Beyond the Heat Streak

The End of the Streak, and Other NBA News and Notes

The title of this piece pretty much sums up what this column is going to be about. I wasn’t planning on writing about the NBA until the end of the regular season, but due to extenuating circumstances in the form of potential history, I’m jumping into it a couple of weeks early to give my opinions about some things. This will not be a season review extravaganza piece, but I do want to touch on Miami’s streak and some of my preseason predictions that are either coming true or falling into the gutter. Here we go.

First of all, I need to do something that pains me: give the Miami Heat a standing ovation. I hate this team. They are my second most hated team in sports only to the Patriots (this will be an upcoming post), and I think that they are easily the most arrogant, whiny team in the NBA today. However, their winning streak was halted by the Chicago Bulls last night at 27 games, and this feat must be applauded and appreciated. 27 games is ONE THIRD OF THE ENTIRE SEASON, and the Heat had not lost since February 1st. Or, in other terms, before the Super Bowl. The 27 games that they won consecutively, straight, in a row ended up accounting for the second longest winning streak in NBA history, behind the 33 of the 1971-72 Lakers. This run of terror has been the story of the season and will most likely be the second longest winning streak for at least another forty years. Their dominance over this stretch cannot be denied, and the quality of basketball they displayed could be used to fill a textbook.

        However, being that I despise this team (which is a story for another post), I do have to point out a couple of things that stood out to me that we should keep in the back of our minds when remembering this streak. First of all, Miami basically beat up on most of the East’s horrible teams, barely having to travel at all to take on the gauntlet of the Western Conference. While the streak consisted of a nearly even spread of 14 home games and 13 road games, the furthest west that the Heat had to travel was Oklahoma City. Now, winning at OKC is an impressive feat, but Miami never had to take on the top teams out west in their place. In fact, the best wins they have against the WC are against the Thunder, and home against the Clippers and Grizzlies. That’s it. And each of those three games were in the first half of the streak. Those are the only times the Heat played top 6 West teams, and only once did they have to play in a hostile environment. There were no games against the Spurs, no games in the elevated hellhole (for visiting teams) in Denver, and no pumped up hostile crowds in LA. I feel that this is an important point because it’s probable that the top 6 or 7 teams out west could all be the 2 seed in the East. So while 27 games in a row is incredibly impressive, it’s not inconceivable against lesser competition. Give the Spurs that schedule where they try really hard every night and they most likely rally off at least 24, potentially.

The other point I wanted to make is that there was a good amount of luck involved, which is always the case while any long streak is taking shape. It is amazing how many teams held leads late against the Heat and couldn’t close the deal. Now, of course, much of the credit as to be given to Miami for not laying down, but battling back and finding ways to win. However, there were at least seven times in which a team couldn’t close out Miami, which is a quarter of the games! Most notably, Cleveland blew leads twice(!), including a TWENTY-SEVEN POINT LEAD. Orlando and Philly each choked games away as well. And these are horrible teams. There was also the game in Boston in which the Celtics, playing without KG, held a 13 point lead with 7 minutes left and blew the win! How does that happen??? There are always comebacks during winning streaks, but it didn’t hurt that a quarter of the games were won by choking dogs. Twenty-seven points. Unbelievable.

