Heat vs. Sixers tonight.

[rickortreat]

Wonder what Miami will do.  They could throw the Sixers a bone and let them win, which would help to keep NJ out of the playoffs, and possibly move the Sixers ahead of the Cavs by the end of the season.

Would Miami rather play Cleveland or Philly in the first round?  Does it matter to them?

I don't think Miami is worried about either of the teams I mentioned, but may decided to rest their players as they have home court locked up in the East.  It is highly unlikely they be able to catch the Suns to have home court throughout the playoffs, being behind by 3 games.  

[JoMal]

They will be looking for continuity. Maybe the last game of the year they would consider letting key players play limited minutes, but with Shaq out for the last three games, they will first want to get him back in the flow and the Sixers just happen to be the team they are going to use to test him out on.

[rickortreat]

Mayber, but the Sixers are a tough team for Shaq since Dalembert is quicker.  If O'Brien had half a brain, he'd run Dalembert at Shaq all night long and get him into foul trouble.

On the break and in an up and down game, O'Neal can't keep up, even when he's at his best.  

[Derek Bodner]

oddly enough our centers (including Jackson) have had success on shaq this year.

but if miami's playing hard we lose by double digits either way.

[Reality]

There are a lot of "what if" and "how hard will they play" scenarios left that will decide the seeding.

In addition to will Miami play Shraq tonight?:

Chicago now has lost Eddy Curry for the year.

#8 Memphis can still be caught by MN technically.  If MN loses tonight thus is eliminated, does that mean Memph will let up in back to back games vs Spurs?  
Ditto as Dallas *could* catch the Spurs.  Final Dallas game v Memphis.

Phx has yet to clinch #1 seed.  Yet they finish with Sac-Denver-Sac2.  If they clinch will they lay down in Sac2?   It matters because Sac-Houston-Denver are all log jammed for #6-7-8.

On and on.  The seeds are in no way "set" at this point.

[rickortreat]

Pretty impressive overtime win by the Sixers.

Iverson had a great game, 38 pts. 16 assists.  I thought the big play of the overtime was Igoudala scoring twice in a row, first with an alley oop dunk and then a fastbreak bucket.  

Considering that the announcers said that Miami wanted to send Philly a message, it turns out Miami gets the message instead.

After tonight, considering Wade went off for 48 pts, and Shaq playing 35 min. and only manages 13 pts. 12 rbs., it's hard to imagine the Sixers not being able to push Miami in a series and possibly winning.

Miami shot .511 from the field, Philly only .441 it's easier to see Sixers being able to improve on that.  The only thing the Sixers couldn't improve on was the free throws: 33-34!  That was the difference in the game, Miami missed 11 more free throws.

Biggest games of the year are comming up with Indiana tomorrow night, and NJ two days later.

 

[Reality]

Pretty impressive overtime win by the Sixers.

Iverson had a great game, 38 pts. 16 assists.  I thought the big play of the overtime was Igoudala scoring twice in a row, first with an alley oop dunk and then a fastbreak bucket. 

Considering that the announcers said that Miami wanted to send Philly a message, it turns out Miami gets the message instead.

After tonight, considering Wade went off for 48 pts, and Shaq playing 35 min. and only manages 13 pts. 12 rbs., it's hard to imagine the Sixers not being able to push Miami in a series and possibly winning.

Miami shot .511 from the field, Philly only .441 it's easier to see Sixers being able to improve on that.  The only thing the Sixers couldn't improve on was the free throws: 33-34!  That was the difference in the game, Miami missed 11 more free throws.

Biggest games of the year are comming up with Indiana tomorrow night, and NJ two days later.

Good win indeed and nice to see the little weasle share the ball much more.   Still he needs to get it to Ig much more consistently.  Still too many trips down the floor, esp crunchtime where A.I. dribbles it 8+ times then launches.

How'd you like Igs D on Wade to end regulation?  Can't believe Wade didnt drive.

I don't think Shraq was going 100%.  About 80.  

Agree with you about the key plays in OT.  However with just under a minute in OT Shraq got the rebound three feet from the hoop.  Gathered himself, but went up kind of lackodasical and allowed the foul to throw off his short banker.  Missed shot, and the resulting two FTA bricks.  That would have been 116-115.

Cleveland helped out.  Whats with Lebron going Kobme?  7-25 with a bunch of flailing 3s with the game still on the line the last minute.

[Derek Bodner]

we don't win 2 games against the heat in a series rick.  Sorry.  Iverson wills us to 1, but that's it IMO.

[WayOutWest]

After tonight, considering Wade went off for 48 pts, and Shaq playing 35 min. and only manages 13 pts. 12 rbs., it's hard to imagine the Sixers not being able to push Miami in a series and possibly winning.
 

ricko, for those of us living on planet Earth, Philly over Miami in a playoff series this year is impossible.  Philly would be LUCKY to win ONE game in a playoff series vs Miami.

Keep in mind this was Shaq first game back after over a week off, he was a little rusty.  Shaq will absolutely DESTROY Dalembert.  I don't care if Dalembert is the most atheltic player to ever step on an NBA basketball court, he is nowhere near the player to even challenge Shaq.  Dalembert is a 3rd tier center in this league, he's got no shot vs Shaq.  Jackson is even worse and if Philly should meet Miami I look for Shaq to average over 30 pts per game.

