May 6, 2013
The 2013 NBA playoff conference semi-finals kick off this week and the question in the Eastern conference is still: can anybody stop the Miami Heat? The top seed take on the fifth seeded Chicago Bulls, while the third seeded Indiana Pacers play second seed the New York Knicks. Sports Passion breaks down the three keys to each match-up.
#1 Miami Heat v #5 Chicago Bulls
- Derrick Rose – Rose has always maintained that his status remains ‘up in the air’, while it feels like his team mates and the Bulls’ organization have accepted he won’t return this season. We feel it is unlikely that Rose will return for this series against the Heat. However, his return to the line-up is one of the few realistic chances that Chicago has in what appears to be an otherwise insurmountable task.
- Dwayne Wade’s health – Miami would still be major favorites for this series even if Wade wasn’t fit to play. However, the announcement that he is healthy to start this series is still very good news for the Heat. They will want and possibly need Wade to be healthy and at his best at some point during the NBA playoffs.
- Rebounding – Miami get away with not rebounding well against most opponents, but a physical, gritty and tough defensive team like Chicago might just be a different matter. Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer need to dominate the boards on both ends of the court if the Bulls are to have any chance in this series. It won’t be that easy though. Miami have found a real role for Chris Andersen. The ‘birdman’ is a force inside and suddenly the Heat have added yet another wrinkle to their already extensive repertoire.
#2 New York Knicks v #3 Indiana Pacers
- Knicks three-pointers – The Knicks have generally lived and died by the three all season long. When they shoot well they are devastating to the point of unstoppable. They averaged 11 made three-point shots per game during the season and rely heavily on that as a source of their offense. New York has to make its 3s to be successful.
- Paul George – George had a couple of pretty strong games against the Atlanta Hawks, but he had a couple of tough, disappointing outings as well. The second year player is vital to the Indiana Pacers with Danny Granger missing during these playoffs. He needs to shoot well, rebound well and generally play like the star player he emerged as during the regular season. Head coach Frank Vogel needs George to be the leader of this team.
- J.R. Smith – Smith won the sixth man of the year award and it was well deserved. His importance to the Knicks was pretty well highlighted during the series against the Boston Celtics. When Smith was on he provided bursts of offense that put New York out of reach. When was suspended or struggling, the Knicks didn’t have much to offer.
