If Stat comes back at 2011-12 level, this team is really dangerous. If you have a healthy Shumpert and a healthy Kidd (which is asking a lot), they can hang with anyone.

d-mar: I hear some of your points, but when you have the best player in the game by a wide margin who plays both ends of the floor and can guard any position, all bets are off. Plus, Wade looks healthy for a change, and he destroyed the Nets, who are supposed to be a great defensive team.

Wade will have an occasional game like this but the tend going back to last year is clear. Great players reliant on athleticism don’t typically fall right off the cliff, they slowly show that they can’t sustain their game for more than little spurts.

Second, the fact that the Heat needed one of those athletically spectacular surges with Lopez out, Williams and Johnson slumping, is just another warning sign for them.

The Heat can intimidate teams and turn them into shrinking violets when they are in full destruction mode.

The Dallas team beat them because they weren’t intimated and kept coming back after their never-seen-before surges of athleticism. This Knicks team, full health, is more athletic and talented than that Mavs team, and I have to believe the collective chip on its shoulder is at least as big.

Frank O.:
And those who view a returning Amare as a negative really need to get their heads examined.

Yeah, I think people forget how good Amare is when there’s pg play and he isn’t carrying an extra 30 pounds.

Knicks don’t have much of a chance against the top 5 teams in a series without Amare/Shump.

Also, all of this talk about not having a chance against Heat reminds me of ’08 Nuggets.

The ’07 Iverson Nuggets were swept by the eventual WCF champs. It was widely, even after changing point guards from Iverson to Billups, that the Nuggets still had no chance against a Lakers team seeking its first ring with Gasol.

If Kobe Bryant doesn’t get a phantom call down two late in game 5, and if Nene doesn’t break down mentally after game 3, the Nuggets probably win the championship.

In fact, aside from holding late leads in games 1, 3, and 5 that they blew for a variety of reasons, that team led that series through 5 games for roughly 75% of the minutes played between the teams.

The Heat are not a perfect team, and they sure as hell won’t be facing the kind of one-mode-of-attack Knicks that they overwhelmed last year.

Camby DNP for a reason today, ‘sore foot’, Kidd is also out again but hopefully back soon, I think aiming for Miami on Wed.

ruruland: Actually, I made sure to watch this game closely and I disagree.

First, if Deron Williams or Joe Johnson can make a shot, just one of those guys, Nets still win.

On a good shooting night they’re up at least 20 in first half. Second, the Heat have to play exceptionally hard for their defense work. The Heat played very hard starting in second quarte by regular season standard for any non-Thib coached team.

Also, while the Heat played much harder than the Nets the final quarter, the Nets played the night before.

There’s a reason teams winning % on road plummets in second night of b2b, and the difference typically comes in second half.

The Heat are great, but they can be defeated by a deep, balanced, patient and mentally strong team with multiple modes of attack.

I hear some of your points, but when you have the best player in the game by a wide margin who plays both ends of the floor and can guard any position, all bets are off. Plus, Wade looks healthy for a change, and he destroyed the Nets, who are supposed to be a great defensive team.

d-mar:
Continuing a discussion from the last thread, I watched the 3rd and 4th quarters of the Heat-Nets game, and it is truly scary how the Heat can flip a switch and pummel a team into submission. They started to blitz Johnson or whoever else had the ball up top with 2 defenders, and the Nets turned the ball over on almost every possession. Meanwhile, on the offensive end, LBJ would post up and the instant that the Nets sent a 2nd defender his way, he would make the perfect pass for a 3 or a layup. A 10 point Nets lead was a 10 point deficit in what seemed like 5 minutes.

I’d like to think we’ve closed the gap on the Heat, but barring injuries, I don’t see how anyone stops them this year.

Actually, I made sure to watch this game closely and I disagree.

First, if Deron Williams or Joe Johnson can make a shot, just one of those guys, Nets still win.

On a good shooting night they’re up at least 20 in first half. Second, the Heat have to play exceptionally hard for their defense work. The Heat played very hard starting in second quarte by regular season standard for any non-Thib coached team.

Also, while the Heat played much harder than the Nets the final quarter, the Nets played the night before.

There’s a reason teams winning % on road plummets in second night of b2b, and the difference typically comes in second half.

The Heat are great, but they can be defeated by a deep, balanced, patient and mentally strong team with multiple modes of attack.

For example, how many cities have a Little Slovenia like the East Village. Don’t you think Dragic may have payed a visit to St. Cyril’s (and the neighboring bars/restaurants) for some home cooking.