The Miami Heat's record stands at 7-5 and they find themselves in 3rd place in the South East Division and 6th overall in the Eastern Conference. Here's what 'they' are talking about around the Heatosphere:
-At one point in the second quarter, Shavlik Randolph pulled Beasley aside to explain a play. Let that marinate for a while. To his credit, Beasley continued to push through his uneven start.
-It took Dwyane Wade until the midpoint of the first quarter for his first basket, a driving layup. He was aggressive this time, attacking the rim.
-Slump? What slump? Wade is back, even if the shooting percentage still is off. - Sun-Sentinel
Despite being linked to a late round of negotiations with Allen Iverson, the Miami Heat denied a report in Thursday's New York Daily News that it had made a pitch for the recently released guard.
"The Iverson rumors are just that, rumors," a team spokesman said. "There's nothing to it." . - Sun-Sentinel
A Heat defense that once ranked among the league's stingiest teams surrendered 43 points in the second quarter and was outscored by 18 points. Toronto set the tone with its penetration and kick-outs to open shooters. The Raptors shot 79 percent in that quarter, including 67 percent from three-point rang. Seven Toronto players had at least four points in the quarter. - Miami Herald
``One thing you learn in this league is you don't get too high or too low,'' Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. ``It's a growing process for this team. We have to continue to get better and get back to being one of the best defensive teams in the league. But we have to stay together as a team.'' - Miami Herald
Miami played without Quentin Richardson, who left Wednesday's game with a sore back. Jones started in place of Udonis Haslem, who missed his second straight with a sore left shoulder.
"They both wanted to (play)," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game. "In fact, Udonis went through the walkthrough today but he's not 100 percent. There's still pain in his shoulder when it's up." - Palm Beach Post
“One thing you learn in this league is you don’t get too high, you don’t get too low,” Wade said. “When we were 6-1, if you’d asked me I’d say we’ve got to continue to get better. Now we’re 7-5 and we’ve got to continue to get better.” - Yahoo
Once again Beasley's inability to finish hurt Miami. Wade fed him with an open lane in front, but Beasley fumbled the ball, put up an airball and despite getting his own rebound, there were only a few ticks left on the shot clock and Miami couldn't get up an attempt in time. After the turnover, Jarrett Jack hit a huge three to put Toronto up by 7 with 1:42 left. A quick missed triple by Wade and the game was slipping away (again). Chris Bosh hit a jumper to put the Raptors up by 9, then after another miss from downtown by the Heat, Jarrett Jack hit another wide open corner trey to cap off a 10-0 run that put the game away for Toronto. - peninsulaismightier.com
nevr get 2 high. nevr get 2 low. That's how u have 2 b in life. We will bounce back. Growing pains isn't pretty but they R needed - Dwyane Wade on Twitter
Heat Loses It's Way
I just wanted to make a few very quick points about the state of the Heat right now.
Losing streaks happen in the NBA. Players go into slumps, you have injuries, you get a few bad breaks, and all of a sudden you drop a few games. But when a team begins to lose it's identity altogether it becomes a cause for serious concern. The Heat gave up 120 points to the Raptors on Friday night allowing Toronto to shoot 57.7% from the field as a team. Whats worse, the Raptors went 9 of 15 behind the 3 point line (60%). So for all of the progress that we thought the team had made with it's perimeter defense at the start of the season, it has quickly taken some major steps backward.
Heat opponents have scored 100 points or more in all 5 loses (Phoenix 104, Cleveland 111, Oklahoma City 100, Atlanta 105, Toronto 120). In Heat victories, nobody has scored more then 93 (New York in game 1 of the year). You can make stats say whatever you want sometimes but there is no getting around the importance of defense for this team. The Heat does not have the firepower to win high scoring games on a consistent basis.
Losing streaks happen in the NBA. Players go into slumps, you have injuries, you get a few bad breaks, and all of a sudden you drop a few games. But when a team begins to lose it's identity altogether it becomes a cause for serious concern. The Heat gave up 120 points to the Raptors on Friday night allowing Toronto to shoot 57.7% from the field as a team. Whats worse, the Raptors went 9 of 15 behind the 3 point line (60%). So for all of the progress that we thought the team had made with it's perimeter defense at the start of the season, it has quickly taken some major steps backward.
