Re: Sportline's : Miami and Boston are close in the standings but worlds apart

[jmc@ptc.com]

I don't buy that Sportsline guy's article about Saturday's game being proof
that the Miami Heat and the Celtics being worlds apart.  Yes, Miami is more
poised and experienced, and will do better than the Celtics this season, and
might even win a championship, while the Celtics are not ready for a
championship this year.  But they're not worlds apart, either, and the 
Celtics record is no fluke.

The reporter must remember that Saturday's game was one which Miami had 3
days to prepare for, with a revenge factor from going 0-3 against the Celtics
last year, while the Celtics played a game the night before in Boston and had
to leave for Miami an hour after that game.  Even with all this advantage that 
Miami had, they were never ahead by more than 10 points until late in the 4th
quarter when Lenard started hoisting up quick 3-pointers and hitting them.

The Celtics are 0-3 in Saturday road games after a Friday home game this 
season (Indiana's home opener, the Chicago debacle, and Miami... all 
competitive games) and 6-1 in all other games (5-1 at home, 1-0 in road 
games after a day off).  The Celtics have more road games the night
after home games for their back-to-backs early in the season than any
other kind of back-to-back.  Let's see how they do this week playing 
tough teams, but playing them at home with days off before each game. 

Jon Mc