(SportsNetwork.com) - The Miami Heat completed another exemplary regular season, but there was one team they werent able to conquer, not even in four tries. That team was the Brooklyn Nets. The two squads begin their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup Tuesday night in South Beach and the prevailing theme at the outset is can Miami, the two- time defending champs, beat the Nets? You can catch all of the action on TSN2 at 7pm et/4pm pt. "We know we can beat them, but theres a difference between regular season and the playoffs. Its going to take a collective effort," Brooklyn All-Star guard Joe Johnson said. The Nets won this seasons four regular-season matchups by a combined 12 points and three of the games were decided by a single point. Brooklyns four victories this season snapped a 13-game losing streak to the Heat. Miami swept an injured Charlotte Bobcats team in the first round. The Heat played decently, but theyve been out of action since Monday night. The long wait can work as a positive in that players can get fully healthy, but also a negative if the team loses it sharpness. "Weve been waiting around for a while," said LeBron James. "We dont have a choice, The schedule, it is what it is. Guys are definitely getting their bodies right." The Nets played Sunday afternoon and barely hung on to beat the Toronto Raptors in a Game 7 at the Air Canada Centre. They flew right to South Beach to get started on preparation for this second round. Paul Pierce blocked a Kyle Lowry attempt for the win just before the horn to preserve their season. Pierce and Kevin Garnett, two future Hall of Famers, were brought in at a steep price to give this Nets team championship credibility. With first-year head coach Jason Kidd on the sideline, the team needed leadership. The move didnt bring the kind of expected regular-season success, but the Nets are one of eight teams that can still wear the crown. "This was a very difficult series," Garnett said. "It tested everybodys will here. If anything, I think we grew up a bit during this series." Theyll need growth when they face the Heat. During the Bobcats series, James averaged 30.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.3 steals. Chris Bosh was decent versus Charlotte with 14.5 ppg, but he shot a ridiculous 69 percent from 3-point range. Dwyane Wade, who missed a lot of time in the regular season, averaged 17.5 ppg during the Charlotte sweep, which was down a touch from the campaign. The Nets backcourt of Deron Williams and Johnson has All-Star pedigree, but appeared to slip a little during the campaign. That was until the postseason hit. Johnson averaged 21.6 points against the Raptors and dominated the post against the smaller guards trying to cover him. Williams improved his play tremendously, averaging 17.1 ppg and staying aggressive throughout, at least in Brooklyns victories. Williams tweaked his chronically bad ankle in the Toronto series, but played through it. This is the third time the two franchises will meet in the postseason and the results have been one-sided. Miami swept the Nets in the first round in 2005, then dispatched them in the second round one year later, 4-1. The Heat have won nine consecutive postseason series, which is tied for the eighth-longest in NBA history. Game 2 will be in Miami on Thursday night. What is a good website to buy sports jerseys . And on Sunday against the Houston Astros they were pleased to see his work finally pay off with his first win since May 24. What is the best site to buy team jerseys from China .com) - Bradley Beal deposited a season-high 33 points and John Wall posted another double-double as the Washington Wizards went on the road and beat the Houston Rockets, 104-103. https://www.wheretobuycheapjerseys.com/. Venus Williams advanced to the ASB Classic final in Auckland on a walkover when fellow American Jamie Hampton withdrew from their semifinal Friday with a right hip injury. What is the best place to buy Cheap Jerseys . 22 because of a bruised foot and have added forward Sean Collins to the roster on emergency recall from Springfield of the AHL. Where can one buy good quality but cheap jerseys . -- Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer will be out three to six weeks with a stress fracture of the third finger of his right hand.CHICAGO -- Josh Thomson is hoping Benson Henderson has his sights on another title fight against Anthony Pettis. The veteran fighter will be squaring off with Henderson in a five-round lightweight bout as part of another network televised card at the United Center on Saturday night. Henderson (19-3), the former UFC lightweight champion, gave up the title after being submitted by Pettis armbar at UFC 164. Henderson had a seven-fight winning streak going into the fight against Pettis which was the second longest in UFC lightweight history. Hendersons two of the three losses came against Pettis. Henderson is aiming at a third fight against his rival with the belt on the line this summer if he can beat Thomson (20-5) on Saturday. Thomson appears to be just another fighter in Hendersons path to get to Pettis. "He (Pettis) can stay injured for a year, stay hurt til July, two years, whatever. Every guy UFC would give a title shot to, send them my way. Ill go down the entire list of the top 10. I will beat everybody. Lets do that. When he is healthy, when he does come back then Ill be waiting," said Henderson. Thomson isnt expecting to be overlooked, who will be giving up 5 years in age to the 30-year old. "No, I dont think he does. I think he is a confident person. He was just the champion for the last two years. He would be a fool to underestimate me, which would be fine with me if he did," said Thomson Thomson was supposed to get the first shot at Pettis on Dec. 14 but Pettis tore his PCL while training for the fight. Henderson believes Thomson is looking ffor any motivation he can get for Saturdays fight.dddddddddddd "I would say probably. Hes probably reached on that aspect. I know there are no easy fights in the UFC. He knows there are no easy fights in the UFC. If he chooses to think that, cool, no worries. Whatever you need to do to get yourself amped up, excited and ready to go, people do different things," said Henderson. Thomson is coming off an impressive victory against Nate Diaz on April 20, 2013. He became the first fighter in Diazs 25-fight career to finish him with strikes, landing a head kick in the second round that initially got him the fight against Pettis. "Im 35, if I win the title thats great. If I dont win the title thats great, too. Ive had a great career. I was number one in the world back in 2003, 2004. I am ranked number four in the world now and its in a way bigger scale now," said Thomson. The card also features a three-round heavyweight fight featuring Stipe Miocic and Gabriel Gonzaga. Miocic (10-1) Miocic is coming off a dominating unanimous decision against Roy Nelson in UFC 161. He had one of the most dominating strike performances in UFC heavyweight history, landing 106 strikes to 23. Gonzaga (16-7), has finished all his victories, nine by knockout and seven by submission. He has only gone the distance once as a pro. Donald Cerrone (21-6) is back in Chicago, a year after getting knocked out by Pettis in a lightweight fight. He will be fighting Adriano Martins from Brazil. Martins (25-6) won his only fight in the UFC. He beat Daron Cruickshank on Nov. 9, 2013. ' ' '