NFL
By Chris Molicki
These two teams met in the playoffs two years ago, but a lot has changed. The Bobcats are now the Hornets. LeBron James is no longer in Miami. And the entire complexion of the rosters is vastly different. Charlotte has a nice set of young talent that could be gearing for a sneaky playoff run. However, their first test is a veteran squad with a lot of playoff experience.
When the Heat have the ball: It doesn’t seem like Chris Bosh will be making an appearance for the Heat, which is a shame. Bosh opens everything else up for Miami, and he’s also a plus defender. Now, the offense will run mainly through Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade. But the Heat should expect contributions from a variety of other places. Joe Johnson is back and could be an x factor. Luol Deng has found his niche on this team. And Hassan Whiteside rampaged through the second half of the season as a truly frightening force. Erik Spoelstra is going to have to get creative and push the right buttons against a Hornets defense that’s top ten in the NBA. Plenty of his players have a lot of miles on them, and he’ll have to be smart when determining who gets the ball when. A vintage Wade performance would certainly skyrocket Miami’s chances.
When the Hornets have the ball: To go with their top-ten defense, the Hornets also sport a top-ten offense, thanks to coach Steve Clifford shifting the team’s philosophy to a more three-point happy attack. They have at least two players at positions 1-4 that are a threat from downtown, and that’s something that can really put a strain on defenses. But the key for Charlotte is their penetrating point guards, Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lin. The pair has been absolutely ferocious attacking the basket this season, and that could prove to be a big advantage over the aging backcourt of Dragic and Wade. Josh Richardson may be called upon often to slow this duo down, but I’m not sure the rookie is up to the task.
Matchup to watch: Nicolas Batum vs. Justise Winslow. Batum has been the do-it-all player that Charlotte has been missing. He can hit threes at a high clip, he’s a solid passer, and he defends well. But the rookie Winslow has been an awesome defender in his first year in the league. If he can slow Batum down, it might mess up the Hornets’ offense and throw them off their game. Of course, I’m sure Winslow will be on a lot of different players in this series.
Pick-Hornets in 6: Charlotte is playing a more modern-style NBA game, and they actually have the resources to do so. I think the young legs on the Hornets will be able to overpower the old guys in Miami and send the Heat packing early.
