Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Van Gundy: Be careful what you wish for in playoffs
ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy issued a “be careful what you wish for” warning when it comes to potential Miami Heat maneuvering for their firstround playoff matchup.
With All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis sidelined by a foot injury and former All-Star guard Victor Oladipo noncommittal about playing the seeding games at Disney World, the Indiana Pacers would appear to be the preferred first-round matchup for the Heat. By contrast, the Philadelphia 76ers, the other most likely first-round matchup for Erik Spoelstra’s team, have seemingly coalesced during camp and scrimmages in the NBA’s bubble setting.
“You have to be very careful about what you hope for as a team,” Van Gundy said on a conference call in advance of ESPN’s resumption of coverage, “and I think it’s — you know, Sabonis is a heck of a player — but you would be underestimating an Indiana team and a Nate McMillan-coached team if you thought was the better matchup.
“They are tough and play exceptionally hard and they have good depth.”
The Heat enter the eightgame seeding schedule as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, at 41-24. The Pacers are No. 5 by tiebreaker over the 76ers, at 39-26. The No. 4 seed plays the No. 5 seed in the first round. Two of the Heat’s final three games of the seeding round are against Indiana, which could decide the ultimate opening-round pairings. The Heat hold the playoff tiebreaker over Indiana and Philadelphia, and have already clinched a postseason berth.
“Philly is really good,” Van Gundy said. “I’m interested to see how the Ben Simmons morphing between point guard and power forward works out, how [Al] Hartford adjusts to the bench.”
Not that the former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets coach would sell the Heat short in either potential pairing.
“Miami can beat anybody in the East in a series if they are healthy and playing at their best,” Van Gundy said.
But Van Gundy stopped short of listing the Heat as East elite, even with two victories apiece this season against the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors, and three against the 76ers.
“They wouldn’t be the favorite obviously,” he said. “Toronto, Boston and obviously Milwaukee are terrific teams. But Miami, their combination of defense, unselfishness and depth, I think is going to make them hard to beat no matter who they play.”
Mark Jackson, Van Gundy’s fellow ESPN analyst, said if the Heat enter with the right mindset they could contend with anyone in the East.
“I agree with what Coach said,” the former Golden State Warriors coach said of Van Gundy. “If I’m Miami, I wouldn’t be concerned about competing. I would be concerned making sure we’re mentally and physically in the right frame of mind. It’s about the way they shoot the ball, the versatility, the depth, and the extremely well coaching they have in Erik Spoelstra.”
With all games being held without fans at the Wide World of Sports complex, it has created doubleheader opportunities for Jackson, Van Gundy and playby-play man Mike Breen.
For example, the trio will call the Heat’s resumption opener on Saturday against the Denver Nuggets at 1 p.m. on ESPN, and later call the New Orleans Pelicans-Los Angeles Clippers game that day at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
“I think two games in a day sometimes is going to be fun,” Van Gundy said. “The only time I ever did two games in a day was Mark’s first game as head coach of the Warriors, in that we did a game in Dallas [the Heat’s opener that season, in 2011-12] and then did his game at night, which was a thrill. So that will be fun.”