2012 Miami Heat vs 2024 Denver Nuggets.

[Lebron23]

2012 Miami Heat vs 2024 Denver Nuggets. Heat in 5. 27 years old Lebron 29 years old Wade vs 29 years Old Jokic and 27 years old Murray. Who wins in a best of 7 series??

[Manny98]

I got the heat in 7

[Micku]

That's tough cuz the Heat was small as hell.

Although it was 2013, Roy Hibbert destroyed the Heat's frontline. Had like 22 ppg on 56% shooting and 10 rpg. And that's when the Heat got bigger with Chris Anderson. Hibbert isn't a scoring weapon like that. If he can average that, what is Jokic going to do them when their center is Joel Anthony or Chris Bosh? It's going to be brutal. And the Heat should to do aggressive help sometimes. Back then, the spacing wasn't as good now and Jokic the way he pass, it's going to get punish. Plus Jokic is a center who could shoot 3s, mid-range, attack in the paint, come off the screens to do a catch-and-shoot at the mid range or curl to the basket. Bigs nowadays aren't used to that, Miami sure wouldn't be used to it. They straight up had Chris Bosh, Battier and LeBron out there as their frontline. Sometimes Haslem or Joel Anthony. Denver is going to destroy that.

While the Heat was ahead of its time when it comes to small and stretching out, Denver do the same thing but they are bigger. That's tough.

LeBron should cook though. Jokic isn't a rim protector. While this version of LeBron was a improved jump shooter at the mid range, but Denver is definitely would go under the screen. LeBron had the stamina to play both ends of the floor back then, so his defense wouldn't be spotty. So, his help defense and would be great in this series if he pick his spots right. Chris Bosh was automatc from the mid range and was a good pick and roll defender. D-Wade depends if he is hurt, playing on knee or not. But he was still good enough even while hurt to give you something.

The Heat runs the horns set a lot. And they do more pick and rolls with Chris Bosh. Sometimes pick and rolls with D-Wade and LeBron. So that would keep the offense flowing. I would figure they would still try to pick on Murray more if they could. Chris Bosh would get a bunch of open midrange jumpers because I don't think Jokic would contest it that often.

I think the Heat was capable of punishing the non Jokic mins. But the Denver starting lineup is going to be tough as hell for the Heat to overcome. They have to do some LeBron heroics. And hope it doesn't get countered by Jokic having a monster game.

With that said, the game was different back then. Different rules and such. The way Denver plays offense, they should beat Miami with the modernized offense of stretching the defense out. I would assume there'll be a lot of times where Denver would shoot Miami out of the game because of their volume. Even though they are last in terms of 3pt attempts in the league this year, they still shoot twice as much as Miami in 2012. Denver shot like 31 3pa this year. Miami in 2012 shot like 15 3pga. While both were top 10 in their respective year, Denver shot a better %.

Denver would simply outscore them if the offense stayed the same because they couldn't guard the paint with Jokic at the center, they couldn't/shouldn't double, they were too small, they might lose the rebound battle, and Denver stretched the defense out more than they used to. I think it's a bad mismatch for Miami because of the Jokic, and the difference in rules and coaching philosophy. I think the only chance of winning is LeBron or D-Wade go bananas and winning the non Jokic mins. As good as their defense was, I think Denver would be the hardest team for them to guard.


I think Denver wins. As good as LeBron and D-Wade were, I think it's a bad mismatch. LeBron and D-Wade gotta ball out in order for them to win.