Hey guys...Miami's up.

[Employee8]

As you already know, Miami got demolished by NY. How humiliating...To make matters worse, Shaq is going to be out for 4-6 weeks...

This should be a big opportunity for BOTH TEAMS to make a statement. For the Hawks, to say that We're For REAL(finally..lol)!

For the Heat, to say that we have a Pulse and a Heart...and we give a damn. sheeesh...

[Diesel]

Welcome back #8.

I suspect that since your boy scored only 3 points last night, he'll be looking to reprove himself. It will be interesting to see how he plays against the young guns that he mentored a few years ago.

[DrReality]

NY scored 12 points in the last quarter while Miami only scored 13. That's ugly basketball.

Hopefully the fact that our guys have had some time to rest and prepare for this game will be to our advantage.

[Employee8]

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Welcome back #8.

I suspect that since your boy scored only 3 points last night, he'll be looking to reprove himself. It will be interesting to see how he plays against the young guns that he mentored a few years ago.

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yeah...hopefully he'll have a better showing.

But I'm still forever-giddy that he finally got a ring to shut up all the doubters out there.

However that was then....this is now. I think Riley may go to a Lineup like this today :

PG JWill

SG DWade

SF Posey

PF Toine

C Haslem

He'll be forced to go the "Small Ball" route until Shaq comes back....

[TheDude]

i hope many of us aren't taking them for granted. the are still the defending champs and although shaq is hurt are capable of burying us. seems to me they just havent gotten in the groove just yet..

with that said, i say we win.

[Peoriabird]

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i hope many of us aren't taking them for granted. the are still the defending champs and although shaq is hurt are capable of burying us..

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If this Miami team beats us at home without Shaq after playing last night and us resting comfortably having had 3 days off with younger legs, then we should stop any talk of playoffs immediately because they are not that good.

[Lascar78]

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If this Miami team beats us at home without Shaq after playing last night and us resting comfortably having had 3 days off with younger legs, then we should stop any talk of playoffs immediately because they are not that good.

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This is the NBA though. Anything can happen on any given night. See Miami-Chicago opening night.

[sick_five]

If the team beats Miami, it will be much easier to swallow the losses to Seattle and Milwaukee.

[Peoriabird]

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This is the NBA though. Anything can happen on any given night. See Miami-Chicago opening night.

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Opening night victory is a lot different from and older team with out it dominatw center playing the second game of a back to back against a fresh young team that can run on the road. As far as Miami losing opening night, Most teams lose the game after their ring cerimony. Secondly, Miami is very old and was without their starting poing guard. Miami is not the best team in the NBA when healthy. Not even the best team in the division without Shaq.

[Jdawgflow]

Who would you say is the best team in the division?

[Peoriabird]

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Who would you say is the best team in the division?

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The Hawks of course

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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i hope many of us aren't taking them for granted. the are still the defending champs and although shaq is hurt are capable of burying us..

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If this Miami team beats us at home without Shaq after playing last night and us resting comfortably having had 3 days off with younger legs, then we should stop any talk of playoffs immediately because they are not that good.

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LOL . . there shouldn't be talk of playoffs anyway. But a loss against the Heat isn't necessarily an indictment against us.

You have to remember that the Heat still has one of the top 5 players in this league, in Dwyane Wade. Don't be surprised if he takes his game to the next level while Shaq is out, and tries to go for 35 ppg.

Hopefully, it won't start with us . . but it very well could.

Having said that, I do expect a Hawks victory tonight.

[Peoriabird]

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have to remember that the Heat still has one of the top 5 players in this league, in Dwyane Wade. Don't be surprised if he takes his game to the next level while Shaq is out, and tries to go for 35 ppg.

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A guy by the name of Labron is better and we beat him in his own building. Plus he has a better supporting cast. Stop short changing your team.

[Lascar78]

I'm just saying. I don't think San Antonio gave up last year after the lowly hawks beat them. Or the pistons. In the NBA anything can happen on any given night.

Personally I still like my preseason prediction of 38 wins. We have an outside chance of squeaking into the playoffs, but no one should expect it.

[Peoriabird]

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I'm just saying. I don't think San Antonio gave up last year after the lowly hawks beat them. Or the pistons. In the NBA anything can happen on any given night.

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Again lightening can strike your home during a thunder storm but the percentages should be with he home team because of the circumstances. I'm pretty sure if you did a little research on teams playing the second game of a back to back against a rested team, the odds are in the favor of the rested team. The Hawks proved that last year with San Antonio