Can Anyone Beat the Heat?
Added on Mar 26, 2013 by Scott in
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At some point the Miami Heat will lose. They won’t win every single game for the rest of the regular season and playoffs. Odds dictate that running the table is remote. However, with 27 straight victories and counting, the other 29 NBA franchises must be wondering what it will take to dethrone the defending champs. Is any team actually capable of stopping the South Florida juggernaut? Let’s take a look.
Indiana Pacers – The Pacers rank first in points allowed and rebounding. They’ve won two of three meetings with the Heat, holding them to 77 and 89 points, respectively. Health is becoming a real issue, though. Danny Granger is still sidelined, David West has a bad back, Lance Stephenson is out with a hip flexor and point guard George Hill is dealing with a calf strain. Granger’s future availability remains a question, while the other three will return soon. Is this roster offensively skilled enough to bounce Miami in the postseason? Probably not, but they won’t go down easy.
Chicago Bulls – If Derrick Rose can return even at 80%, the Bulls are capable of making a run at Miami. But Rose rightfully isn’t interested in rushing back until he’s fully recovered from his knee problems. Like Indiana, Chicago has the rebounding and defense to compete with most teams. However, a lack of athletic playmakers would make any potential showdown with the Heat difficult to navigate.
NY Knicks – Sorry, Knicks fans. Despite taking two of three meetings thus far, it’s not gonna happen. Watching Carmelo Anthony and LeBron slug it out toe-to-toe would be fun, but New York isn’t a strong enough shooting team to cause concern.
San Antonio Spurs – The Spurs can crash the glass, defend all over the floor, and with Tony Parker at the controls, push the tempo when necessary. They lost an entertaining battle to Miami back in late November, and will get a rematch on Sunday. Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard would each have to play lights out to counter Miami’s superior talent. A Spurs-Heat Finals seems likely, although escaping the West will be a challenge.
Oklahoma City Thunder – Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook would like nothing more than to get another shot at Miami in the Finals. They can score, rebound and dominate from the three-point line. That said, not having James Harden’s punch off the bench will be missed. Kevin Martin is a solid sixth-man, but he doesn’t possess Harden’s unique skill set. Then again, Durant is the one player talented enough to go derail the James train.
