The Miami Heat have arrived!
Miami blew through the first round of playoffs, beating the Charlotte Bobcats in four straight games. In the last game of the series, LeBron James suffered a thigh injury, but he believes it'll be better for the by the time round two against the Brooklyn Nets tips off.
The Nets barely made it past the Toronto Raptors in the first round, where a Paul Pierce block helped Brooklyn escape Toronto in Game 7.
During the regular season, Brooklyn swept Miami, giving them a bit of a confidence edge. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett know LeBron well by now, and they won't let him control the game like he did against Charlotte.
The Heat looked great in the first round despite a rocky end to the regular season, and they'll need to hope the series with Charlotte was all they needed to get back in gear.
Brooklyn's Joe Johnson and rookie C Mason Plumlee are also looking good, and could potentially create matchup challenges for Miami. Nets PG Deron Williams has flown under the radar compared to the rest of Brooklyn's acquisitions, but he's another dynamic player who the Heat will have to contain.
The Nets are going to be tougher competition than the Bobcats - that much is clear. A second sweep would put Miami in a great position for the Eastern Conference Finals, but is it likely?
The number-two seeded Heat played some of their best basketball this season during the first round, and they've had a nice long break to rest up and practice for the Nets. Brooklyn, which just finished a grueling seven-game series with the Toronto Raptors, won't be as well-rested, but they won't be cold or out-of-practice.
With both teams healthy and fired up, another sweep seems unrealistic. The Nets have the potential to pull out at least one win against the two-time defending champs, but Miami should have no problem winning the series if they continue to play the way they did against Charlotte.
Prediction: Miami wins the series in 5.
