Regular season records: Miami, 59-23; New Jersey, 42-40
Team leaders:
Scoring-Miami: Dwyane Wade (24.1 ppg); New Jersey: Vince Carter (27.4 ppg w/Nets in 56 g; 24.3 ppg overall). Rebounding-Miami: Shaquille O'Neal (10.4 rpg); New Jersey: Jason Kidd (7.4 rpg). Assists-Miami: Wade (6.8 apg); New Jersey: Kidd (8.3 apg).
Last 10 games: Miami, 5-5; New Jersey, 8-2
Head to Head: Miami, 3-0
Analysis/Prediction: Miami has been the class of the Eastern Conference all season, but did not finish the season on a strong note. Shaquille O'Neal has missed some games due to nagging injuries and if he misses extended time in the postseason Miami would be in serious trouble. Before the O'Neal-Wade tandem takes its place in the pantheon of great duos, "Superman" and "Flash" need to win at least one title; O'Neal and Kobe Bryant won three championships, the same total claimed by the fabled Bird-McHale-Parish frontline, one more than the 1970s Knicks and two more than the Jabbar-Robertson Bucks. Miami gave up two young talents (Lamar Odom and Caron Butler) who played key roles in the Heat's 2004 playoff run to get O'Neal, so if O'Neal and Wade do not lead the Heat to a championship within the next two or three years the deal is not successful; that does not mean that Miami was wrong to acquire O'Neal, but doing so raised the stakes for the Heat-equaling the 2004 team by reaching the second round or even advancing one round further (to the Conference Finals) does not justify jettisoning Odom and Butler and paying O'Neal's large salary. New Jersey has been one of the hottest teams in the league down the stretch and would receive a big boost if Richard Jefferson is able to return for the postseason. Jason Kidd and Vince Carter have played as well as any backcourt in the league, but the Nets are weak up front (point guard Kidd leads the team in rebounding) and fared very poorly against the Heat in the regular season. Unless O'Neal misses extensive playing time, Miami wins in a sweep.
Detroit (2) vs. Philadelphia (7)
Regular season records: Detroit, 54-28; Philadelphia, 43-39
Team leaders:
Scoring-Detroit: Rip Hamilton (18.7 ppg); Philadelphia: Allen Iverson (30.7 ppg). Rebounding-Detroit: Ben Wallace (12.2 rpg); Philadelphia: Chris Webber (7.9 rpg w/Sixers in 21 g; 9.1 rpg overall). Assists-Detroit: Chauncey Billups (5.8 apg); Philadelphia: Iverson (7.9 apg).
Last 10 games: Detroit, 9-1; Philadelphia, 8-2
Head to Head: Detroit, 3-1
