After one of the most turbulent seasons in franchise history, the Miami Heat finished the regular season 48-34 with the third seed and are proud owners of the South East division title. As the postseason begins, they’ll turn their attention to the Charlotte Hornets (48-34), the East’s sixth best team, who the Heat will play in the first round.
Both teams enjoyed dramatic turnarounds after the All-Star break with different players finding their footing and flourishing. Now the third (Hornets) and fifth (Heat) best teams since the break will go at it as multiple players are ready to show what they possess.
Here’s a look at the individual matchups for the starting lineup and who has the advantage.
1. Goran Dragic vs. Kemba Walker
Without a doubt this will be the most important head-to-head matchup of the series. The two starting point guards led their teams to some of the best records in the East during the second half of the season following unproductive years.
After a few subpar seasons and a sweep by the LeBron James-led Heat, Walker has elevated his game to the next level, averaging 20.9 points, 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds. The quick guard has emerged as the Hornets’ franchise player and is hungry to show the league his capability after being snubbed from the All-Star game.
Dragic struggled heavily in the beginning of the season to find a groove but went through a revival after the Heat turned to a much faster offense. Since the All-Star break, Dragic has put up 17.3 points, 6.7 assists and 4.6 rebounds a game.
While the 85-million dollar Heat point guard saw his production spike up with the team’s new style of play, his impact and stats still stand away from competing with Walker’s. The point guard out of the University of Connecticut is fast, crafty at the rim and a much-improved, dependable three-point shooter.
Simply put, Dragic isn’t on the same level as Walker and not the definitive leader of this Heat team. Playing in his first postseason since 2010, the Slovenian will also look to show everybody he’s the real deal and earn people’s respect. Facing a borderline All-Star in Walker will give him that platform after six long years of waiting, but he’ll have to outperform the opposing, perilous point guard in an impactful way.
Advantage: Charlotte
Next: Shooting Guard
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2. Dwyane Wade vs. Courtney Lee
If there’s one area the Heat have a clear advantage in, it’s the shooting guard position. Wade is a more productive player than Lee in numerous aspects of the game. Wade, who’s noted the regular season means little to him, will take his game to the next level as the Heat rely on his superstar play.
Lee, 30, has developed a nice role in Charlotte since being traded, but the guard has barely performed beyond the average status. Asking the eight-year pro to guard a future Hall-of-Famer will be a daunting task.
Whether it’s Lee, Nicolas Batum or Marvin Williams spending time guarding Wade, they’re going to have trouble containing the Heat’s all-time leading scorer. The 13-year veteran will be in the postseason for the 11th time of his career. Not only does Wade have more postseason experience than Lee but he’s played in more playoff games than the entire Hornets starting lineup combined.
Advantage: Miami
Next: Small Forward
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3. Joe Johnson vs. Nicolas Batum
Johnson and Batum will each be making their postseason debut for their respective team. Eager to prove they can make the impact they were brought in to make, the two will be active and playing a lot. Although they are matched up against each other, Johnson and Batum play very different roles with the forwards’ careers gauged in opposite directions.
Batum, 27, is having a stellar year with the Hornets, after playing the first seven seasons of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers. The French native has averaged career-highs in points (14.9) and assists (6.1) in addition to putting up 6.1 boards a game. Batum, the series’ best all-around player, has notched two triple-doubles on the season and has really looked like he’s entering the prime of his career.
Johnson, on the other hand, is far removed from his best days. The 34-year-old is putting up a decent 13.4 points on 51-percent field-goal shooting and 41-percent three-point shooting. Johnson wasn’t brought in to Miami to carry the Heat through the postseason. Johnson, who sort of dictates his flow of the game, will be utilized for spurts of the game. When the game is slowed down and the Heat are forced to operate solely in the half-court game, Johnson’s impact will be invaluable. The 15-year wing also gives the Heat another premier closer next to Wade.
Even though Johnson has saved his best for the playoffs, Batum’s range of impact is greater. Largely due to the fact that Batum is a strong two-way player, hustling on both sides of the floor at all times, the small forward offers Charlotte something consistent the whole game.
Advantage: Charlotte
Next: Power Forward
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4. Luol Deng vs. Marvin Williams
Perhaps the most underrated member of their respective teams, Deng and Williams may not receive the star attention they deserve during this series but they will make a difference.
Williams has been having a resurgent year, averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds, his best numbers since the 2008-2009 season. On top of that, the forward is drilling a career-high 40 percent of his shots from downtown.
Deng had a rough start to the season but was one of the players who found his way after the break. Since then, the 11-year veteran has posted averages of 15.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals.
While Deng’s All-Star days are behind him, the 30-year-old has been to the playoffs multiple times. With the Duke University product’s experience, toughness and passion, Williams will have a hard time matching the energy. Similar to Batum, Deng’s production will be heavy on both sides of the court, giving him the edge over Williams.
Advantage: Miami
Next: Center
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5. Hassan Whiteside vs. Cody Zeller
There’s no debate that Whiteside is the better center here. Zeller isn’t bad, but Whiteside outweighs Charlotte’s starting center in points (14.3), rebounds (11.8) and blocks (3.7).
Zeller does, however, top the Heat’s big man in one area: speed. The third-year pro is the fastest center in the league, which might give Whiteside some trouble. Zeller’s ability to get to both sides of the court so quickly may drain Whiteside from the beginning of the game and really force him to earn his points. Another glaring fact that may be an issue for Whiteside is his lack of postseason experience. The 7-footer is the only player of both starting lineups to never play in the playoffs.
Apart from that, the Marshall University product should have a strong showing in his first playoff series. Earlier in the season, the league’s leading shot blocker accumulated one of his triple-doubles against the Hornets. Zeller’s advantages are just easily trumped by Whiteside’s dominant defensive skills and growing offensive array.
Advantage: Miami
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