Of course, like I said, the Heat were able to find ways to win, and it’s not their fault that the teams they were playing couldn’t score. I get that. A lot of what I said was just general ranting. But a major reason why I hate this team is because they don’t win or lose with class. And we saw a perfect example of that last night, when the Heat (most notably, LeBron) lost for the first time in two months and cried about the officiating. First of all, I watch a lot of Heat games, and the amount of calls they get (including violations they commit that go uncalled) is astounding. In the game against the Celtics a couple of weeks ago, LeBron took three steps from the three point line and threw down a dunk, but the travel wasn’t called. Even as Avery Bradley pleaded with the refs, and even though everyone and their mother could plainly see that it was a travel. And that’s just an obvious example. Flash back to last night. LeBron and co. have to know this: they are playing in Chicago, a team that is hungry, physical, and would love nothing more than ending this streak. They are without Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Rip Hamilton, among others. They are going to hit you. Hard. It’s this thing called old-school basketball, before the rules got changed to protect offensive players. It’s obvious that this is going to happen. So what happens? They hit LeBron. Hard. Duh. And after the loss, LeBron sits at his locker and says that he’s not crying about the calls, while he is precisely crying about the calls. He complained about Kirk Heinrich grabbing him and pulling him down in the first quarter. A guy who is half his size, and protecting himself as well as not letting LeBron throw the ball up at the rim for an And-1. Then in the fourth, in a tight game, he takes a hard foul from Taj Gibson on the shoulder that gets reverted from a flagrant foul to a common foul. Which I loved. LeBron always gets his superstar calls and what Gibson did was simply a hard foul. Man up and get over it. The game isn’t over. At least, it wasn’t until James decided he’d had enough, and catapulted himself into Carlos Boozer intentionally, picking up a flagrant foul. And if you don’t believe it was pre-emptive, go back and watch the highlight. LeBron looks at Boozer twice to make sure that he’s coming, and launched himself in the same manner that would have gotten an NFL safety penalized 15 yards and a $15,000 fine. It could easily have been an ejection, because there was obvious intent involved. So just because he’s frustrated, he gets to fling himself at people, because the poor baby is getting hit a little bit too hard? This is basketball. It’s physical. Not everybody is going to stand around like a punk and let you soar over them and dunk it. People hit back. Just accept the loss and move on instead of saying how the refs should give you even more calls. If the Gibson foul was a flagrant 1, then the foul on LeBron has to be a flagrant 2. It was uncalled for, had malice and intent, and is the definition of not a basketball play. Taj saw James driving to the basket, tried hitting the ball, and came down hard on LeBron’s shoulder instead. Boo hoo. If you’re going to stand there and flex your muscles like you’re a champion every time you make a dunk, then when people hit you, you have to deal with it, LeBron. Stop complaining. Same goes for Wade. Whenever he doesn’t get a call driving to the basket, he stands there with his arms thrown out instead of getting back on defense. Maybe instead of begging for more calls from the refs, the referees will actually grow some stones and hit these clowns with some technicals for arguing just as they would do with everyone else. I really hate these guys.

I’m done ranting about the Heat for now. In all seriousness, I do want to congratulate them one more time on reaching 27 in a row. The one compliment I will give them is that unlike some people with loads of talent, these guys show up to play every single night and bring 100% energy and focus, which is definitely something to be respected. But now I want to move on to a couple of other thoughts, which will definitely be a lot quicker. First, some praise for myself: I know they aren’t there yet, but before the season I picked the Denver Nuggets to make the Western Conference Finals. They just completed a winning streak of the own that lasted 15 games, and are currently battling the Clippers for the 3 seed. And recently, they’ve shown that they can both play with and beat the Thunder and the Spurs. Watch out for my boys in the mountains.

The last group of thoughts I want to bring up are about the Eastern Conference playoff picture. I know it’s only been one loss, but the Bulls just showed the rest of the league how to beat the Heat: with size and toughness. All the talking heads and TV personalities I’ve seen are basically giving Miami a free ride to the Finals. While the Heat are undoubtedly head and shoulders above the rest of the conference, I wouldn’t be too sold on them having an easy time in the playoffs. They might get through all three rounds in the East, but it doesn’t have to be easy. I have a thought in mind, and while it would never come to fruition, I love the possibilities that are implied by it. I have a message for the Boston Celtics: LOSE INTENTIONALLY DOWN THE STRETCH AND GO INTO THE PLAYOFFS AS THE 8 SEED IN THE EAST. I wish this would happen, but the Bucks are being stubborn and losing as well. No one wants to see a Heat-Bucks series. If the Celtics lose on purpose to get the 8 seed, then Miami could be looking at these series through the Eastern Conference: Boston, Chicago, and NY/Indiana. The Heat are more talented than any of these teams, but I just said how the formula to beat them is with size and physicality. Look again at the teams they would have to play. Tell me it’s not possible for the Heat to go down. And at the very least, even if Miami does make it though those series, they will be battered and bruised by the time a Western Conference Champion emerges.

