The Miami Heat, the 4th team eliminated from the playoffs, is really no surprise. We all knew the Heat would stink without 'Zo for another season. It is so hard to think that two seasons ago, in Septermber 2000, the Heat were the easy favorite to win the East, and maybe challenge the Lakers' repeat.
What the abscence of one player can do!!!! The Heat were such great rivals.......unlike the Pacers and Bulls, you were waiting for the Knicks to slip out their knife and stab it into Pat Riley's heart. So many great moments.....the LJ/Zo tussle. The Allan Houston floater that upset the top seeded Heat and carried the Knicks to the Finals in '99. The LJ 4 point play.(or was that the Pacers?!?!) The last crazed, controversial possesion that ended the Heat's season in a game 7 in 2000. I was looking forward to years more of contentious battles, in what had certainly become the Post-Jordan Eastern Conference rivalry. Little did I know Ew, LJ, Zo, Tim Hardaway, PJ Brown, Jamal Mashburn, Jeff Van Gundy, and Marcus Camby were spending their last full seasons with their respective teams. Yikes.
I cant root against Zo, because Zo, Allen Iverson, and Joe Smith all come from where I live, and Zo always comes back to do charity work every single year. Even now. ( I saw him in person in August). Anyway, Pat Riley decided Alonzo Mourning was the player to take the Heat to the next level. So he built his team around Zo. It seemed like a good strategy, but then....we all know what happened. Now the Heat are left without a marqee player, with bad contracts, and a salary cap nightmare, because nobody wants ANYBODY on this team besides rookie Caron Butler. I think it will take the Heat years to recover. At least the Knicks still have talent. Eddie Jones and Brian Grant are OK. So is Butler. But thats about it......But with all the bashing, I think Riley has done a good job with a nightmare roster this year.
Think Im crazy? Consider this fact. The Heat have one remaining player from their last playoff battle with the Knicks. ONE. Thats astounding. And Anthony Carter isn't the player you'd want left on your roster.
Heat is latest team to fall...time to reminisce!
Moderators: wallace044, rtn393, Irv
The Game 7 in 2000 wasn't even an issue. Majerle pulled Sprewell out of bounds by his jersey. It was so blatant on the replays and I find it pathetic that the Heat whined about the referees when they were the ones cheating.
I remember the 1998 series. Oakley had that big dunk in Game 5. It was notable simply because Oakley dunked! I also remember Game 3 in 1997 when Ewing blocked Hardaway's desperation three at the buzzer.
LJ's four-point play was against Indiana in 1999.
Those annual Knicks-Heat playoff matchups were some good games. Too bad there's nothing like that now.
I remember the 1998 series. Oakley had that big dunk in Game 5. It was notable simply because Oakley dunked! I also remember Game 3 in 1997 when Ewing blocked Hardaway's desperation three at the buzzer.
LJ's four-point play was against Indiana in 1999.
Those annual Knicks-Heat playoff matchups were some good games. Too bad there's nothing like that now.
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SlingBlade
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Yea I didnt even mention 1997 or 98....yea the Pacers duhhhhhh. Still one of the greatest moments in modern Knicks' history. =)
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SlingBlade
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Id say the next two games may determine the answer to that question. At this moment in history Id have to say the Pacers.....but could be the Nets.
Also, Charles Oakley has given the Knicks a nice one year rivalry with Washington thanks to him comments.
Our greatest Western rival is definitely San Antonio--by a mile.
The Knicks are the only team to sweep the Spurs this season--and the only Eastern team in history to beat them at the SBC Center. Theyve been the best West rivals since '99 for sure
Also, Charles Oakley has given the Knicks a nice one year rivalry with Washington thanks to him comments.
Our greatest Western rival is definitely San Antonio--by a mile.
The Knicks are the only team to sweep the Spurs this season--and the only Eastern team in history to beat them at the SBC Center. Theyve been the best West rivals since '99 for sure
Biggest rival out of that list now is the Nets. Byron Scott has said enough to assure that. Indiana makes a strong case with Artest's temper, but he does that to everybody.