NBA Playoffs Rd 2: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

[King Taharqa]

(2) Miami Heat (57-24)

STARTING 5

PG #0 Mike Bibby

6'2 195 lbs

Arizona '98

8.6 PPG 3.4 APG 2.5 RPG 46.3 3PT%

SG #3 Dwayne "Flash" Wade

6'4 220 lbs

Marquette '03

25.6 PPG 4.5 APG 6.4 RPG 1.5 SPG 1.1 BPG 49.9 FG%

SF #6 LeBron "King" James

6'8 260 lbs

St. Vincent-St. Mary HS '03 (Akron, OH)

26.6 PPG 7.4 RPG 7.0 APG 1.6 SPG 51.1 FG%

PF #1 Chris Bosh

6'10 235 lbs

Georgia Tech '03

18.7 PPG 8.3 RPG 1.9 APG 81.5 FT%

C #11 Zydrunas Ilgauskas

7'3 260 lbs

USSR '96

5.0 PPG 4.0 RPG 51.1 FG%

BENCH

PG-Mario Chalmers

SG-Eddie House

SG-Mike Miller

SF-James Jones

PF-Joel Anthony

C-Erick Dampier

C-Juwan Howard

HEAD COACH

Erik Spoelstra

[King Taharqa]

(3) Boston Celtics (55-26)

STARTING 5

PG #9 Rajon Rondo

6'1 171 lbs

Kentucky '06

10.6 PPG 11.2 APG 4.4 RPG 2.3 SPG

SG #20 Ray "Jesus Shuttlesworth" Allen

6'5 205 lbs

UCONN '96

16.5 PPG 3.4 RPG 2.7 APG 88.1 FT% 44.4 3PT%

SF #34 Paul "The Truth" Pierce

6'7 235 lbs

Kansas '98

18.9 PPG 5.4 RPG 3.2 APG 37.4 3PT% 86.0 FT%

PF #5 Kevin "The Big Ticket" Garnett

6'11 253 lbs

Faragut Academy HS '95 (Chicago, IL)

14.9 PPG 8.9 RPG 2.4 APG 52.8 FG% 86.2 FT%

C #0 Jermaine O'Neal

6'11 268 lbs

Eau Claire HS '96 (Columbia, SC)

5.4 PPG 3.7 RPG 1.3 BPG

BENCH

PG-Delonte "Spank" West

SG-Von Wafer

SF-Sasha Pavlovic

PF/C-Glen "Big Baby" Davis

PF-Jeff Green

C-Nenad Kristic

HEAD COACH

Glenn "Doc" Rivers

----------------------------

This is it!!! This is the Eastern Conference series we've all been waiting for. The Heat's Championship hopes go thru Boston. The only way they can take the crown is proving they are better than the defending Eastern Conference Champs. This series is hard to predict. Boston has owned the Heat, Bron, & Wade separately for the past few years. But the Heat are coming off a HUGE win over them late in the season and all say they have had this one marked on the calendar for quite some time. My gut tells me Celts are too strong and too clutch for the Heat. But I am gonna take the Heat in 7 games to get past the C's. I will say, to beat the Celtics, the Heat WILL HAVE TO win a game in Boston to get by them. Cant wait to watch this one go down.

[HeatCheck]

Ok I am changing my opinion. Going into the playoffs I had Miami going to the NBA Finals but I have switched to Boston in 7.

Just watching the Heat, they look to lack motivation and urgency. Maybe they will turn it on vs. Boston but I am sticking with the C's. Celtics basically have a advantage at every position with washes at SG and SF.

[Millions]

Rondo will be a huge factor in this series because of who they'll put on him. Put Wade on him than Allen will beat you or the same with LeBron, than Pierce will. Man I want the Heat in the finals for excitement alone but it will be tough I am sticking with Heat in 7. Will be a physical series without question will be interesting to see how Bosh shows up to play.

[Hawk]

tough one to call for sure

as a Laker fan, we must hate Boston, but to see Miami lose would certainly make me giggle like a little school girl.

[Darth Biscuit]

I watched some of the game last night, Heat vs. Sixers... man I was disappointed. It was everything I hate about the NBA... and I really like LeBron and DWade, but it's SO BORING.

That's not basketball, it's stand around and watch someone shoot, then grab the rebound. I doubt I'll watch much more...

[tarheelblue89]

I'm still backing the Heat. Heat in 5.

Celtics were really impressive vs the Knicks, but I think that was more about the Knicks missing Amare/Billups and their lack of chemistry then it was about the Celtics.

Could easily see this going 7, but if Miami takes the first two games, pretty decisively, they should roll.

[Panthers128]

Celtics in 4.

[Cameron Isaac Newton]

I watched some of the game last night, Heat vs. Sixers... man I was disappointed. It was everything I hate about the NBA... and I really like LeBron and DWade, but it's SO BORING.

That's not basketball, it's stand around and watch someone shoot, then grab the rebound. I doubt I'll watch much more...

I'm not judging here, but dude you were watching the Heat and SIXERS. What did you expect?

Tune into Heat and Celtics for what is going to be a battle.

Heat in seven.

[King Taharqa]

D Wade is putting a clinic on the Celtics right now. He averaged 12 PPG against them in the regular season. He already has 23 at the half on 9-11 shooting. Heat up 51-36 at the half. Boston looks old and slow.

[Millions]

Wade is healthy again

surprised Boston is playing so badly though no energy or effort doesn't even feel like a big game to them.

[Dpantherman]

I don't care what side you are on, the Tech fouls in the NBA are ridiculous. FUG stern

[King Taharqa]

Heat go up 1-0. 38 points for Wade today, 25 for James Jones off the bench, and 22 points, 6 boards, 5 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals for King. Boston looks scared and naturally resorted to the "dirty" stuff when it was clear they're too old. Heat looked like the much better team today.

[Dpantherman]

Going to be a great series. I can't hate on Lebron when hes on man. Dwade was great, all around great effort by the Heat