1 Way Each Eastern Conference Playoff Team Can Challenge Miami Heat

The biggest, and perhaps only question entering the 2013 NBA playoffs is, can anyone take down the Miami Heat?

The Heat secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference weeks ago, and their 64-16 record assures them home-court advantage throughout the postseason. However, there are still seven other teams in the conference's playoff picture.

Those teams have taken a backseat to the Heat all season and would like nothing more than to take them out during the playoffs. The No. 8-seeded Milwaukee Bucks will have the first crack at Miami in the opening round.

As great as the Heat have been throughout the season, they are not without flaws. For example, they happen to be the worst rebounding team in the NBA. Their 38.6 boards per game could allow an opening for a team to take advantage.

Each playoff team in the East has a certain player, combination or skill set that could help them challenge the Heat.

There is some reason they got to this point. They just have to use it effectively.

No. 8: Milwaukee Bucks

If you're looking for a team that can exploit the Miami Heat's rebounding woes, you may have found it in the Milwaukee Bucks.

Despite their status as the low seed in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks are now fifth overall in rebounds per game. Their 43.9 clip is second to only the Indiana Pacers in the conference. 

Milwaukee finished the year 1-3 against Miami, but lost one game in overtime and won one by 19 points. However, the game they won was not the game they won the rebounding battle. Instead, they locked down their defensive pressure on Miami's supporting cast. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade got to 50 points combined, but the rest of the team brought only an additional 35.

They forced the Heat into 20 turnovers, largely due to their ability to clutter the interior with big and athletic bodies. Chris Bosh somehow turned eight offensive rebounds into just 12 points. A big part of that was Larry Sanders, Epke Udoh and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute combining for eight blocked shots.

With those three healthy, plus Ersan Ilyasova and John Henson, the Bucks have the interior depth to really wreak havoc on the still questionable frontcourt of the Heat. 

The one advantage Milwaukee will have won't be their star guards, Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, but their background pieces in the frontcourt.

No. 7: Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics recently locked up the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference, meaning a rematch of last season's conference finals will have to wait until at least the 2013 version.

This is what the Celtics wanted, avoiding the Miami Heat in the first two rounds, allowing for a somewhat lighter path to the third round. They will open with the New York Knicks, but their eyes and hearts may still be searching for another shot at the Heat. 

Boston was 1-3 against Miami this season, winning a double-overtime thriller in January. That lone victory came on the wings of a Paul Pierce triple-double and 24 points and 11 rebounds from Kevin Garnett.

While the Celtics likely won't have a chance without a healthy Pierce and Garnett on the floor, the true chance for Boston to challenge Miami is Jeff Green. 

Since being inserted into the starting lineup and let off the leash a little bit, Green averaged 34 points over two games against the Heat on 63 percent shooting. His presence provides the Celtics with a younger and bigger man than Pierce to guard LeBron James, while allowing Pierce to concentrate more on his scoring.

Green is a supreme wild card offensively, which is sometimes exactly what is needed to take on Miami.

No. 6: Chicago Bulls

Despite stumbling recently and dropping their last game to the Miami Heat, 105-93, the Chicago Bulls have the ability to really cause them some trouble.

As everyone knows, it was the Bulls that ended the Heat's 27-game win streak. They finished the season 2-2 against Miami, with that big March 27 win being the signature. The recent loss, with the Bulls playing very short-handed, was the first time this season they allowed the Heat into the triple-digits.

The Bulls pride themselves on an ability to batter and bruise teams into submission. It isn't a pretty style of play, but it wins. They are the league's No. 8 rebounding team and No. 3 ranked team in points allowed. 

Their greatest asset in these games may be Tom Thibodeau, who's coaching style is not one the Heat enjoy playing. Judging by LeBron James' comments after that streak-ending loss, the Heat really prefer not to be beaten up during games.

When you're uncomfortable, it is hard to be successful. So the Bulls' greatest chance comes from making the Heat as uncomfortable as possible.

No. 5: Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have yet to get a win over the Miami Heat this season. They went 0-4 against them in the regular season, never coming closer than the 95-89 loss in November.

Therefore, the Hawks don't really have much of a blueprint as to how they can successfully match up with the Heat. They have averaged only 88 points over the four losses, struggling to score in each game.

The one small thing they may not be focusing enough on is their bigs abilities as passers. The Hawks boast two of the league's best passing big men in Josh Smith and Al Horford. The two average a combined 7.5 assists per game. 

However, they have dealt out only a combined 22 over the four games against Miami, and that was helped along by Smith's nine in one game.

