[IamAmonkey]

I agree with rake sould be in 13? no. going full count on this series..too much money involved...winner to be determined after first few games

[sportsfanatic]

James, Bosh, Wade > Durant, Collison, Westbrook. So sorry Mavs fans. Miami 6 or less.

yup

[Kaabee]

miami average age is highest in the league.

[mr. leisure]

I`m thinking miami but I hope dallas wins

[Goat Milk]

Hey Goat,

What is your take on the match ups?
It would appear Miami is your run away favourite...
But to me, it appears that Dallas might have enough size up front to stop Wade and LeBron from having their way. Yes, they will run past Kidd, but Miami has the same issue with Bibby.

I expect Chandler to play a huge difference maker in this series and perhaps the Mavs take it in 6.

I will do a writeup for this series like I did last year for the Boston LA series where I look LA to win the series 4-3. Dallas has some pretty significant advantages in this series, I would not discount them. However, Miami just has a gameplan built for the NBA finals. I've been saying since last summer when James signed with Miami that this team is built for the playoffs.

This is going to be such an emotional series, I think it will be one of the best series I have seen in a long time.

[Goat Milk]

James, Bosh, Wade > Durant, Collison, Westbrook. So sorry Mavs fans. Miami 6 or less.

great fukkin analysis

[geist]

I will do a writeup for this series like I did last year for the Boston LA series where I look LA to win the series 4-3. Dallas has some pretty significant advantages in this series, I would not discount them. However, Miami just has a gameplan built for the NBA finals. I've been saying since last summer when James signed with Miami that this team is built for the playoffs.

This is going to be such an emotional series, I think it will be one of the best series I have seen in a long time.

With the Heat ultimately prevailing of course, right?

[geist]

great fukkin analysis

It doesn't take a rocket 'surgeon' to figure out that logic.

[Love The Action]

I will do a writeup for this series like I did last year for the Boston LA series where I look LA to win the series 4-3. Dallas has some pretty significant advantages in this series, I would not discount them. However, Miami just has a gameplan built for the NBA finals. I've been saying since last summer when James signed with Miami that this team is built for the playoffs.

This is going to be such an emotional series, I think it will be one of the best series I have seen in a long time.

Agreed. That will be a great series. I lean Dallas because Miami has not played a team like them in the playoffs. Dallas presents such a unique challenge because they are a better version of the Bulls who can defend almost as well at times, but who also have a diversified and deep offensive attack.

Dirk will be much harder to guard for the Heat than Rose. Plus, Dallas actually has other legitimate weapons that can hit some shots and create off the dribble. I was wrong in thinking that many of the Bulls would step up to assist Rose. At the end of the day, Rose just didn't have the help. However, Dallas provides everything the Bulls provide, only they provide offense to go with it. Not to mention all the playoff experience that everyone screamed was lacking from the Bulls.

I look forward to seeing your writeup on the series. I will have one as well. Good luck.

[frostno98]

To be fair, they said the same thing about Westbrook

Uh, Westbrook or Durant is not even on the same pedestal as D-Wade.

[frostno98]

Dirk will be much harder to guard for the Heat than Rose. Plus, Dallas actually has other legitimate weapons that can hit some shots and create off the dribble. I was wrong in thinking that many of the Bulls would step up to assist Rose. At the end of the day, Rose just didn't have the help. However, Dallas provides everything the Bulls provide, only they provide offense to go with it. Not to mention all the playoff experience that everyone screamed was lacking from the Bulls.

I look forward to seeing your writeup on the series. I will have one as well. Good luck.

To beat Dallas you just need to keep scoring, and Miami has 3 players that can consistently do that unlike OKC. Dirk will get his points no matter what, either James or Bosh can off set that. The edge for the Heat is what Wade will do to Kidd offensively and defensively. The old guy will have an extremely difficult time doing anything. If Kidd can't get his three's or passing lanes open, the Mav's are done.

