Comparing the Hawks and Heat

[thecampster]

So I listened to the Miami/Boston game on the way in to work tonight and had to check the box score when I got in to work.Miami started Chalmers/Wade/Battier/James/Bosh tonight. Their top 3 off the bench were Allen, Lewis, Haslem. Now Miami scored 120 points on 43 of 79 shooting while making 26 of 32 FT attempts. But they also let a suspect offensively Boston team shoot 52% from the field and take 28 FT attempts as well. So I started comparing positions.Chalmers vs Teague (or Harris)Wade vs Harris (or Stevenson)James vs Korver (or Stevenson)Battier vs SmithBosh vs HorfordLooking at these starting lineups, Miami has advantages clear advantages at 2 positions, the Hawks at 2 and a wash at 1 with me giving an edge to Miami just because they have Lebron. But the Hawks are much faster physically and have the potential to run, run and run some more on this team, something Miami typically does to others.Then I looked at the bench. Allen, Lewis, Haslem (Miller and Cole as well played) vs Williams, Stevenson, Zaza, Williams, Johnson, Scott, Jenkins, Morrow.The Hawks are far faster and bigger. I'm probably just on a soda high but I'm starting to think we are as good as analysts are starting to say. For the first time in years, 1 injury isn't a season ender. Where as the Heat are one Lebron injury away from being just another team.I'm going out on a limb and predicting today the Hawks will win their division.

[PureGreatness]

Sigh....never compare to a CLEARLY better team.

[Bankster]

I don't see that happening.

[capstone21]

Our team is going to get eaten alive by the bigger rebounding team and teams with big shooting guards.Also, you are forgetting how special Wade and especially Lebron are. Bosh is also a great player too. The other guys are role players that fit their system perfectly. So even though we might be better at a position individually ... it has nothing to do with as a team.

[HawkItus]

Lebron

[macdaddy]

I like the enthusiasm but we aren't winning the division. How would that happen without help from Tanya Harding?

I do agree that when looking at the heat this is a team that breaks the mold. Who's the biggest guy in the rotation Haslem? I mean look at this:

Chalmers Wade/Battier/James/Allen Bosh/Lewis Haslem

1 PG, 2 finesse PFs, 4 wings and a undersized banger

Wait! Hold on a second......

Teague Harris/Morrow/Williams/Korver Smoove/Horford Zaza

We are no longer a poor man's Detroit. We are now a poor man's Miami!

[AHF]

If you want to compare by impact instead of arbitrarily by position then you will probably get a clearer picture:Lebron James >>> Josh SmithDwayne Wade > Al HorfordChris Bosh >>> Jeff TeagueRay Allen = Lou WilliamsMario Chalmers < Devin HarrisUdonis Haslem = Zaza PachuliaShane Battier > Kyle KorverIs it worth discussing any further?

[macdaddy]

If you want to compare by impact instead of arbitrarily by position then you will probably get a clearer picture: Lebron James >>> Josh Smith Dwayne Wade > Al Horford Chris Bosh >>> Jeff Teague Ray Allen = Lou Williams Mario Chalmers < Devin Harris Udonis Haslem = Zaza Pachulia Shane Battier > Kyle Korver Is it worth discussing any further?

Yesss. Geez. We're just having a little fun here. Plus i'd say Ray Allen is greater than Lou Williams. So that just leaves Zaza holding his own against Haslem. I know Lebron and Wade are exceptional but when you look at the Heat you see what Ferry is talking about. You get the best players you can find and put them on the floor. The question is will that work without elite level talent.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I like the enthusiasm but we aren't winning the division. How would that happen without help from Tanya Harding?

I do agree that when looking at the heat this is a team that breaks the mold. Who's the biggest guy in the rotation Haslem? I mean look at this:

Chalmers Wade/Battier/James/Allen Bosh/Lewis Haslem

1 PG, 2 finesse PFs, 4 wings and a undersized banger

Wait! Hold on a second......

Teague Harris/Morrow/Williams/Korver Smoove/Horford Zaza

We are no longer a poor man's Detroit. We are now a poor man's Miami!

Forget Miami . . . I'm just concerned with how we match up with Houston

PG: Teague ( 6 - 2 . . . 181 lbs ) --- vs --- Lin ( 6 - 3 . . . 200 lbs )

G: Harris ( 6 - 3 . . . 192 lbs ) --- vs --- Harden ( 6 - 5 . . . 220 lbs )

F: Korver ( 6 - 7 . . . 212 lbs ) --- vs --- Parsons ( 6 - 9 . . . 227 lbs )

PF: Smith ( 6 - 9 . . . 225 lbs ) --- vs --- Patterson ( 6 - 9 . . . 235 lbs )

C: Horford ( 6 - 10 . . . 250 lbs ) --- vs --- Asik ( 7 - 0 . . . 255 lbs )

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Yesss. Geez. We're just having a little fun here. Plus i'd say Ray Allen is greater than Lou Williams. So that just leaves Zaza holding his own against Haslem. I know Lebron and Wade are exceptional but when you look at the Heat you see what Ferry is talking about. You get the best players you can find and put them on the floor. The question is will that work without elite level talent.

