| Marty Burns' Breakdown |
|---|
| Miami |
|
Detroit |
| Alonzo Mourning has carried the Heat all season as a scorer, defender and
shot-blocker. If Tim Hardaway can't play, the ever-intense 'Zo will have to do
even more -- a tall order even against Detroit's thin front
line. |
CENTER The Edge:
 |
Terry Mills, a former member of the Heat, will have his hands full with
Mourning. He must stay out of foul trouble on defense and hit a lot of his
trademark threes on offense to keep 'Zo out of the
paint. |
|
| P.J. Brown is the most underrated power forward in the game, a guy who
does all the little things but can still knock down the clutch jumper. Jamal
Mashburn is a wizard in the low post and open court, but is maddeningly
inconsistent. He can run the offense in Hardaway's absence, but he's turnover
prone. |
FORWARDS The Edge:
None |
Now that he's added the three-point shot to his repertoire, Grant Hill
is an even better all-around player. However, Hill has been bothered of late by
a bruised left foot. If he's not able to attack the basket, and help draw fouls
on Mourning, the Pistons will suffer. Laettner can play when he wants to, but
tends to disappear for stretches. |
|
| After missing 26 games with a sore knee, Tim Hardaway returned to action
only to go down at the end of the season with two separate left foot ailments.
There is no doubt the Heat need their veteran floor leader. Dan Majerle can
still play, but the new rules have limited his effectiveness on D. |
GUARDS The Edge:
 |
With Hill hobbled, look for Jerry Stackhouse to pick up the slack. He
should be able to slash to the hole at will against Majerle, but must be careful
not to force it inside against Mourning. Lindsey Hunter is one of the top
three-point shooters in the NBA because he gets lots of open looks off Hill's
and Stackhouse's
penetration. |
|
| Rookie point guard Anthony Carter will play a key role if Hardaway can't
play. Carter is good on the run, but doesn't shoot well and is nowhere near as
crafty as Tiny Tim. Clarence Weatherspoon and Mark Strickland are solid in the
frontcourt. |
BENCH The Edge:
|
Jerome Williams always provides a lift with his hustle and hard work on
the boards, and Michael Curry is a hard-nosed defender in the Pat Riley mold.
Backup center Mikki Moore is active, but too raw to get much done against
Mourning. |
|
| After two straight first-round playoff exits, the hard-nosed Heat won't
go down easily. They also will find motivation in recent comments by Stackhouse
that the Pistons were glad to be facing them instead of the
Pacers. |
INTANGIBLES The Edge:
|
The Pistons lost five of their final seven, an ominous sign heading
into the playoffs. Still, they genuinely seem to like playing for new coach
George Irvine, and they seem to be a confident group.
|
|
| Pat Riley is the winningest playoff coach in NBA history. He's especially
good when everybody counts his team out, which will happen if Hardaway can't
play. |
COACH The Edge:
|
Since taking over for Alvin Gentry late in the season, George Irvine
has led the Pistons to a 14-10 record. However, he lacks NBA playoff bench
experience. |
|
| If Hardaway can't play -- and play well -- the Heat will be ripe for the
picking.
|
'X' FACTOR The Edge:
|
If Hill can't play -- and play well -- the Pistons have little chance
of pulling off the
upset. |
| Burns' Prediction: Heat in 5 |
|---|
| |