Heat opponents have scored 100 points or more in all 5 loses (Phoenix 104, Cleveland 111, Oklahoma City 100, Atlanta 105, Toronto 120). In Heat victories, nobody has scored more then 93 (New York in game 1 of the year). You can make stats say whatever you want sometimes but there is no getting around the importance of defense for this team. The Heat does not have the firepower to win high scoring games on a consistent basis.
Uh Oh! Hawks 105 - Heat 90
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The sky is falling! The Heat are a farce! Trade everyone! Call Allen Iverson now!!!
That's my normal reaction after every Heat loss. Now that the Heat have dropped 2 in a row for the first time in this very young season (and hearing the news about Ronnie Brown), it has not been the best 24 hours of my existence as a sports fan. But in time, sometimes in just a few hours, perspective starts to creep in and we can take a step back and give things a more rational assessment.
First of all, the Hawks are now 6-0 at home so it's not like anyone else has beat them there either. Is that the way you would want your players to look at it? No, Of course not. But just as the Heat were not as good as their start of the season led us to believe (or hoped) they are not as terrible as they have looked the past two nights either. As I have said before, there are holes in this Heat team. They are Pat Riley's incomplete rebuilding project. They are relying on very young, very raw talent, to develop and improve the team from within. When that's the blueprint you can expect some inconsistency.
But the biggest problem last night was not Michael Beasley, it was Dwyane Wade. He went 6-18 for a total of 15 points and only attempted 2 free throws. Some of that might come from Wade feeling like he has to win games all by himself (and too often that is the case) but that's part of the deal when you are the franchise guy. He knows that, he accepts that, and he'll be fine. But you are not going to beat a team like the Hawks at home when he's not at the top of his game.
Whenever things start to get bad for a team in any sport, the panic starts to set in and everyone wants the quick fix. There are already buzzings about Allen Iverson coming to Miami. I don't think it will happen, and I don't think the Heat are even considering it. It it was not a good idea before the season started and I don't know what would make them think it's a good idea now. One bad week of basketball has not changed the equation for this team.
That's my normal reaction after every Heat loss. Now that the Heat have dropped 2 in a row for the first time in this very young season (and hearing the news about Ronnie Brown), it has not been the best 24 hours of my existence as a sports fan. But in time, sometimes in just a few hours, perspective starts to creep in and we can take a step back and give things a more rational assessment.
First of all, the Hawks are now 6-0 at home so it's not like anyone else has beat them there either. Is that the way you would want your players to look at it? No, Of course not. But just as the Heat were not as good as their start of the season led us to believe (or hoped) they are not as terrible as they have looked the past two nights either. As I have said before, there are holes in this Heat team. They are Pat Riley's incomplete rebuilding project. They are relying on very young, very raw talent, to develop and improve the team from within. When that's the blueprint you can expect some inconsistency.
But the biggest problem last night was not Michael Beasley, it was Dwyane Wade. He went 6-18 for a total of 15 points and only attempted 2 free throws. Some of that might come from Wade feeling like he has to win games all by himself (and too often that is the case) but that's part of the deal when you are the franchise guy. He knows that, he accepts that, and he'll be fine. But you are not going to beat a team like the Hawks at home when he's not at the top of his game.
Whenever things start to get bad for a team in any sport, the panic starts to set in and everyone wants the quick fix. There are already buzzings about Allen Iverson coming to Miami. I don't think it will happen, and I don't think the Heat are even considering it. It it was not a good idea before the season started and I don't know what would make them think it's a good idea now. One bad week of basketball has not changed the equation for this team.
Heat - Thunder Game ReCrap
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
It got ugly quickly. The Thunder struck (doh ho ho! u c wut i did thar!?!?) early and rode the lightning... ok, I'll stop. Hey, after an apathetic performance like that by the Heat I'm surprised that I'm still awake at this point. But I have to admit, the Thunder are a fun team to watch. Kevin Durant is one of the premier attractions in the NBA in my opinion. And OKC's GM, Sam Presti has amassed a very impressive supporting cast around the Durantula.
