Can The Nets Stop The Heat?
The Brooklyn Nets built a team this past offseason to win a championship now. Â They did not build for the future. Â They acquired a handful of reliable vets like Kevin Garnett so they could make a run at the title in 2014.
They had a rough season contending with injury and trying to get the team to click together on all cylinders. It took them a bit but they figured it out and made it in the playoffs as the No. 6 seed. It is unfortunate that on their road to a championship is the odds favorite to win the title, the Miami Heat.
After the Heat dismantled the Nets in Game 1 of the series, beating them 107-86, no one is giving the Nets much of a chance. Even if you ignore the sports analysts, the Heat are the -7 point favorites to win in Game 2 according to the spread. In other words, the Nets are huge underdogs.
The Nets are not unaware of the trouble they are in. Â They know they are underdogs and they know they got their proverbial butts handed to them by the Heat in Game 1. The Nets, though, will be ready for Game 2.
Fifty-two of the Heats points came via layups and paint shots. Of course when you ask the Nets what the game plan is it comes down to the cliche answers that feature words like “aggressive” and “keeping them out of the paint.” That is easier said than done, however, and will take a extraordinary game plan.
While the Heat scored over 50 points in the paint and over 100 overall, the Nets only scored 86 points. Brooklyn will not only need to crack down on the post defense but will also have to outscore the Heat on offense to win a game in this series let alone win the whole series, because the Heat will also be constantly adjusting to the Nets game plan as well.
To answer the question posed by the title “can the Nets beat the Heat?” sure they can. Â May be once or twice in the series, anyway. Â If Jason Kidd and Brooklyn have any tricks up their sleeves now is the time to become magicians and start performing, otherwise they will be headed home in five, maybe even four, games.
Tip off for the Nets and Heat Game 2 is at 7 p.m. You can watch it on ESPN2.