If they can consistently run their inside-outside plays with the likes of Kyle Korver and John Jenkins on the receiving end of open threes, they will be able to challenge the Heat.

Both three-point specialists have some size and make it difficult for players to close out on them, especially when those players are the ages of Mike Miller and Ray Allen.

No. 4: Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets appear to have lucked out by only seeing the Miami Heat three times this season. Especially when considering their closest game came in a 13-point defeat.

The Nets were dominated by the Heat in three games during the regular season, including a 30-point beatdown before the Nets really found their footing in the 2012-13 season.

For what it is worth, all three losses came during rough patches for the Nets, who are still 14 games over .500. The first loss was their first road game as the Brooklyn Nets. The second loss came without Brook Lopez and the final one came shortly after road battles against the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies.

Interestingly, the game without Lopez was when the Nets came closest to defeating the Heat, holding a 14-point lead at one point. The reasoning may have come in the form of Andray Blatche at starting center. Blatche played his normal uninhibited style, which allowed for 20 points and eight boards, on 8-of-12 shooting.

Brook Lopez tallied 21 points in the final game against the Heat, but got no help from anyone else. Lopez' abilities as an interior and mid-range scorer is what gives the Nets a minor edge. Chris Bosh is a very set defender, as are the rest of the Heat's bigs. They dislike having to cover a variety of offensive weaponry.

That should allow Lopez to grab the upper hand offensively and dominate a series. If he can't aggressively challenge the Miami frontcourt, then the Nets really don't have a chance.

No. 3: Indiana Pacers

More than any team besides maybe the Boston Celtics, the Indiana Pacers have experience handling the Miami Heat.

After battling them through six games in the second round of the 2012 playoffs, the Pacers have won 2-of-3 matchups this season. In both wins, the NBA's No. 2 defensive and No. 1 rebounding team was able to hold Miami under 90 points.

Like established earlier with the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat aren't a fan of playing uncomfortable basketball. There are few things in the NBA right now less comfortable than trying to score and rebound against the frontcourt of Roy Hibbert, David West and Paul George. Those three all average better than 7.5 rebounds per game.

They have been able to lock down the painted area this season with incredible success, earning them the Central Division crown.

In their three contests, the Pacers have held the Heat to just 92 total points in the paint. They have also outrebounded Miami in every game.

Last season the Pacers may have caught the Heat offguard in the playoffs, but the facts remain that they can disrupt the best offenses in the league with regularity.

No. 2: New York Knicks

If the No. 2 New York Knicks advance all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals to face the Miami Heat, they'll have plenty of motivation heading into the matchup.

The Knicks were laughed out of the playoffs a year ago by the Heat in the opening round. They won one game in the series, though that was largely seen as a break for Miami.

The 2012-13 season has been about making amends for that playoff series, as the Knicks have won 3-of-4 against the Heat this year. They also recently completed their own impressive 13-game win streak, which featured a 102-90 thumping of the the Dwyane Wade and LeBron James-less Heat.

That night a regular occurrence happened again, with Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith tallying 64 combined points. That is what the Heat have to contend with, and they may not have enough defenders.

Rarely will Miami face a team with two players who can score at the same rate as their two superstars. Against the Knicks is one of those few times. Given the incredible streak Anthony and Smith have put together at the end of the regular season, the Heat have a lot to think about in this matchup.

They have to burn out James guarding Anthony, because there is nobody else on the roster who can keep up. That leaves Wade and host of other secondary players trying to stem the onslaught that can be a good J.R. Smith performance. 

The Knicks' best chance to beat the Heat involves that combo averaging close to 60 points throughout a series. No small task, but these are no small offensive talents.

No. 1: Miami Heat

Finally we come to perhaps the only team with a real shot at unseating the Miami Heat, the Miami Heat.

While there are solid reasons and chances that the other seven teams in the Eastern Conference playoffs can threaten and challenge the Heat, their greatest challenger and most dangerous adversary could be themselves. 

Extra-curricular mistakes nearly cost them series against both the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics last year. Now the cat is out of the bag and all opponents are going to be pushing the limits of the rule book to get Miami off its game.

Last season, their superstars took over and got them through those series and into the finals. There it was more of a team effort. This year those reserves are a year older, and Ray Allen broke down around this time a year ago. Chris Andersen hasn't been in this position often, nor has Rashard Lewis. 

If there is slippage, how much more can LeBron James and Dwyane Wade take on, with so much already on their plate.

The Heat must play within themselves and not get involved in everything that will come at them outside the actual game of basketball.

If they don't, then their greatest challenger will indeed be able to beat them.