nbaliveleague.com - Game of the Week

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Old School vs New School
Here we have one the old school breed GM's for the Miami Heat in the returning master Proid and on the other side for the Atlanta Hawks one of the new school guys in Ryan. Personally, it is great to see Craig back in the NLL, the guy is the jedi master of getting the best out of players based on their tendencies and he is one of the most respected GM's when it comes to thoughts and opinions on trades etc. Not much is known about new gm Ryan yet, but one thing is obvious, this man means business. After Houndy had announced his resignation, Ryan came in and saw what was on the table and pretty much threw it all off. Trading away depth but bringing in an NLL legend in Dwayne Wade caused a stir and a bit of controversy amongst the league but you've got admire anyone who guys out and brings in a stud. He made one key free agent acquisition in Al-Farouq Aminu and he should prove to be a good buy. All in all i like what Ryan has done, even if his bench depth is questioned. Craig came in and pretty much did the same. Trading away the teams biggest star in Stephen Curry and causing near riots in Miami isn't the best way to start a new life at a new team... but this is Craig, he ain't here to make friends and he isn't scared to change things up. Don't be mistaken though, it wasn't a terrible trade at all, bringing in Rudy Gay and Kemba Walker with the pick they acquired is good business for one player. Of course KG found his way into Miami as he appears to be a favorite of Craig's. Again i like what Craig has done here and immediately this team has his fingerprints all over it. About the game, i expect Atlanta to put in a real dogged effort. With no Wade it is going to be tough, but guys like Al Jefferson, Chris Bosh and Kyle Lowry will battle and battle to the last minute. The Heat come in with a clean bill of health and a bench consisting of Paul Pierce, Maurice Williams, Enes Kanter and Nate Robinson i think is going to be the difference here. Atlanta's starters will have to be ready to play as a lot is going to be asked of them in this one. Can they pull out a win a tough win here without star Dwayne Wade? Or do the Heat just have too many options from 1-10 for the Hawks to hang? Point Guard: Kemba Walker Vs Kyle Lowry I honestly cannot pick a winner here at the point guard spot. Both these guys are quality point guards in this league and put up similar numbers. More will be asked from Lowry as Wade is not playing but I just can't give an edge to either. Edge - Even Shooting Guard: Bradley Beal Vs Al-Faroug Aminu Aminu isn't really a shooting guard, but the Hawks didn't have much of an option with D-Wade and rookie Marcus Smart out.He's mainly there for defensive purposes, but Beal is the real deal. The guy is set for a big year i think and has all the attributes to be a top shooting guard in this league. Aminu's length could cause problems, but Beal's speed and quickness will test him. Edge - Beal - Heat Small Forward: Rudy Gay Vs Patrick Patterson Patrick Patterson is out of position here at the three. He's too slow to play on the perimeter and has no perimeter skills at all. Rudy will get buckets and get buckets easy here. Easy advantage here to the Heat Edge - Gay - Heat Power Forward: Kevin Garnett Vs Chris Bosh The Hawks need Bosh to step up here. He needs to shoot the ball, needs to assert himself and take a grasp of this offence. Lowry will get his, Jefferson will get his but will Bosh? The Big Ticket isn't what he is used to be. He's more like the pre-game show or opening act but he's still as fiery and competitive as ever, and will even try to bite you if he can. Edge - Bosh - Hawks Centre: Zach Randolph Vs Al Jefferson Like the point guard matchup, this is a tough one to separate. Both guys love to bang on the low block but can also step back hit the mid range J if needed. Neither jump out of the gym but are crafty on the block and have great strength and footwork to get their buckets. This match up i cannot separate. Edge - Even Bench: Paul Pierce, Maurice Williams, Enes Kanter, Nate Robinson, Glen Davis Vs Jae Crowder, Nazr Mohammed, Robert Covington, Jerome Jordan, Cory Jefferson. Enough Said. Edge - Heat.... By a long way. PREDICTION Miami Heat by 9

Old School vs New School

Here we have one the old school breed GM's for the Miami Heat in the returning master Proid and on the other side for the Atlanta Hawks one of the new school guys in Ryan. Personally, it is great to see Craig back in the NLL, the guy is the jedi master of getting the best out of players based on their tendencies and he is one of the most respected GM's when it comes to thoughts and opinions on trades etc.

Not much is known about new gm Ryan yet, but one thing is obvious, this man means business. After Houndy had announced his resignation, Ryan came in and saw what was on the table and pretty much threw it all off. Trading away depth but bringing in an NLL legend in Dwayne Wade caused a stir and a bit of controversy amongst the league but you've got admire anyone who guys out and brings in a stud. He made one key free agent acquisition in Al-Farouq Aminu and he should prove to be a good buy. All in all i like what Ryan has done, even if his bench depth is questioned.

Craig came in and pretty much did the same. Trading away the teams biggest star in Stephen Curry and causing near riots in Miami isn't the best way to start a new life at a new team... but this is Craig, he ain't here to make friends and he isn't scared to change things up. Don't be mistaken though, it wasn't a terrible trade at all, bringing in Rudy Gay and Kemba Walker with the pick they acquired is good business for one player. Of course KG found his way into Miami as he appears to be a favorite of Craig's. Again i like what Craig has done here and immediately this team has his fingerprints all over it.

