat win game 1, rip the home court advantage away from the sluggish-looking Pistons.

The Heat looked fresh, energetic, and ready to take game 1.  And they did.  Pat Riley implements his "Hack a Ben" strategy, and it works flawlessly to close out the game.

I hate Tayshaun Prince.  Every fould that's called he holds his hands out like he's totally shocked.

Refs tried to give the game to Detroit.  Someone lost out on a big chunk of change last night,  mob ain't too happy about that.  I feel sorry for the schmuck getting off'ed today.   :'(

We'll i have to hand it to the cheat. They blitzed the pistons from the jump. The pistons missed a golden opportunity to steal this game with Shaq & WADE in foul trouble. Payton's contributions were crucial in this victory.

Billups & hamilton were atrocious last night, and rasheed wallace might as well have stayed home last night. I'm not buying the fatigue factor. They were leading 60-55 with momentum.

The pistons loved to live dangerously, i expect a more energetic, desperate piston team come thursday night. We will be 1-1 going back to the Triple A.

I'm not sure about that, Cowpoke.  Detroit's only getting 1 day of rest between games all series long.  Miami's fresh, its two stars barely played last night and the Heat still won.  The Pistons seem to have dead legs, as evidenced by 37 year old Gary Payton taking Chauncey Billups off the dribble.

I predicted game 1 to the Heat and game 2 to the Pistons; now, I'm not so sure.  Overall, though, Heat in 6 is still my prediction.

i watched the post game with riley and when he was asked about the "hack a ben" he said  (i'm paraphrasing) that he's been in that building enough to know the piston's M.O.  .. they like to come out of that time out down single digits and hit a 3 to get the crowd going and cut the lead .. so pat riley took that option out and went for the intentional foul on ben (i suck at free throws more than shaq) wallace .. and in a dumb move, flip saunders called for a foul on shaq in response .. except... OOPS .. the pisons weren't over the limit .. haha ! .. Riley baited them into fouling shaq .. putting themselves over the limit and giving riley an opportunity to sub shaq out and go with 80+ % free throw shooting udonis haslem in his place

flip .. welcome to the big leagues

The role players came up huge in game 1. Heat wins even with their best player Wade sitting out 27 mins. Imagine what it would have been like had he not been in foul trouble. Same for Shaq. He was actually quiet this game - Zo actually had more intensity coming off the bench. I expect the Pistons to bouce back strong in game 2. The Heat need to learn from the Cavs mistakes & not let up. The Pistons are cockroaches, big, smelly, & ugly you stomp on it but it still manages to crawl away I hope they are not willing to settle for the split in game 2 - go for the throat - push them to the limit - the Heat's bench is better, make it count come substitution time.

I disagree. If coaching is overrated how do you explain the little general avery johnsons turnaround in Dallas? 3 years ago they were cream puffs led by Don Nelson who put up nice numbers but couldn't play defense if they handcuffed you. In comes Avery Johnson - result: strongest playoff push in franchise history with a defensive philosophy. You bring up Popovich. The Spurs were destined for a let down this year - the injuries to Duncan, a surging Mavs team, the pressure of a repeat, they've won 3 recent titles with a paltry team salary compared to the bigger markets - nets, knicks, etc. Even when they're not winning all the bling they are always in the hunt, never out of contention say what you want but this isnt the 90's bulls or 80's lakers where all a coach had to do was sit back and watch they have consitency & that is not something players do on their own. Where you do have some kind of a point is with Riley. I am a Heat fan but even I admit he is more of a GM/motivational speaker than an X's & O's coach. He has proven success at putting the right pieces in place in NY & now Miami.

Game 2:

The Pistons ALMOST gag it off to the Heat which would have been devastating.

Tayshaun Prince is a piece of crap.  EVERY TIME there is a foul call against the Pistons, he puts his hands in the air and argues the call.  Sometimes he argues the call even if it's FOR the Pistons.  Then, he fucks up the inbound play to let the heat almost win this game, and then bitches about it to Jim Gray in the post-game.

What a whiny piece of crap.  Hate the Heat all you want, but they don't bitch, moan, and complain like these pieces of crap.

Detroit Sucks.

Detroit is in deep trouble if they almost lost this game after completely dominating.  I don't know how anyone can see them winning this series without home court, and almost without the ability to close out a game.

Ohh please be quiet. The game wasnt as close as the score indicated. The pistons were in total control. Tayshaun prince is calling timeout, and that old fart dick bavetta ignores him and gives a 5 second count, meanwhile billups is being mugged by gary payton. Can i get a foul please!!!!!


Talk about crying bitches, that's AlonzHO mourning, the guy has never committed a foul in his life. Wade stares down the officials after every call, and so does gary payton. You lossed, and the pistons will get 1 down here in miami.  Great job pistons shutting down miami's role players.

