Heat work to build around Shaq

[Andrew]

Heat work to build around Shaq

MIAMI — With the addition of center Shaquille O'Neal and others, Heat guard Eddie Jones thinks Miami has what it takes to win the NBA title.

Jones maintains he's happy with the squad Miami will field as it opens training camp Oct. 5. And he says the talent around O'Neal this season with the Heat is better than it was last year with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The addition of Shaq has generated a lot of excitement and expectations for the Miami Heat this season, especially given his new motivation and the dominance he's expected to have over the big men in the Eastern Conference.

I think the Heat have a good chance of making the Eastern Finals. They should certainly get to the second round of the playoffs, barring any injuries. I have to admit, I bought into the hype when the trade was first announced but since then, I've started to doubt whether the "Revenge Factor" will take them as far as the NBA Finals, or maybe even the championship. How about everyone else?

[J@3]

The Heat are building around Shaq!??!

Hehe... I think they'll make it to the semi's at least. Shaq probably wont play as great as he says during the season, because he's a fat lazy prick, but once the play-offs come around he'll decide he wants to try and will most likely average around 40ppg against the weaker C's.

[Bang]

Eastern Conference Centers to compete with Shaq:
1. Ben Wallace.
2. um...please think of anyone who is even worthy of competing with Shaq. I can't really think of anyone...
Shaq in East = 30 ppg.

[Rens]

The Pistons beat Shaq when he had a better supporting cast, I'm sure they can do it again.

[Jowe]

Goodluck trying to fill out the roster,
Shaq is demanding a contract extension of 90 mil over 3 years

[J@3]

I think he's already making $29,000,000 a year, so it's not that much more... still about 5-10 million more then he needs though

[Matt]

indeed...i look at the Heat as the Lakers except a weaker supporting cast and we don't know how they'll gel. Secondly, Wade isn't on Kobe level yet but I'm sure Shaq will "raise" him.

Heat though have at least 3 scorers in Shaq, Eddie and Wade....Lakers had 2 and one of them didn't even get the ball enough

[J@3]

I think alot of people are ignoring the fact that the Shaq/Kobe version of the Lakers last season was running under a different offensive set than what they'll be using this season. Shaq can basically do what he wants in Miami, Kobe's the go to guy automatically now in Los Angeles. Neither has a teammate they can't stand, and neither has to fight the other for who gets the most ball. If both of these guys can put up 20ppg+ on a team with each other I'm really interested to see what they can do when they're on their own.

[Matt]

it'll be harder fr Kobe than Shaq. Shaq at least has Wade and gets to play against 6'9 dudes......Kobe is in the tougher conference and has....um, Lamar Odom? Divac, haha. He'll get more attention than ever

[Bill Russell]

I voted for "maybe - they can reach the semis" or something...

I think Shaq will get motivated this year, and it's (mainly) a contract year for him... So if he wants to get paid... He surely will.

Playing in a weaker conference could boost his game/confidence to another effective year or so.

I think the Heat has a good team, maybe better than the Lakers of last season... They have a average bench, but their SF/PF situation isn't any good... I'd ask Rasual Butler and Udonis Haslem to defend reasonably and score on the break, and they'd be set though.

[Stevan]

The Heat probably have to fail, and add a piece or two before they can make it to the Finals. But you never know! We could have two teams who could make it in their first year after a blockbuster trade, Houton and Miami, Shaq versus Ming!
I think Miami will make it to the conference finals quite possibly.


In my Live Heat franchise, I signed Marcus Fizer and Glen Rice (started franchise before Fizer signed with NJ) and I'm second in the East. We all know what a great prediction tool Live is!

[J@3]

I think you'd probably need council planning permission to build around Shaq

[Dogg]

No way! Shaq is not enough to lift them higher

[EGarrett]

I think Yao and T-Mac will be the Shaq and Kobe you don't hate. I'd LOVE to go to a Rockets game this year.

In my Live Heat franchise, I signed Marcus Fizer and Glen Rice (started franchise before Fizer signed with NJ) and I'm second in the East. We all know what a great prediction tool Live is!

LOL. Live 2004 predicted the Knicks would win last year's championship for me.

[.]

What is it that makes you hate Shaq and Kobe?

