[Lefty Noob]

Dwayne Wade scored 40 points against Washington yesterday as the Miami Heat won their 10th straight game, 118-112 over the Wizards. Add 21 from Jason Williams and a double-double (19pts, 11reb) from Shaq and it looks like you've got an almost perfect recipe for success. Miami is now 40-20 and have a 10-game lead on the Wizards. Can this club actually stay hot and challenge the Pistons for the top seed in the East?

[cjg11582]

Probably not, as of late they have been playing better than The Pistons, but Detroit has a nine game cushion to fall back on and while they haven't been playing as well since the first half of the season, they would really have to go on a losing streak to blow that lead. But they are a surefire lock for the two seed and will coast to the Eastern Conference finals, should be a great series.

[Lefty Noob]

Pistons - Heat would make an excellent Eastern Conference Final, should it happen. I'd hate to have to pick a winner in that right now. I mean, the Heat are just so... well, so HOT right now (sorry) that it'd be hard to pick against them.

[Calder]

It's so easy to forget now that the Heat were about as close as you can get to the Finals last year without making it, and they'll probably have as good a chance this time around. A lot of people harpooned on the fact that Miami brought in "fantasy players" over the offseason, but this team of so-called egos has actually played together rather well.

[pete_b]

This year's East Conference playoff is going to be better than last year's. Shaq has really settled in and is seen as a part of Miami instead of just a recent trade. I think Miami is gonna win. Detroit isn't gonna have the stamina to stand up to Miami.

[Lefty Noob]

Well, so much for that winning streak.

The Golden State guard scored a career-high 44 points to win a shootout with Dwyane Wade and spark a 111-106 victory Friday, snapping Miami's 10-game winning streak.

...

The Heat had the longest current winning streak in the NBA, although none of their past 10 games was against a team now above .500. That included the last-place Warriors, who snapped a four-game losing streak and won on the road for the first time in seven tries since the All-Star break.

So where do the Heat go from here. Not time to hit the panic button yet, right?

[pete_b]

I am totally perplexed Lefty. I cannot believe that the Heat lost to Golden State. I think that that might be the only problem that the Heat have. Its inability to stay focused when there is no challenge. I think right now they just have their eyes on getting to the conference finals and maybe they are just saving their energy for the Pistons. Is there any other logical explanation for losing to the Warriors?

[Lefty Noob]

Losing to the Warriors and beating the Cavs? Miami's the Eastern version of L.A.!

[pete_b]

Oh come on now Lefty lets not be demeaning. Miami is definitely not L.A. and yes I know you were joking. But I think that they are looking at the long haul. If you have the division why fight?