About the game, i expect Atlanta to put in a real dogged effort. With no Wade it is going to be tough, but guys like Al Jefferson, Chris Bosh and Kyle Lowry will battle and battle to the last minute. The Heat come in with a clean bill of health and a bench consisting of Paul Pierce, Maurice Williams, Enes Kanter and Nate Robinson i think is going to be the difference here. Atlanta's starters will have to be ready to play as a lot is going to be asked of them in this one. Can they pull out a win a tough win here without star Dwayne Wade? Or do the Heat just have too many options from 1-10 for the Hawks to hang?

Point Guard:

Kemba Walker Vs Kyle Lowry

I honestly cannot pick a winner here at the point guard spot. Both these guys are quality point guards in this league and put up similar numbers. More will be asked from Lowry as Wade is not playing but I just can't give an edge to either.

Edge - Even

Shooting Guard:

Bradley Beal Vs Al-Faroug Aminu

Aminu isn't really a shooting guard, but the Hawks didn't have much of an option with D-Wade and rookie Marcus Smart out.He's mainly there for defensive purposes, but Beal is the real deal. The guy is set for a big year i think and has all the attributes to be a top shooting guard in this league. Aminu's length could cause problems, but Beal's speed and quickness will test him.

Edge - Beal - Heat

Small Forward:

Rudy Gay Vs Patrick Patterson

Patrick Patterson is out of position here at the three. He's too slow to play on the perimeter and has no perimeter skills at all. Rudy will get buckets and get buckets easy here. Easy advantage here to the Heat

Edge - Gay - Heat

Power Forward:

Kevin Garnett Vs Chris Bosh

The Hawks need Bosh to step up here. He needs to shoot the ball, needs to assert himself and take a grasp of this offence. Lowry will get his, Jefferson will get his but will Bosh?
The Big Ticket isn't what he is used to be. He's more like the pre-game show or opening act but he's still as fiery and competitive as ever, and will even try to bite you if he can.

Edge - Bosh - Hawks

Centre:

Zach Randolph Vs Al Jefferson

Like the point guard matchup, this is a tough one to separate. Both guys love to bang on the low block but can also step back hit the mid range J if needed. Neither jump out of the gym but are crafty on the block and have great strength and footwork to get their buckets. This match up i cannot separate.

Edge - Even

Bench:

Paul Pierce, Maurice Williams, Enes Kanter, Nate Robinson, Glen Davis Vs Jae Crowder, Nazr Mohammed, Robert Covington, Jerome Jordan, Cory Jefferson.

Enough Said.

Edge - Heat.... By a long way.

PREDICTION

Miami Heat by 9

Star

Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay just gets buckets and does it better than most in the NLL. He arrived in the Stephen Curry deal as well as Kemba Walker later on and is expected to be the focal point of the Heat's offense.

I expect Rudy to have a big one and destroy Patterson here. Patterson just doesn't have enough of a perimeter game to really trouble Rudy Gay here.

PPG

RPG

APG

SPG

BPG

FPG

TPG

Star

Chris Bosh

Chris has to get involved! If he continues his passive ways the Hawks will lose this one, and lose it big. They need him to man up and take some responsibility in this offense.

On paper he fits in perfectly in the front court with Al Jefferson. He can spread the floor and keep space open for big Al on the block but for now it just doesn't seem to be working.

Shoot the ball Chris!!

X-Factor
Key starters for the Hawks - They will need to perform if they're to have a chance in this game. The Hawks have no bench depth, Patterson is going to struggle at Small Forward and Aminu isn't going to have much of an impact on the offensive end so Bosh, Jefferson and Lowry need to have a big ones, probably 20-30 points each as crazy as that sounds. Take advantage of your depth - Rotate, rotate, rotate. The Heat could keep everyone fresh by continually rotating their team and taking advantage of the depth they have. The big three for the Hawks are going to gas by the last quarter. The Heat with all their talent will be fresh and the fourth quarter is where this game will be won. Team Defense - With 2 guys playing out of position for the Hawks they will need to make a monumental effort as a team on the defensive end. Its got to be tight and efficient and they will have to make things for Gay, Beal, Walker and Pierce as quiet as possible.

X-Factor

Key starters for the Hawks - They will need to perform if they're to have a chance in this game. The Hawks have no bench depth, Patterson is going to struggle at Small Forward and Aminu isn't going to have much of an impact on the offensive end so Bosh, Jefferson and Lowry need to have a big ones, probably 20-30 points each as crazy as that sounds.

Take advantage of your depth - Rotate, rotate, rotate. The Heat could keep everyone fresh by continually rotating their team and taking advantage of the depth they have. The big three for the Hawks are going to gas by the last quarter. The Heat with all their talent will be fresh and the fourth quarter is where this game will be won.

Team Defense - With 2 guys playing out of position for the Hawks they will need to make a monumental effort as a team on the defensive end. Its got to be tight and efficient and they will have to make things for Gay, Beal, Walker and Pierce as quiet as possible.