NBA Playoffs 2016: Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Hornets Preview

With the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets poised to face off in the first round in the 2016 NBA Playoffs, what should we expect from both teams in what will be a highly contested series?

It came down to the final night of the regular season to sort this matchup, but the Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets will be meeting in the first round of the 2016 NBA Playoffs.

There are plenty of similarities shared between the two teams as each team reinvented itself over the course of the season. Of course, that was due to reasons like injuries or adding players throughout the season, but both teams will hope to continue to have the same success over the course of the playoffs this year.

What team looks to have a better matchup?  Who has a weakness the other team will look to exploit throughout the series?  Who will end up on top and advance to the next round?

Without further adieu, let’s see what this series has in store.

Likely Starting Lineups

Point Guard

Goran Dragic (MIA) vs. Kemba Walker (CHA)

After struggling for much of the first half of the season, Dragic’s play has improved greatly since the All-Star break.

A lot of that has been due to the Heat playing with a faster pace after the break (the Heat ranked 18th in pace since mid-February, per NBA.com) and that has certainly worked well with the kind of game Dragic possesses.

A worthy candidate for Most Improved Player this season, Kemba Walker has been a big reason why the Hornets have bounced back in a big way this year.

He’s by far having the best shooting season of his career (Walker has a career-best 55 percent true shooting percentage this season) and he’ll look to live up to his “Cardiac Kemba” nickname in the playoffs.

Advantage: Charlotte Hornets

Shooting Guard

Dwyane Wade (MIA) vs. Courtney Lee (CHA)

Even at 34 years old, it’s hard to count out Dwyane Wade.

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He certainly doesn’t have the two-way impact he used to have, but he’s managed to be as effective as he can and as healthy as he can too (Wade’s 74 games this season are the highest amount of games played for him in a regular season since the 2010-11 season).

The biggest question for him this postseason is if he can carry the Heat in their first trip back to the playoffs since the dissolution of the Big Three.

Acquired just before the trade deadline, Courtney Lee has been exactly what the Hornets need at the 2-spot.

He already was having a terrific shooting season as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, but he’s managed to be even better since the All-Star Break as he’s shot 45 percent from the field and 39 percent from deep.  Those contributions from Lee are a key reason why the Hornets had the fourth-highest three-point percentage in the second half of the year.

Advantage: Miami Heat

Small Forward

Joe Johnson (MIA) vs. Nicolas Batum (CHA)

We all counted him out, but Joe Johnson has revitalized himself since signing with the Heat.

His shooting numbers have dramatically improved over the last month and a half and his presence in Miami have been why the Heat have reinvented themselves as a highly productive offense since the All-Star Break (the Heat were ranked sixth in offensive rating since the break).

A lot of the same applies for Nic Batum.

After going through a lost season last year with the Portland Trail Blazers, Batum has reinvigorated the Hornets and his improved play this season has contributed to why the Hornets had the ninth-highest offensive rating in the NBA this season. However, a big question mark hangs over Batum’s status as he suffered a sprained left ankle just before the end of the season.

Advantage: Charlotte Hornets

Power Forward

Luol Deng (MIA) vs. Marvin Williams (CHA)

Another benefit from the Heat’s offensive transformation, Luol Deng has been very solid since he shifted to the 4-spot.  Deng’s increased his points per game (15.8), rebounds per game (8.1) and he holds the highest plus/minus than any other player for the Heat since the All-Star Break.

For Marvin Williams, it’s been a career year for the 29-year-old product from North Carolina.

Williams has remade himself as a stretch-4 this season and his three-point percentage (40 percent) have been what the Hornets needed to rebuild their offense into a modern and effective one this year.

Advantage: Push

Center

Hassan Whiteside (MIA) vs. Al Jefferson/Cody Zeller (CHA)

After spending much of the second half of the year coming off the bench, Hassan Whiteside has been reinserted back into the starting lineup recently.

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That’s probably for the better as his numbers since the All-Star break have been in a league of their own and with questions regarding the Heat’s backup big men, Whiteside’s play in the playoffs will be vital for the Heat if they want to make a deep run.

For Charlotte, it’s a toss-up who Hornets head coach Steve Clifford will roll out as their starting big man.  Much of their success on both ends of the floor have come with Cody Zeller starting and after missing time due to injury as well as a suspension, Al Jefferson has been effective for the Hornets coming off the bench.

With that said, Clifford might play to what he thinks is a better matchup (advantage Zeller) or a veteran presence on a big stage (advantage Jefferson).

Advantage: Miami Heat

Sixth Man/Bench

Justise Winslow (MIA) vs. Jeremy Lin (CHA)

The Hornets have instant offense off the bench with Jeremy Lin, but Justise Winslow’s defensive versatility has come through time and time again for the Heat throughout the season.

Additionally, Josh Richardson has excelled coming off the bench since the All-Star Break and his shooting, especially from beyond the arc (Richardson’s shooting 50 percent from deep since All-Star Weekend) has been a revelation for the Heat.

However, can Richardson and Winslow stay calm and controlled in a playoff environment?  Also, do the Heat have an answer for Jefferson defensively if he’s coming off the bench?

How those questions are answered could be what team’s bench has the upper hand in the series.

Advantage: Push

Coaching

Erik Spoelstra (MIA) vs. Steve Clifford (CHA)

Oh boy, will this be a battle.

Spoelstra has been here many times before and the work he’s done to retool the Heat with all the circumstances they’ve had to deal with throughout the season has been quite remarkable.

The same goes for Clifford and the fact that the Hornets are even a sixth seed, much less in the playoffs, given all the blows they’ve been dealt just shows how exceptional of a job Clifford has done this season.

Spoelstra has the playoff experience over Clifford, but that might not matter if Clifford can get his young team clicking on all cylinders early in the series.

Advantage: Push

Key Matchup

Joe Johnson (MIA) vs. Nicolas Batum (CHA)

There are plenty of interesting matchups to choose from, but Batum going against Johnson is arguably the biggest one for many reasons.

For one, Batum’s health is key going forward.  His Swiss Army knife versatility for the Hornets on both ends of the floor has been instrumental behind the team’s success this season and his ability to facilitate on offense lightens the load for Kemba Walker.

Secondly, Johnson has rediscovered his shot since coming to Miami, but Batum’s length and athleticism look to be a problem for Johnson if Batum is close to being fully healthy.

Both players are key to their team’s success on offense and if either one starts struggling for whatever reason, it could leave their respective teams scrambling for answers.

Miami Will Win If…

Their proven veterans can deliver their post-ASB offensive production.

Charlotte Will Win If…

They push the pace and neutralize Whiteside.

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Prediction:

Miami Heat defeats Charlotte Hornets 4-3.