Good to see sheed back in the flow again.

Udonis haslem for the second consecutive game gives the heat nothing offensively, if he continues to struggle the heat are in serious trouble.

Screw miami............ go pistons baby!!!!!!

Nothing to panic over.  Detroit played inspired ball tonight, no doubt.  Can they do it again?  Miami will come out breathing fire in games 3 and 4.  The series is just getting interesting.

Heat in 6, as I've said from the start.

     The Heat came home and took Game Three.  The Heat played great ball for most of the game, Shaq damn near looked like the Shaq of old tonight with 27 points and twelve boards, and Wade...  well he just keeps making the tough shots look easy.  The Pistons came close to closing the gap early in the fourth, but Miami maintained their compusure and came away with a much needed win.

  If Miami can take Game Four they'll be in a great position to close it out in MoTown.  One thing I've noticed in the first three games is the poor shooting of Udonis Haslem.  Usually, he is never this bad, but he just can't seem to find his stroke.  His shooting has got to improve.  Otherwise on the glass and defensively he's been sound.  Can't wait for Game Four on Monday.  GO HEAT!

I think the difference in this series has been the play of Walker. It has rendered the hack a shaq and Wade double team ineffective.

Like most of the Heat playoff games, it's all about the first quarter. In all three games, and most likely for the rest of the series, the team that takes the lead early on will win the game.

Man, the Heat totally dominated tonight, especially in the paint.  Wade has 35 points and 8 boards.  Shaq adds another 27 points and 12 boards.   The Pistons cut a 12 point 4th quarter lead down to one.... then the Heat say "Fuck this.  We're gonna tear these guys up!!!"  And that's exactly what they did.  Wade is one of four guys in this league that can get his shot off of anyone.  And did you see the way Gary "The Glove" Payton shut down Chauncy Billups in the last seven minutes???

UN FUCKING BELIEAVABLE!!!!!!

I think Heat should win it all!! With all the talent they have. Shaq aka Super Man played a unbelieavable game last night. I want to see them win it any way because I would like to see Payton win won!

I agree.  You aren't going to stop Shaq or Wade -- you just have to put them in a position not to dominate you by adding help.  If Walker can keep shooting 3s and create off the dribble, that's the key.

Once again the pistons follow this disturbing trend of losing game 3's. This one they actually had a chance to win with 7 minutes left.  Shaq and wade were obviously unstoppable, and the piston froncourt provided nothing offensively.


I look for 2 major changes in game 4. The pistons will abandon the single coverage on SHAQ. IMO its time to see if these role players really have the capabilities of embracing the moment, and responding to the pressure. If guys like walker, payton, and haslem are beating me with long range perimeter jumpers then you just tip your hat.


2. Look for antonio mcdyess to close out these games in the 4th, pat riley has shown he will stop at nothing to win. Ben wallace's inability to even come close on a free throw is just demoralizing the pistons, plus Mcdyess is an offensive option which would require the heat defense to play more honest.

This series will be tied at 2-2 going back to the palace for game 5.

I agree with almost everything you said, Cowpoke, except for the end result.  They will double Shaq, but he'll just kill them by making the right pass.  After all, that's how the Lakers won all their rings - the inside out game. 

So long as Walker continues to beat up on Tayshaun Prince, Miami will be fine.  As skinny as Prince is, Walker is just bullying him into scoring position.  No one else can guard Walker, unless the Pistons move Rasheed Wallace over to him and put Prince on Haslem.  Prince could then freelance a bit more and help on Wade, since Haslem's having a bad shooting series.

At any rate, Miami wins game 4.

Double Shaq = open looks for Peyton, Walker, & a hot Dwayne Wade who is shooting close to 70% this series with those 15 footers & penetrating the paint at will. Big Ben can usually muscle his way to the glass except against Shaq so it will be interesting to see if they will send him help or if he will step up since he has struggled. I think MIA takes game 4 but I expect the Pistons to win another before the Heat seals the deal.

Agreed there.  Miami takes game 4 because Wade is hotter than a July South Florida Sun right now.  Detroit will take game 5 out of desperation, then Miami will finish them off at the AAA in game 6.

we're on pace !

...and I'm still with ya!   ;D

The Heat has the Pistons on their knees right now.... let's see if they can deliver the death blow. 

It's gonna be tough to close this one out, especially with two of the next three in Motown. 

