Are the Knicks simply a bad match-up for the Heat or are the Heat simply coasting?

[Nash]

I don't know, but give credit to Knicks for making Heat shit.

[bluechox2]

He needs a great teammate. No star in the game today can win without a great teammate.

see melo

[lilgodfather1]

The Knicks are a pretty bad match up, but i'm not sure it really matters very much how they fare in the regular season.

Both of these teams might meet in the playoffs, and at that point we will find out who is better. There are countless examples of a team struggling in the regular season against a team, and then beating them in the playoffs. Of course there are examples of teams that dominate in the regular season, and playoffs, so as I said we will find out in the playoffs who is better.

[Real Men Wear Green]

see melo

I'm looking at him. Don't see a ring though.

[pegasus]

If both teams are healthy in the playoffs, and assuming Wade has declined not is injured, I can see the Knicks knocking them out. But, just like Korver, I can't trust Novak in the playoffs. He just got completely shut down last year against the Heat but has been great in these two regular season games. You just never know with great, one-dimensional shooters like him.

Having Felton and Kidd instead of B-Diddy and Lin makes a huge difference. Even Prigioni has been pretty solid as a play maker.

I say if the refs let the Knicks play, they have a 50/50 chance.

[fpliii]

Personally I think they're coasting, but the Knicks look like could become very dangerous in the playoffs. I wouldn't be surprised if they gave Miami, Boston, or Chicago (if Rose is healthy) a long, hard series.

[nightprowler10]

Simply great thread.

















Simply.

[ripthekik]

He needs 3 great teammates.

fixed.
I honestly don't think anyone in NBA history as good as he is, has need of great teammates as much as he does. Many superstars have won playoff series with themselves as the main star, or perhaps 1 more complimentary star and of course great role players. Many have even won championships - see Hakeem or Dirk. But this guy.. not 1, not 2, but at least 3 great star teammates..

[Jolokia]

18/44 41% three point shooting? Who the heck does that? If it wasn't for Sheed bricking 3s after 3s, they'd be shooting 47%. (49 attempts is the record and they should have gunned for it)

But to answer your question, yes I think the Knicks got what it takes. They're kind of like the Mavs of 2011 with Chandler anchoring the defense and Melo filling Dirk's scoring role. JR as the Jet, Felton as Barea, Brewer as Marion, Kidd as Kidd, Shumpert as Stevenson, and even Novak was on that team. We all know what happened to the Heat that year.

[Spell&Grammar]

You know what? You're right they COULD CARE less, because they cared a lot.

Norris, Chalmers, Shane weren't healthy and they played. Knicks best player wasn't healthy either but he did not play, obviously Knicks were the team caring less.

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][COLOR="SeaGreen"]Spell&Grammar[/COLOR][/FONT]

[Real Men Wear Green]

fixed.
I honestly don't think anyone in NBA history as good as he is, has need of great teammates as much as he does. Many superstars have won playoff series with themselves as the main star, or perhaps 1 more complimentary star and of course great role players. Many have even won championships - see Hakeem or Dirk. But this guy.. not 1, not 2, but at least 3 great star teammates..

The Heat had three other great players? Can you go troll someone else, please?

[ripthekik]

18/44 41% three point shooting? Who the heck does that?

Bad defense does that.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

He needs a great teammate. No star in the game today can win without a great teammate.

He has two good-great teammates.

[Real Men Wear Green]

He has two good-great teammates.

He should but Wade needs to raise his level back to normal. I don't see Miami beating OKC if he's in the teens and they'll struggle in the EC playoffs.

[IGotACoolStory]

Who knew Felton would be this good after last year?

Anyone who knows anything about Felton knows he likes to play when the spotlight is on him.

In his AAU days, he would single handedly beat teams with 3-4 D1 players knowing it was him versus the world. And he would do it on a consistent basis. He had one stint during the summer that was absolutely incredible what he accomplished. He would put up 50 + the game winner like nothing. Probably the hottest streak I have ever seen from a high school player.

He played on a so-so basketball team in high school and carried them them to state championships. On a nightly basis he would have to put up 35/8/8. Coach asks him to score all the points, dish all the assists, grab all the rebounds and he did.

Then he goes under arguably the brightest spotlight in college basketball, the PG position at UNC. 8-20. Players threatening to transfer. Fan base splitting over the coach. Parents getting in the coaches face. It was a complete mess. But he never threatened to transfer. He always backed up his game. Then he took a 8-20 team in three short years to a national championship.

It's not surprise that he plays well in New York. He wants the pressure on him. He needs it.