[geist]

To beat Dallas you just need to keep scoring, and Miami has 3 players that can consistently do that unlike OKC. Dirk will get his points no matter what, either James or Bosh can off set that. The edge for the Heat is what Wade will do to Kidd offensively and defensively. The old guy will have an extremely difficult time doing anything. If Kidd can't get his three's or passing lanes open, the Mav's are done.

Word. I watch Dallas and OKC and I see no Defense at all. They are going to be put in a vice from tip off to the final buzzer by Miami's D while scoring at will on the offensive end just like OKC did except they can finish the last 4 minutes unlike OKC. It's over before it even started.

[Goat Milk]

I wouldn't compare the Dallas D to either the Heat's or Bulls D. You can argue that the Mavs have never seen a defense like the Heat. You saw the Mavs have trouble defending Durant at times, now the have to worry about 2 Durants on the floor instead of 1 and much better versions too.

The mavs are a complete team but the Mavs won't be scoring more than 95 ppg average on the heat. If the Heat hold Dirk to 26 and 10 a game who else on the Mavs is going to step up against Miami's somethering perimeter defenders. Miami shut down the best penetrator in the league in D Rose, how good do you think Jason Terry, Kidd, and Barea will play in this series? Barea will be a non factor. If the Mavs had Caron Butler healthy and in rhythm i think you can make a case for the mavs because that gives you a top 10 perimeter defender in the nba to guard either lebron or wade. Marion and Kidd are just slow footed defenders when it comes down to it.

[Love The Action]

I wouldn't compare the Dallas D to either the Heat's or Bulls D. You can argue that the Mavs have never seen a defense like the Heat. You saw the Mavs have trouble defending Durant at times, now the have to worry about 2 Durants on the floor instead of 1 and much better versions too.

The mavs are a complete team but the Mavs won't be scoring more than 95 ppg average on the heat. If the Heat hold Dirk to 26 and 10 a game who else on the Mavs is going to step up against Miami's somethering perimeter defenders. Miami shut down the best penetrator in the league in D Rose, how good do you think Jason Terry, Kidd, and Barea will play in this series? Barea will be a non factor. If the Mavs had Caron Butler healthy and in rhythm i think you can make a case for the mavs because that gives you a top 10 perimeter defender in the nba to guard either lebron or wade. Marion and Kidd are just slow footed defenders when it comes down to it.

I wouldn't say Dallas is as good defensively as either the Heat or the Bulls, but they can play championship caliber defense when they make the effort. The key is making the effort to do so.

Just comparing points allowed, the Heat allowed about 95 and 89 respective points per game during the regular season and playoffs, while Dallas allowed 96 and 92. Plus, when you factor in that Dallas faced better offensive teams in the playoffs than Miami faced, I would argue that the numbers are not that far off removed from each other.

I'm not saying Dallas is better defensively than the Heat, but the point is that they can play some D and, when combined with their offensive game, provide the first team the Heat will have faced who have a complete attack both offensively and defensively. Let's face it, Boston and Chicago were offensively challenged. Dallas provides a unique challenge for the Heat because they can play both ends of the court and give the Heat individual matchup problems.

[Raleigh77]

Mavs all the way.

[fleeced]

I would love to see mavs win it but fear we will all have to hear about the heat all offseason

[dlew2k]

dallas

[bureK]

Nobody will stop DWade. Then there is The King in the playoffs final trying to win his 1st year with Miami a ring. You must be joking if you think he will let that go. The X factor ( like OKC's Harden ) here will be Chandler down under the Mavs basket. If he can't stop Miami's penetration or gets into foul trouble, Dallas is done. I say Miami in 6 or 7

[beach nut]

Miami will be tough to beat in the Finals.

[rm18]

Bosh staying out of foul trouble guarding Dirk will be what decides the series. It will be hard because Dallas will probably ride Dirk more than any other series so Stevenson, Brewer, Marion, and Kidd get extra minutes to heklp the defense.