As much as I would love for that to happen, I expect the Pistons to bounce back in game 5 instead of just going down quietly. Or at least that's the attitude & sense of urgency that I hope Miami will still be playing with. Remember - Detroit is a cockroach - stomp, stomp, & stomp some more until the ugly team is dead. The Pistons have no answer for Wade, they look tired & defeated in the 2nd half, no hustle, not the Detroit basketball they were known for - all the momentum is in the Heat's favor right now. They might come out energized from the crowd & I don't expect Hamilton to have another dismal game but hey I said that about Ben Wallace so who knows. This series could have been a sweep. I expect DET to win one more before bowing out but would not be surprised to see my boys close it out up in Motown. GO HEAT

Picked the Heat in 6.  I hope I was wrong; I hope the Heat finishes the Pistons off tomorrow.  A nice, demoralizing blowout. 

What do you think, Cowboy?  What say you, Denverdamus?

Denverdamus still says Pistons in 7.

We'll im not one to beat around the bush. The heat are winning these games in the 4th quarter with, effort, defense, and timely shot- making by the supporting players. Wade has been unconscious this whole series. He's killing the pistons with his ability to either get to the basket, create for others, or get fouled. The pistons bicthing, complaining, and bickering is getting a bit tiresome. Just freakin play.

The only saving grace is that game 5 is being played in the palace. Hopefully the pistons can muster up enough pride and extend this series at least to a game 6. Rasheed needs 20 pts this game. They also need to find a way to get SHAQ in some kind of foul trouble. Maybe the refs will have a kind whistle towards the pistons tommorow night.


I cant see the pistons going out on their homefloor.

denver since you think that, you should look at this page i found.

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/youare.php

you might want to turn down the volume, if you are at work. Just a warning

I have a pretty good feeling that the Pistons win the next 2. The series will hang in the balance of game 7 with Detroit holding home court.

did you look at the link. it's right on the money

There's been much publicity in the last two days about how Wade remembers the feeling of Pistons players celebrating on his home court last year, and his intense desire to repay the favor.  As good as he's been in his short career, I won't doubt his ability to get his revenge.  Heat closes the Pistons out tonight behind a monster game by Wade and O'Neal.  Rasheed Wallace will blow a gasket by midway through the third quarter and kill the Pistons' last hope.  I look for Billups and Hamilton to nearly single-handedly try to keep the Pistons in the game, but, again, the Wallace frontcourt won't be able to handle Shaq and Wade will score at will once again.

That is, unless Detroit wants to play zone all game long, in which case, watch for about 20 lobs to Shaquille O'Neal off of penetration dribbles.

Considering that Billups was dam near tackled every Piston possesion in the last 2 min of game 2 they had some legitimate gripes. Also you seem the forget the 47-25 foul shots in favor of the Heat in game 6. Almost 50 foul shot against a team that is considered a DEFENSIVE team and has the best defensive player in the league again. I could understand a difference of maybe 5-10 fouls shots but 22 was way overboard.
I will give you credit as the most open Heat fan since the begining, and while things look bleak I am hopeful we can get 2 and force a 7th game at home. We have come back from 3-1 before.

Back to Miami.

The fixed game is still on.  Miami played like total ass, and they STILL hung around.  Detroit gave 'em so many chances to fuckin' win, but  turnovers and the fact that they couldn't hit a free throw to save their life did them in. 

Oh well, now it's a freakin' MUST!!! They cannot give this damn team life.  Hide the defibrillators please!!!  Step on that damn leprechaun!!!  Kill this team!!! Friday is your last chance boys.    >:(

I predicted Detroit would win game 5 out of desperation and the Heat would finish them off in game 6. 

But like I said earlier, this Pistons team has played in the last two NBA Finals.  It's gonna be tough to close them out.

Did you watch the game last night ? Just because someone has a differing opinion then you doesn't make them an idiot. By the way, seems i am 1 step closer to being correct after the Heat got punched in the mouth in Game 5. .

Panic time, boys....

There's my prediction from the start, boys.  I see no reason to worry.  It's all played out to my script.  I see no reason why it won't continue to do so.  Miami won't shoot 6-20 from the FT line again, and Detroit won't go 23-26 again, either.  You average out the diparity in percentages (down to each team's average) and it's a close game at the least.  87-86 Pistons, according to John Hollinger of ESPN.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-060601

Bro, i hate the Miami Cheat. I hope the pistons win. I'm on your side, but i have to call it objectively. Up until game 5 the heat were having their way with the pistons. But the pressure is on tonite.

If im the pistons tonite, i make these role players feel like they have a 3000 pound gorilla on their shoulders. The pistons Cannot allow Wade & Shaq to have monster games. The piston defense will be geared to slow down wade. which will leave those role players open.

That's ok, because haslem is struggling mightly, walker hasnt had a productive game since game 1, and payton has done liitle since that first game as well. There is going to be tremedous pressure on these guys to perform, if those guys beat the pistons, so be it.

