Jeff Van Gundy: Heat can win 73
ESPNChicago.com
When Michael Jordan presents Scottie Pippen during his Hall of Fame induction this weekend, it's a safe bet the Chicago Bulls' record-setting, 72-win season of 1995-96 will find its way into the speech.
According to Jeff Van Gundy's thinking, it's a good thing Pippen is being inducted this year, because Van Gundy predicts that record might fall this season.
Van Gundy, speaking Monday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000, backed up a prediction he made to the Miami Herald that the Miami Heat can break the Bulls' record.
"I would think that everybody would think they would have a great shot at it," said Van Gundy, a former NBA head coach and current ABC/ESPN analyst. "I don't know if I said they will or they have a great chance, whatever I said, I just think if they're healthy, the discrepancy between their talent level and and the next level is so great, that I just don't see how they lose games. I think they're that good."
Van Gundy told the Herald that the Heat will break the record, and that they have a "legit shot" at the Los Angeles Lakers' 33-game win streak, which they set in the 1971-72 season.
"Erik Spoelstra is a heck of a coach, so they're going to be motivated to play well defensively, which is about coaching, and offensively they're going to be an absolute nightmare to deal with," Van Gundy said on ESPN 1000. "If LeBron James can win 66 games in the regular season with the guys he played with, who I think are better than people have given them credit for in Cleveland, then I think you add Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Mike Miller, it's not a stretch to say they can win six more."
Van Gundy backed off -- slightly -- from his claim that the Lakers are the only team that could beat the Heat in a playoff series.
"I think Boston -- with the [Shaquille] O'Neal signing -- has a legitimate chance as well," he said. "But I think those are the only two teams that have a chance in a playoff series to beat them."
Van Gundy believes it's become popular to pick against the Heat.
"I think people are trying to pick on Miami right now instead of opening their eyes to just how great they are," he said. "There are going to be no chemistry issues. Wade and James are unselfish players.
"That doesn't mean if they win a championship it's a great accomplishment either, because they're so much better than everybody. But to discount just how good they are, I think people are making a mistake."
I'm not sure how to take these comments. I could say it comes from some talking head ESPN windbag who should realize that records like the 72-win record don't come along just because of a boatload. Or I could say it comes from a veteran NBA coach who knows what a team needs to win it all. But I think I'll side with the former. Van Gundy should realize that his New York teams were always superior to his Houston teams because he had gritty role players who fit well together with his 1-2 superstars.
Lets forget the chemistry issues. Sure, this is a talented team but how are they going to defend down low against the other bigs in the East (or the lakers for that matter) with only one sizable player (and if you say Udonis Haslem if shouldering that load you're dead ass wrong). So lets hold off on crowing the Heat the greatest team of all time at least until the All-Star break.
The truth of this story is that Jeff Van Gundy wants to pump up a contender to Michael Jordan's throne. But he spoke too soon. His Airness is going to put Van Gundy on blast during Pippen's introduction and for once I'll be happy when MJ acts like a jerk. This time Van Gundy deserves it.
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