[guest-koast]

Very excellent game by the Sixers last night.  I was pretty impressed.  Forced turnovers, hit the shots when they needed em, and Iverson was being quite the general last night.  Props db, rt!  Wins like that against tough teams so close to the playoffs means the world.  Ig (since I cant spell normally, why not just give him a nickname right?) did an excellent job on Wade in the final 11 seconds.  Wade really would have drilled that too if he wasnt such a spring board.  If you saw the replay you would notice Wade slightly changed his shot at the very last second because he didnt think Ig could elevate fast enough to get a piece.

The rest of the philly fans at the game get the gas face from me.  Webber misses a jumper and gets booed?  Wtf?  I thought that was very UN classy by the philly fans.  Especially on one of the plays where someone gave C-Webb the ball 2 steps in from the 3 with a defender on em and expected him to do something with the ball.

[JoMal]

The Sixer fans booing Webber is pretty bizarre to me. I said in an earlier thread that of all cities he could have been traded to, Philadelphia had to be the worse. Chris is a very emotional player who feeds off his teammates and his environment probably more then any player of his stature in the NBA. The negative vibes he is getting from his home crowd will VERY DEFINITELY affect his game. He will try to force things, he may get nervous, his free throws will suffer...you name it.

So apparently, the thoughtful Sixer fans would LIKE for him to fail and to bring the team down with him, because they are doing exactly what would guarantee for that to happen.  

[westkoast]

The Sixer fans booing Webber is pretty bizarre to me. I said in an earlier thread that of all cities he could have been traded to, Philadelphia had to be the worse. Chris is a very emotional player who feeds off his teammates and his environment probably more then any player of his stature in the NBA. The negative vibes he is getting from his home crowd will VERY DEFINITELY affect his game. He will try to force things, he may get nervous, his free throws will suffer...you name it.

So apparently, the thoughtful Sixer fans would LIKE for him to fail and to bring the team down with him, because they are doing exactly what would guarantee for that to happen.

You hit it dead on JoMaL.....and it didnt click until I just read your post.  They had been booing him in previous games and last night he looked hesitant to take a shot because he knew if he missed he would hear a loud, collective boo.  Instead of thinking about his shot he is sthinking about whats gonna happen if he misses.

Honestly, what Philly fans were doing last night was uncalled for.  I dont care if he went 3 for 9.  Booing the player is not going to make it any better.  Why try to please people who are IMPOSSIBLE to please?

[rickortreat]

If you guys don't think Philly can't win a series against Miami, you're nuts.  Look at the boxscore.  Miami shot .511 from the field and still lost to the Sixers shooting only .441.  Sure Shaq was subpar, he couldn't make any freethrows.  But everything else Miami had problems with was due to the Sixers efforts.

Miami had 20 turnovers to 13 for Philly.  That's Philly's defense on the rest of the team when Wade isn't scoring his 48 pts.

There's no doubt that Miami is a very good team, and last night they weren't quite at the top of their game because Shaq has been out.  But Shaq didn't cause all those turnovers.  Philly forced those turns, and that's how they win games.  Miami wanted to send a message to the Sixers last night, and instead got a message they don't want to hear:  Philly isn't going to lie down in the playoffs.

Chances are the Sixers won't play Miami until the second or third round.  I expect them to finish 7th and play Detroit.  Philly can beat any team in the east, if they play up to their capabilities.  Chances are, they will slip along the way.  All it would take is for A.I. to get selfish or Webber to punk out in a game.  But they could easilly ahve folded to Miami last night, and instead showed a lot of heart.  Wins like last night build confidence, and the Sixers have been learning how to win and are starting to believe in themselves.  A young team that doens't know it's not suppossed to win games can become a serious contender.

They have all the pieces, but lack experience.  Korver can shoot three's with anywon, Dalembert can block shots and beat any center down the floor.  Iverson can break a team down all by himself.  Igoudala plays above the rim.  Jackson can score mid-range jumpers, Mckie can still be a defensive spoiler.  They're not a championship team this year, but no team in the East is a complete team, including Miami.

It's absurd to think that Webber's going to fold because fans are booing him.  If he's that weak, he wouldn't even be in the NBA. "Impossible to please"  BULLSHIT!  All it takes is a willingness to play hard. Philly fans support players who work, chase after balls, and get rebounds, not fancy behind the back passes that go out of bounds, or missing wide open shots for no reason.  If Webber doesn't have any guts, he's not going to last, and that's not too much to ask for an overpriced athlete.  We expect performance, so he can put up or shut up.

 

[Derek Bodner]

I think Philly can play with any team in the east, outside of Miami.  I honestly believe that.  I think we actually match up decently with Detroit.  I don't think we'll beat Detroit.  In fact I think any team in the east playoffs CAN beat us.  But I think outside of Miami there isn't a team you can say we have no chance of beating.

But we have no chance of beating Miami.  When healthy, they're nearly unstoppable.

[westkoast]

If you guys don't think Philly can't win a series against Miami, you're nuts.  Look at the boxscore.  Miami shot .511 from the field and still lost to the Sixers shooting only .441.  Sure Shaq was subpar, he couldn't make any freethrows.  But everything else Miami had problems with was due to the Sixers efforts.
 

Um Rick....before you get way ahead of yourself

A series in the playoffs and one regular season game are two different things.  Just because you guys had one very good night against the Heat does not equal out to a nose to nose playoff series.  Not when Shaq has something to prove.  The Sixers played their hearts out last night...can they do that for 4 games?  I dont think so.