Starting with the Celtics: this Boston team is a matchup nightmare for Miami, even without the firepower of Rajon Rondo. Kevin Garnett spreads the court on offense and patrols the middle of the floor on defense, where the Heat are vulnerable. The starting backcourt of Lee and Bradley is a cyclone of defensive energy, either of whom can match up with Dwayne Wade at the 2. The key, naturally, is Jeff Green, who can either disappear when you need him, or play out of his mind, with no discernible in between phase. He put up 40 on Miami just a couple of weeks ago, and can, at stretches, contain LeBron. The key word being “contain”, and not “stop”. The leadership of Paul Pierce is enough to get at least one win as well. This is most likely the bowing out of this Celtics era. They took Miami to seven games just last year in the Conference Finals, and have had historical seven game titanic battles over the last few seasons. The C’s were able to beat the Heat without Rondo when they found out he was lost for the season, and during Miami’s streak, Boston had another win before choking it away! They can play with Miami! Shouldn’t it be fitting that this Celtics team put up one final stand against Miami in the first round of the playoffs? One last hurrah, with hopefully seven brutally exciting games and one final chance to defeat their hated rivals? If I’m Boston, I’m considering this. Please, Boston. Take one final jump into the fire. For all of us.

Let’s just say that the Heat get past the Celtics in a long, physical first round series. Who’s in position to meet them in round two? That’s right, Chicago!!! The Bulls are currently slotted fifth in the East, on pace for a first round series against the Nets. I’d put my money on Chicago in that one. Remember, it was the Bulls, not the Heat, who were the number one seed in the East last year. I think they could handle the Nets, who have no one who knows how to win in the playoffs. Could you imagine a Heat-Bulls second round? Miami gets to play another hated rival who wants blood from the Heat, and has the tools to get it done. Remember, that game last night was won WITHOUT JOAKIM NOAH, THE BIGGEST HEAT HATER OF THEM ALL. It was won without Rip and Belinelli, who could give quality points out of the 2 spot. And it was won without the heart and soul of this team, Derrick Rose. This would be a gladiator series. Chicago could throw out a frontcourt of Deng, Butler, Boozer, Gibson, and Noah. If the Bulls could score enough points, this another series that could go the distance. Chicago has the ingredients, and the toughness. And what happens if Derrick Rose comes back and at the very least plays 20 minutes off the bench, adding firepower and a dynamic morale boost, which does count for something. The only concern regarding the Bulls is whether they would be able to score enough. They will not be afraid of Miami; they will pound them and make any drivers to the basket think twice before coming through the middle again. Just think of what the Heat might have to go through back-to-back: Boston and Chicago, the two teams that have tormented them over the years, relatively, anyway.

I would not be surprised to see Miami out of the playoffs by this point (ok, maybe a little surprised), but even if they advance to the Conference Finals, the road does not get easier. The two teams they could face are the Knicks and the Pacers, and even though I’m from New York, I think Indiana would be the better bet. The Knicks, however, can compete with the Heat, because if their shooters get hot, then it will be raining threes in the arena, as in the first two times these teams played. That series would come down to (besides the outside shooting) Carmelo Anthony deciding if he finally wants to take a series by the balls and will his team to the Finals, primarily by playing defense. That box has yet to be opened, though. As for Indiana, remember that it was this team who had a 2-1 lead with an advantage in the fourth game before Miami went all superhero on them. This year they are a year more experienced, and a year tougher. They also will not be afraid of the Heat and could give them an war. I happen to think that the Knicks have a better chance of beating the Heat, but the Pacers have a better chance of beating the Knicks, if that makes sense. But whoever meets Miami in the ECF, will be ready and equipped for a battle.

I know there is a lot here, and I’m not exactly predicting Miami to fall before making the NBA Finals. But here’s the point of everything I was trying to say in this piece: for everyone who thinks that the Heat have a clear run to the Finals, especially after this streak, think again. While the 27 in a row is no joke and will be remembered for decades, this team still needs a championship to validate the dominance. Otherwise it’ll be remembered as a long stretch of winning in the regular season that doesn’t really matter, a la the Patriots in 2007 or even the Broncos last year with 11 wins in a row heading into the playoffs. The Heat are vulnerable when they get pounded and frustrated, and it’s possible that the road to the Finals will be filled with guys who not only want to crush the Heat, but take it as a personal mission. If Miami could make it through the gauntlet that could potentially be Boston, Chicago, NY/Indiana, and whoever comes out of the loaded West, then that championship in addition to this 27 game winning streak could result in this year’s Heat being regarded as one of the 3-5 best teams in NBA history. At least. So while there is still a little ways to go before the playoffs start, there were many ramifications that Chicago’s win last night had. And I love my dream scenario, so remember Boston: fall to 8. Until next time, guys. Leave a comment. And may we have fantastic playoff basketball.