Quote (Sixers @ 28 Sep 2020 12:47)
Agreed, it would be a massive upset if the Heat win.
LeBron and AD vs Butler and Bam....not really a sexy headliner matchup, LeBron and AD are on another level and are legit superstars obviously. They win that matchup 10/10 times, although I think Bam could give AD trouble at times for sure.
Only way Heat win is if their X-Factor the "big white 3" (Dragic, Duncan, Herro) get it going and shoot the ball well.
Dragic is a perennial x-factor. When he plays well, he's pretty much an all-star level player. I think he's dirty but maybe the Heat will need that to win.
It is possible that Butler could legitimately be the star of the series, but if Lebron brings his A-game (and I think he will), he won't let Butler or anyone get in his way. Iggy would've and historically has been fine matched up with Lebron, but I think he's so far along now that he's no longer a guy who can really affect Lebron for long. Maybe for a few key minutes. Butler could handle Lebron reasonably well, but then he would lose some of his energy on offence. It needs to be a team effort and I don't think the Heat are up for the challenge.
Bam is really emerging in the league, but if AD is on his game, he should dominate Bam. Maybe not with force, but with speed and skill.
Rebounding needs to be a point of focus if the Heat are going to stand any chance of winning the series. That's a battle I think they can win. But even if they win it, I don't think they'll win the series.
e: This is still a compelling series to me. I see it 4-1 but it's not like Miami was lucky to make the finals. They've had a great playoff run and they deserve every part of their success. The problem is that they're up against the best duo in the NBA. Maybe they can wear the starters down. Maybe. And maybe they can control the boards and win the transition game and frustrate one of Lebron or AD. Maybe they could win it all. Maybe.
This post was edited by RewtheBrave on Sep 28 2020 11:04am