2008-2010 Lakers vs. 2011-2013 Heat

[Rocketswin2013]

Miami just doesn't have the size. And LA has the luxury of cherry picking who they want to guard LeBron.

LA in 6.

[DMAVS41]

08 Lakers beat the 11 Heat...assuming Lebron chokes. If he plays normal...the 11 Heat destroy the 08 Lakers.

12 Heat beat the 09 Lakers...

10 Lakers destroy the 13 Heat...

[SamuraiSWISH]

2011 Heat > 2008 Lakers
2012 Heat > 2009 Lakers
2013 Heat < 2010 Lakers

[DMAVS41]

2011 Heat > 2008 Lakers
2012 Heat > 2009 Lakers
2013 Heat < 2010 Lakers

Do you think the 11 Heat could beat the 08 Lakers with Lebron playing like he did against the Mavs?

I'm kind of torn on that one. I agree with your other two...

[Fire Colangelo]

08 Lakers beat the 11 Heat...assuming Lebron chokes. If he plays normal...the 11 Heat destroy the 08 Lakers.

12 Heat beat the 09 Lakers...

10 Lakers destroy the 13 Heat...

Why do 10 lakers destroy 13 heat?

Kobe was coming out of his prime in 10. If you wanna use the injury reason for wade, then lakers also have no Bynum.

10 cavs beat 10 lakers 2-0 that should be saying something. Beat the 13 heat, maybe, but no way they destroy 13 heat.

[Fawker]

Phil would have thought of something.

[DMAVS41]

Why do 10 lakers destroy 13 heat?

Kobe was coming out of his prime in 10. If you wanna use the injury reason for wade, then lakers also have no Bynum.

10 cavs beat 10 lakers 2-0 that should be saying something. Beat the 13 heat, maybe, but no way they destroy 13 heat.

Because the 13 Heat in the finals just aren't a very good team...and couldn't match up with the size of the Lakers either.

Don't understand the Bynum and Wade comments...they both played in their respective finals.

Think of it this way...not only were the 10 Lakers better than the 13 Spurs, but they were a worse matchup for the Heat as well. The Heat got straight up "lucky" to beat the Spurs.

Simple logic tells you that the Heat playing a better team that is a bad matchup for them is going to yield a worse result...and if they should have lost to the Spurs in 6...then I'm guessing the Lakers win in 5...

[SamuraiSWISH]

Do you think the 11 Heat could beat the 08 Lakers with Lebron playing like he did against the Mavs?

No. But they could still compete, just like they did against the Mavericks with LeBron playing Where's Waldo on the perimeter. I'm just assuming he doesn't have one of his performance anxiety things, and actually balls. The 2011 Heat would beat the 2008 Lakers.

Each one of those Heat teams is very different though. The 2011 Heat had no spacing, with Big Three clicking on all cylinders. 2012 Heat had spacing, slightly regressed Wade. 2013 Heat had perfect spacing, shell of D-Wade, better supporting cast then the previous 2 seasons.

2010 Lakers definitely beat the 2013 Heat. They were pretty stacked, and the size up front is too much. What do you think?

[Kiddlovesnets]

This is a hard one, the Heat has a better squad and the Lakers has a better coach. When it comes down to crunch time I'd take the Lakers, but the Heat has an edge in not-so-close games.

[DMAVS41]

No. But they could still compete, just like they did against the Mavericks with LeBron playing Where's Waldo on the perimeter. I'm just assuming he doesn't have one of his performance anxiety things, and actually balls. The 2011 Heat would beat the 2008 Lakers.

Each one of those Heat teams is very different though. The 2011 Heat had no spacing, with Big Three clicking on all cylinders. 2012 Heat had spacing, slightly regressed Wade. 2013 Heat had perfect spacing, shell of D-Wade, better supporting cast then the previous 2 seasons.

2010 Lakers definitely beat the 2013 Heat. They were pretty stacked, and the size up front is too much. What do you think?

I'm convinced, like you, that the 12 Heat beat the 09 Lakers and the 10 Lakers easily beat the 13 Heat.

11 vs 08 is tough...if Lebron plays normal...the 11 Heat destroy the 08 Lakers. The 11 Heat are really under-rated here...and I'm not saying that to prop Dirk/Mavs. I don't need them to get credit...it's just that the 11 Heat with Lebron playing normal would be the best playoff team the Heat have had.

They blew through the East going 12-3...Went 8-2 against the Bulls/Celtics...both very good to great teams. Beat the Bulls in 5 with Wade not playing a great series at all...

People ignore that the 11 Heat were elite on both ends (3rd offense and 5th defense)...and after the first 17 game slow start...they pretty much just dominated the shit out of the league until they were up 15 against the Mavs in game 2 of the finals...

If you could have polled the world at that moment about the Mavs chances to win the series...they would have been astronomical...then this weird thing happened with Lebron getting punked on both ends...and Dirk/Terry just continued their epic onslaught in crunch time that the league has really never seen (Dirk's 4th qtr and clutch play in the 11 playoffs was the best since early 90's Jordan)

So if Lebron doesn't choke...the 11 Heat would beat the 08 Lakers in 4 or 5. If he chokes...I have no idea...the more I think about it...the more I still think they have a chance. The 11 Mavs were better than the 08 Lakers in my opinion...and it's not like the Mavs beat the Heat easily...and I think the Mavs posed a tougher matchup as well.

[plowking]

Lakers played incredible competition.

Heat played historically weak competition.

No contest.

Actually its the exact opposite.

Lakers had some really easy runs to the finals.

[Smoke117]

The lakers were given the championship in 2009 when KG went down. The Celtics were EASILY the best team in the league (better than the 2008 team) before their defensive anchor and best player in general went down.

[SamuraiSWISH]

The lakers were given the championship in 2009 when KG went down. The Celtics were EASILY the best team in the league (better than the 2008 team) before their defensive anchor and best player in general went down.

Agreed. It would've been a better series than the previous season. Even with a slightly regressed Kobe, but healthy Ariza gave them an added dimension they didn't have the year before. I believe it would've went a solid 6, no monumental blow outs like the final game in 2008. Boston would've won though with a healthy KG, and emerging star Rondo.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Lakers had some really easy runs to the finals.

2011 Mavericks < 2008 Celtics
2012 Thunder > 2009 Magic
2013 Spurs < 2010 Celtics

2011 Bulls < 2008 Spurs
2012 Celtics < 2009 Nuggets
2013 Pacers < 2010 Suns

2011 Celtics > 2008 Jazz
2012 Pacers < 2009 Rockets
2013 Bulls < 2010 Jazz

[Fire Colangelo]

Because the 13 Heat in the finals just aren't a very good team...and couldn't match up with the size of the Lakers either.

Don't understand the Bynum and Wade comments...they both played in their respective finals.

Think of it this way...not only were the 10 Lakers better than the 13 Spurs, but they were a worse matchup for the Heat as well. The Heat got straight up "lucky" to beat the Spurs.

Simple logic tells you that the Heat playing a better team that is a bad matchup for them is going to yield a worse result...and if they should have lost to the Spurs in 6...then I'm guessing the Lakers win in 5...

You can't really use that kind of logic, 08 hawks took 08 celtics to 7 games yet 08 celtics beat 08 lakers in 6.

Bynum was injured in the playoffs and averaged like 8 points, he isn't gonna be a factor against the heat. Lebron is still the best player on the floor and let's not act like MWP is gonna shut down lebron.

There's no way 10 lakers beat 13 heat in 5.