The moment will be to much for the supporting players to overcome, and the pistons win tonite and force a game 7.

that was the exact opposite of what the pistons were saying before the series .. stop the role players.. shaq and wade can't beat them by themselves .. how quickly that tune has changed .. now it's these 2 guys can demolish us by themselves now we need to cover them and leave the role players to get shots

     It's over, the Miami Heat advance to their first ever NBA Finals!  What a game by the Heat, they were clicking on all cylinders.  We saw some vintage Shaq, even when he was sick; Wade still made the tough shots, even more importantly the role players set the tone.  How about Jason Williams?  He was lights out tonight! 

  Rip Hamilton got his tonight, but the rest of the Pistons couldn't do anything else.  I loved the defense on Tearshaun Prince, I thought that if Miami was going to win tonight that they had to shut him down.  Well, bring on whoever wins the West.  GO HEAT!!!

YAY heat !

bring on the western conference

lets go phoenix !!!! (at least push it to 7 ... please !)

ps - unsticky-ing this thread as the heat vs. pistons is no longer a series

It's about fucking time!!!  The Heat..... with all the pressure on them..... didn't choke and stepped up and played lights out!!!!

Detroit is going home.  Miami is going to the Finals!!!!!!!!!


I predicted after game 1 that this series would play out exactly the way it did.  Damn, I'm a prophet!!!!!!!!



Miami Heat...... 2006 NBA Champs!!!!!

I just thought of something...... Pat Riley replaced Stan Van Gundy as head coach and everyone ripped him for that......... now he looks like a fucking genius. 

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/lordthundergod/eusa_dance.gif)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/lordthundergod/eusa_clap.gif)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/lordthundergod/yay.gif)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/lordthundergod/cheerleader2.gif)(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/lordthundergod/cheerleader3.gif)


18 years ago I was the only kid in Colorado who was a Heat fan.  How sweet it is to finally see my team in the finals!  YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!  One more series to go baby!!!  What a freakin' great feeling.   All true Heat fans rejoice!!

Good bye to the Detroit bad boys & here's a big middle finger to all the haters  - the Heat are going to the dance. I think Phoenix is the tougher match up, but Dallas will come out of the west. I'm with you Fau I'd like to see the Suns push it to a game 7 if only to give Mia more rest. GO HEAT

Well Tommy he came through the backdoor to get back to coaching & I don't think he's any less a jerk just because the Heat are going to the finals - but to his credit he built this team for the sole purpose of defeating the Pistons & it worked. Most ppl including myself thought it was wrong on a moral level but on paper & in terms of winning its looking like it was a good move - & in this business that's all that matters.

I didn't call him a jerk for what he did, but a lot of Miami fans did.  I still have hate in my heart for him from when he left the Knicks back in 1995, but I'll give him credit, he is a hell of a coach.  He put this team together by drafting Dwayne Wade and Udonis Haslem, trading for Shaq, Walker, and Williams, as well as signing guys like Payton and Posey.  Then he saw Stan Van Gundy was underachieving with an immensely talented team, so he took over and got them to play his trademark basketball which includes playmaking and defense.  Brilliant move on his part

OHHH hold the phone here. First off congrats to the heat i didnt think they could dethrone the pistons, but they did convincingly. But please dont give me this pat riley bullshit. The guy is a slithering snake. Just as TEKGOD stated he came thru the backdoor, but i also agree with TEKGOD on his assesment that winning is ultimately all that matters. Now back on riley, he deserves credit for assembling the team, but where was riley 4 years ago when the heat were rebuilding? He walks out on the team 2 days before camp, because he couldnt bear the thought of having to go thru the growing pains with young players. You call phil jackson a caretaker, then what the hell is riley? All of a sudden he gets SHAQ, and Wade becomes a superstar know riley wants to coach again, and take the majority of the credit.

Also van gundy wasnt underachieving. SHAQ missed 20 games with the ankle injury, and the newly acquired players were adjusting to their roles. Van gundy will coach again, and the REAL story will come out on how riley replaced or sabatoged van gundy. I will continue to say riley is a frontman who only wants in when things are  peaches & cream. If riley had no chance of winning the title he would've never returned to the sidelines. I guarantee riley dosent get this years laker team as far as phil jackson did. Screw pat riley.

A healthy Wade in game 7 and they might have beaten the Pistons. Plus built  a team to beat only one team the Pistons. Payton was specifically brought in to work Billups. Now they are going to play one of two offensive powerhouses who like to run for 48 minutes + a night. Heat have a lot of old legs, plus I don't believe the Heat will have home court either.

They won't.... but look at the Dallas or Phoenix thread I just posted.

What I've always said.  Agreed.