The 5 Worst Playoff Matchups for the Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are poised to make a deep run in the 2012 NBA Playoffs, which will hopefully lead to an appearance in the 2012 NBA Finals.

If LeBron wants to prove true on his promise of eight NBA championships for the Miami Heat, his title run has to start with his first NBA title coming in 2012.

While the Heat certainly have the talent on their roster to be competitive with any team in the NBA, there are a few teams—not named the Thunder—that could give them serious problems over the span of a seven-game series in the playoffs.

So what potential playoff matchups could give LeBron and the Heat the most trouble over the span of a seven-game series, and which teams have the potential to keep LeBron from winning his first NBA title in 2012?

Ahead are the five worst playoff matchups for the Miami Heat.

Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks

It might seem outlandish to think that the Milwaukee Bucks would be a difficult matchup for the Miami Heat to face in the playoffs this year, but then again, they did beat the Heat in two out of their three matchups this season.

The main reason why the Bucks present such a dangerous matchup for the Heat is because they present matchup issues with Miami, especially now that they have Monta Ellis running with them in Milwaukee.

Brandon Jennings is always a legitimate threat to take over a game with his pure scoring ability, and now that Ellis is in Milwaukee with him, the Bucks have him to rely on for instant scoring production as well.

With the athletecism of Ersan Ilyasova, the toughness of Drew Gooden, and the consistent play of Carlos Delfino, the Bucks have a solid supporting cast to help Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings make a potential first-round matchup with the Heat one to keep your eyes on.

Defense—not scoring—will be the key to a Miami Heat series victory if they face off against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2012 playoffs, because stopping both Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings won't be an easy task. 

Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic

Here's a matchup that Miami Heat fans are hoping to avoid come time for the 2012 NBA playoffs.

While the 2011-12 season series between the Magic and the Heat is split two games a piece, with the home team winning each time, there's no doubt that the Orlando Magic have what it will take to beat the Heat over the stretch of a seven-game series.

The Orlando Magic have a serious inside presence, with Dwight Howard in the paint, and they also have legitimate perimeter shooting, with J.J. Redick, Ryan Anderson and Jason Richardson, which has proved deadly for the Heat all season long.

The Magic live and die by the three-point shot, but when it's on, they are a nearly impossible team to beat, especially when Dwight Howard's game is on.

Now that the Miami Heat have Ronny Turiaf to throw at Howard, it will be interesting to see how the matchup between these two teams changes. But in a seven-game series, the Orlando Magic have all the tools they need to stay competitive with the Heat and potentially knock them off this postseason.

Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks

Yes, I know that the Miami Heat absolutely destroyed the Dallas Mavericks on opening day of the 2011-12 NBA season, but the Dallas Mavericks are looking like a completely different team at this point in the season.

The last thing the Heat want to be reminded of is their lack of team chemistry and inefficient play in the 2011 NBA Finals, and that's exactly what a Mavericks vs. Heat rematch this year would bring to the table.

With LeBron's somewhat shaky level of self-confidence, a re-match with the Mavericks would be a reminder of all that he wasn't for the Heat last season, and we would undoubtedly see last year's LeBron come out instead of this year's MVP version of the chosen one.

The Dallas Mavericks also create difficult matchups for the Heat, specifically with Dirk Nowitzki, who single handedly destroyed the Heat last June.

A Mavericks vs. Heat NBA Finals rematch would be fun to watch, but it would certainly be a difficult matchup for Miami and one of the worst potential matchups that they could face this upcoming postseason.

Miami Heat vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Since LeBron took his talents to South Beach, the Heat have had Kobe and the Lakers' number, winning their first four matchups with Los Angeles.

A little more than two weeks ago though, the Lakers figured out how to stop the Heat, and they did so by beating them in the paint with their center, Andrew Bynum.  While the Heat didn't have Chris Bosh in that meeting with the Lakers, there's no doubt that Los Angeles has what it takes to be competitive with the Heat over the longevity of a seven-game series.

With the additions of Ramon Sessions and Jordan Hill, the Lakers match up even better with the Miami Heat, which is reason for concern as we look towards potential playoff matchups that could keep the Heat from an NBA title in 2012.

The Lakers are always a dangerous team with Kobe, Bynum, Gasol, and now that they've added more talent to their roster, there's no doubt that they are one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of bringing the 2012 NBA title to South Beach.

If Miami meets up with LA in the 2012 NBA Finals, it will certainly be a matchup for the ages. However, it won't be the easiest finals matchup the Heat could face, as the Lakers match up extremely well with the Heat. 

Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls

Remember that time when the Chicago Bulls beat the Miami Heat without Derrick Rose on the court?  I sure do, because it's the major reason why I'm including the Bulls in the list of worst playoff matchups for the Heatles.

The Chicago Bulls are an absolutely ridiculous team.  With Derrick Rose in the lineup, they are arguably the best in the league.  With Rose on the bench, they are sometimes even better.  While I'll never understand how that's a reality for Chicago, it undoubtedly makes them one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA and one of the worst playoff matchups for the Miami Heat.

The Bulls play top-notch defense, and they also can score the ball with ease.  In their two matchups with the Heat this season, they proved that they have the depth on their roster to hang with Miami, and even outplay them without their best player on the floor, for a complete 48 minutes.

The real difference-maker in a potential Eastern Conference Finals matchup between the Heat and the Bulls will be the play of their front-court trio of Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer and Taj Gibson, against Ronny Turiaf, Joel Anthony, Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem.

A Bulls vs. Heat matchup will be won in the paint, which is not good news for the Heatles, as they have yet to find a true offensive presence at the center position.

If the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals is between the Heat and the Bulls, it will certainly have a different look and feel than last year's meeting between the two Goliaths—that's for sure.

I know that, to be the best, you have to beat the best, but as a Heat fan, I'd rather the Bulls get knocked out of the playoffs before Miami has a chance to meet up with them.

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