But the thing about the Heat is that their 2 best players can literally play AND defend 3 positions at a high level ( Wade - PG, G, SF ) . . ( Lebron - G , SF, PF ). And their next best player can be an All-Star at 2 positions ( Bosh - PF, C ). No one will admit this, but the Hawks last year were more comparable to the Heat this year. Smith could play 3 positions ( 2 at a high level ) JJ could play 3 positions ( 2 at a high level ) Marvin could play 3 positions T-Mac could play 3 positions Horford could play 2 positions at a high level Matter of fact, these were the starters last year at the beginning of the season when we bet Miami PG: Teague G: Johnson F: Marvin PF: Smith C: Horford With T-Mac looking like the greatest vet minimum signing ever It was the "Billy Knight Wet Dream Lineup", in which most of your starting lineup is 6 - 8 or taller, and everyone is versatile as hell. Last year's squad looked much more like the Miami Heat of 2012 - 13, than this year's.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

The Hawks are what Philly was last year. We will play well and beat teams that we are suppose to beat. We'll be competitive vs. the elite teams, but will lose more than we win. We will get a 2-6 seed due to there are more subpar-to-moderately talented teams than there are elite teams in the NBA. Also, it doesn't matter that Smith is better than Battier because when we play vs. Miami, the matchups will be:PG - Teague vs. ChalmersSG - Korver/Stevenson vs. WadeSF - Smith vs. LeBronPF - Tolliver vs. BattierC - Horford vs. BoshIn that lineup, Miami wins handily... We are too small to contain Wade and James. They'll each put up 25 and Bosh will follow with 20 of his own.

[AnthonyI11]

Has the starting line up been announced?

[capstone21]

The Hawks are what Philly was last year. We will play well and beat teams that we are suppose to beat. We'll be competitive vs. the elite teams, but will lose more than we win. We will get a 2-6 seed due to there are more subpar-to-moderately talented teams than there are elite teams in the NBA. Also, it doesn't matter that Smith is better than Battier because when we play vs. Miami, the matchups will be: PG - Teague vs. Chalmers SG - Korver/Stevenson vs. Wade SF - Smith vs. LeBron PF - Tolliver vs. Battier C - Horford vs. Bosh In that lineup, Miami wins handily... We are too small to contain Wade and James. They'll each put up 25 and Bosh will follow with 20 of his own.

2 seed...really? Just being realistic...we don't have an inside game, we don't have a starting quality small forward, we don't have any size in the backcourt and our backcourt (especially shooting guard does not defend)....we will be 6 - 8 seed if we make the playoffs. If we make the playoffs I consider this a successful season.

[Colin]

Yesss. Geez. We're just having a little fun here. Plus i'd say Ray Allen is greater than Lou Williams. So that just leaves Zaza holding his own against Haslem. I know Lebron and Wade are exceptional but when you look at the Heat you see what Ferry is talking about. You get the best players you can find and put them on the floor. The question is will that work without elite level talent.

Lou Williams > Ray Allen.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

2 seed...really? Just being realistic...we don't have an inside game, we don't have a starting quality small forward, we don't have any size in the backcourt and our backcourt (especially shooting guard does not defend)....we will be 6 - 8 seed if we make the playoffs. If we make the playoffs I consider this a successful season.

I thought 2 seed was crazy too, but that's what the boys at ESPN keep saying. That we are a second seed in the East. 5th or 6th is more realistic to me...

[thecampster]

Again...our team speed is pretty ridiculous....Horford is back...our shooting will stop the "slumps".I just see it.

[Guest]

I am excited about our season but please stop with the Heat comparison. Them having two super duper stars out rank us by leaps and bounds.

[AHF]

I thought 2 seed was crazy too, but that's what the boys at ESPN keep saying. That we are a second seed in the East. 5th or 6th is more realistic to me...

The guys at ESPN are always wrong with their Hawks' preseason predictions.

[thecampster]

So I listened to the Miami/Boston game on the way in to work tonight and had to check the box score when I got in to work.Miami started Chalmers/Wade/Battier/James/Bosh tonight. Their top 3 off the bench were Allen, Lewis, Haslem. Now Miami scored 120 points on 43 of 79 shooting while making 26 of 32 FT attempts. But they also let a suspect offensively Boston team shoot 52% from the field and take 28 FT attempts as well. So I started comparing positions.Chalmers vs Teague (or Harris)Wade vs Harris (or Stevenson)James vs Korver (or Stevenson)Battier vs SmithBosh vs HorfordLooking at these starting lineups, Miami has advantages clear advantages at 2 positions, the Hawks at 2 and a wash at 1 with me giving an edge to Miami just because they have Lebron. But the Hawks are much faster physically and have the potential to run, run and run some more on this team, something Miami typically does to others.Then I looked at the bench. Allen, Lewis, Haslem (Miller and Cole as well played) vs Williams, Stevenson, Zaza, Williams, Johnson, Scott, Jenkins, Morrow.The Hawks are far faster and bigger. I'm probably just on a soda high but I'm starting to think we are as good as analysts are starting to say. For the first time in years, 1 injury isn't a season ender. Where as the Heat are one Lebron injury away from being just another team.I'm going out on a limb and predicting today the Hawks will win their division.

I'm starting to feel a whole lot better about this prediction. 1 Game back and starting to gel.

[itsslomotionbaby]

i honestly after seeing some games can not doubt this team anymore.but as far as the heat we arent a threat tothem yet. the strength of our team is our backcourt players. you can beat the heat if you had overwhelmingly dominate front court play or players that wreck havic in the paint.

whenever wayne &lebron put in good everts it s usually a forgone conclusion.we could only win when our guards are shooting lights out & of course we have no X factors in the paint we can count on.