Ball Don't Lie

STARTERS:

MIA

Mario Chalmers
Dwyane Wade
LeBron James
Chris Bosh
Udonis Haslem(possibly Rony Turiaf/Joel Anthony)

NYK

Baron Davis
Iman Shumpert
Carmelo Anthony
Amare Stoudemire
Tyson Chandler


KEY ROTATION PLAYERS:

MIA

Mike Miller
Shane Battier
Rony Turiaf
Joel Anthony


NYK

JR Smith
Landry Fields
Steve Novak
Jared Jeffries


Key Matchups:

There are a lot of interesting matchups in this series, but I'll keep it short and sweet.

The only chance NY has of winning a few games, and this series in general, is if they somehow all of a sudden figure out their frontcourt situation and it becomes what it should be. The best frontcourt in the NBA. Carmelo, Amare, and Tyson need to figure out how to not only space the floor and sync offensively, but especially with Amare, defensively as well. Tyson Chandler needs to shut down CB on defence, and Amare needs to return to last years form for NY to upset in multiple games this series.

It doesnt really matter if Melo plays Lebron to a standstill, it's all going to come down to, from NYs side of things, if their frontcourt can impose their will on Miamis main weakness, the interior.

PREDICTION:

MIA in 5. I dont think NY is going to figure it out which is going to cause way too many long stretches of missed assignments defensively, and lack of spacing offensively especially with Miamis trapping defence where you need good spacing and to move the ball quickly. I expect this to be the most exciting series though, besides maybe LAC MEM.

jeffb

Miami in 5, maybe 6. But most likely 5.

This should be fun to watch, especially once the games shift to NY.

Bill Haverchuck

The Knicks offense looks turrible so far.

Nites

If Baron Davis can play like this for the rest of the game NY will have a ton of opportunities to stay close and win this.

INSIDER

jeff van gundy.


exactly.

SomeDPlease

Officials took over the game. Game over.

VanCity

as much as i would like to beleive that, its not true at all. miami has been playing superb defense. they deserve to win. knicks have played terrible.

INSIDER

jeffries... LOL

moremilk

28-5 fts and it's not like NYC settled for jumpers
The refs were horrible and NYC went off the rails after a string of bad calls
Whatever you think about the two teams, there's no question that most calls went against nyk

Ataf

nahh, you can see plays like JR. Smith trying to force a call by getting fouled(he does get fouled), and not get it... then you see miami force fouls instead of getting a real shot, and they get the foul call. but many of these are legit calls(but if their were fair, i doubt they'd be up by this much), but it's definitely a clear bias here >.>

Chiggmo

Oh good lord not another year of this "ITS ALL RIGGED" crap... Ugh

ClutchCity

I'm not one that to complain about refs but come on...there have been some TERRIBLE calls today.

Bill Haverchuck

I don't think it is rigged at all. I just think the refs are human and thus not immune to being stupid douches.

shenmui

wow, Lebron James is such a mediocre.


+32 for Miami on Carmelo

Ball Don't Lie

Wow, looks like Melo got baptized by Lebron. And what the hell happened to Chandler? 3 rebs and 7 turnovers in 20 minutes?

SomeDPlease

Chandler was too busy flagrant fouling LeBron.

Ball Don't Lie

This?



Seriously?

BTW Shumperts knee injury looked a lot worse than Roses.

DonMughal

He has the flu, he wasn't even going to play.

jeffb

Wow, blowout

shenmui

20' of garbage time in the first game of a playoff series: thanks New York <3