[Jackal]

What is it that makes you hate Shaq and Kobe?

You forget he's a Nets fan.

Remember what LA did to New Jersey? Let me remind you, sweep, sweep, sweep. 4-0? Anything ring a bell? Nopes?

Sweep.

[.]

Oooooooh....you mean the finals where the Lakers won the first one at home, then won another one at home, won a away game, and yet another away game. Now I remember, they also got the championship trophy later in game 4 after beating the Nets. I remember

[Jackal]

Yeah, it was a pretty sad day as a Nets fan.

Good thing EG is such a good sport.

[NNpF]

Yeah, it was a pretty sad day as a Nets fan.

Good thing EG is such a good sport.

But I'm not...

They are a better team but are still weak at SF and PF. What I think they should do is move Eddie Jones to SF, Butler to the bench, and start Damon Jones at PG or SG because Wade can play either positon.

Then off the bench you would havd Dooling at PG, Butler at SG, and Person at SF.

I like that better than starting Butler. Haslem will be a pretty good player once he develops, he played well least year.

[EGarrett]

Yeah, it was a pretty sad day as a Nets fan.

Good thing EG is such a good sport.

Um, actually it's just their personalities.

Every NBA team gets beaten from time to time.

[beau_boy04]

I still don't get it. I respect one and everyone of yours opinion but do you think Miami heat 04-05 is a better team than Los Angeles Lakers 03-04?
Come on now. Let's make something clear I don't think they have a legitimate shot at any title until they get a better supporting cast. I don't think they can beat the Detroit Pistons neither San Antonio Spurs.

Who do they have ? Shaq? Wade? and Jones? ok so? The Spurs or Minnesota are gonna win this year championship. Sometimes it is not just about talent but heart and the will of success. You could have all the talent of the world and be cocky about it but if you don't put the effort and are eagers to reach the top I don't think you're gonna get there. I give you a perfect example ---------- The dream team ----- yep the one that represented the USA in Athens.

Thanks.

[Alcoholic]

Maybe Detroit will be defeated by another team like Indiana or something...


Check this out..

Just Warming Up?
Shortly after the game ended, lifetime Laker Magic Johnson was asked how many championships he thinks 23-year-old Kobe Bryant might win in his career. Magic thought for a while and then confessed that “nine or 10” could be realistic.

That seems to be less and less of a reality..

[j.23]

you can always count on shaq during the playoffs.. i'm still not sure if they can beat detroit though.. detroit might not be able to stop shaq but im pretty convinced they can stop everyone else

[Sauru]

i think we could very well see the pistons and heat in the eastern finals but i believe the pistons will walk away with the chance to play for the title again. the reason i say this is, last season the pistons didnt stop shaq. shaq still played well yet the lakers lost. if the pistons are gonna let shaq do his thing again and stop the other 4 guys on the court then i have to believe that stopping the miami players will be vastly easier than stopping the laker players.

[tsherkin]

Here's the thing:

In the Finals, the Lakers didn't play like a team. They also didn't feed Shaq consistently.

Let's run with the assumption that the Heat are going to find a serviceable starting SF and PF. In that case, they are almost assuredly a lock for the Finals and will be a strong, strong contender there.

If they run with the roster they have now, they will make the second round almost surely and will likely have a great war in the ECFs. Whether they make the Finals or not will ultimately be determined by the play of their bench, I think.

But let's say they match up against Detroit. The Heat are willing to defer to Shaq and they have shooters, proven shooters, most of whom are at least capable of some moderate scoring if their shot isn't falling. That was not really true of the Lakers. THey had Shaq, Kobe and then Fisher and Fox and George, who were all either reliant on their shot or inconsistent.

Eddie Jones can drive, Dwyane Wade (while not a shooter by any means) is a massive dribble-penetration threat, Wesley Person and Damon Jones can shoot and Damon Jones can drive.

They have weaknesses that make them vulnerable, do the Heat but they will almost assuredly play better team ball than the Lakers did, which means they will provide serious competition to Detroit.

There is, too, the X-Factor of Dorell Wright. He's phenomenally athletic and possessed of decent handles and a mid-range game. He could be an important piece for the Heat if he bulks up a bit and plays welll as a rookie.