Thabo Sefolosha did an outstanding job of defending Dwyane Wade tonight. D Wade was an inefficient 6-19 from the floor and was forced into 6 turnovers. His +/- was -12. Jermaine O'Neal was good, going 8-15 and finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds. The brightest spot for the Heat was Daequan Cook who finally showed up this season. Cook had 17 points and was 4-9 from 3 point range. Outside of Cook and O'Neal it was pretty awful for Miami. Michael Beasley (8 points 0 rebounds 0 assists) and Mario Chalmers (7 points 4 rebounds and 2 assists) were irrelevant. Quentin Richardson played somewhat limited minutes (17:48) and was also a non factor (2 points 1 rebound 1 assist). By comparason, the Thunder had 5 players (Durant, Green, Westbrook, Collison, and Kristic) go for double digits.
You can blame the loss on the Heat's lack of energy. You can blame it on them looking ahead to Atlanta tomorrow night. But sometimes the other team just plays better then you do. I think the truth is that all 3 of those factors came into play. And any team that overlooks the former Super Sonics is making a big mistake. It won't be long until that team is amongst the elite in the NBA. Keep in mind they gave it to the Magic in Orlando, beating them by 28 points and beat the Spurs in San Antonio. This isn't the same ol' shitty Sonics/Thunder.
We'll feel a lot better if the Heat can manage to do what nobody else in the NBA has done this season, and win in Atlanta tomorrow night. The Hawks are currently 5-0 at home. There won't be any overlooking Atlanta after they beat Miami last year in the absolute worst 7 game series in NBA playoff history. The Heat are a respectable 7-3 but there are definitely some warning signs that are starting to reveal themselves. Tomorrow nights game will tell us a lot more about what this Miami Heat team really is and what we can expect for the rest of the season.
Thabo Sefolosha did an outstanding job of defending Dwyane Wade tonight. D Wade was an inefficient 6-19 from the floor and was forced into 6 turnovers. His +/- was -12. Jermaine O'Neal was good, going 8-15 and finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds. The brightest spot for the Heat was Daequan Cook who finally showed up this season. Cook had 17 points and was 4-9 from 3 point range. Outside of Cook and O'Neal it was pretty awful for Miami. Michael Beasley (8 points 0 rebounds 0 assists) and Mario Chalmers (7 points 4 rebounds and 2 assists) were irrelevant. Quentin Richardson played somewhat limited minutes (17:48) and was also a non factor (2 points 1 rebound 1 assist). By comparason, the Thunder had 5 players (Durant, Green, Westbrook, Collison, and Kristic) go for double digits.
You can blame the loss on the Heat's lack of energy. You can blame it on them looking ahead to Atlanta tomorrow night. But sometimes the other team just plays better then you do. I think the truth is that all 3 of those factors came into play. And any team that overlooks the former Super Sonics is making a big mistake. It won't be long until that team is amongst the elite in the NBA. Keep in mind they gave it to the Magic in Orlando, beating them by 28 points and beat the Spurs in San Antonio. This isn't the same ol' shitty Sonics/Thunder.
We'll feel a lot better if the Heat can manage to do what nobody else in the NBA has done this season, and win in Atlanta tomorrow night. The Hawks are currently 5-0 at home. There won't be any overlooking Atlanta after they beat Miami last year in the absolute worst 7 game series in NBA playoff history. The Heat are a respectable 7-3 but there are definitely some warning signs that are starting to reveal themselves. Tomorrow nights game will tell us a lot more about what this Miami Heat team really is and what we can expect for the rest of the season.
Durantula!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Tomorrow night the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics will play the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. The game will not be a sellout. The AAA only fills up when Kobe, LeBron, the Celtics, or a big name opponent is in town on a Friday or Saturday. But the astute basketball fan in South Florida has had this game marked down on his calendar since the schedule came out. The astute basketball fan knows that the next Kobe, LeBron, Wade, type guy will be on the court Tuesday night. His name is Kevin Durant, but YOU already knew that. It won't be long until the casuals know his name as well.
The Durantula is averaging 28.1 PPG and 7.4 RPG in just his 3rd season in the league. That's up from the 25.3 PPG and 6.5 RPG that he was getting last season. And yeah, he's only 21 years old.
For a little perspective on how good his numbers are, here are the numbers for Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant at age 21.
MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Kobe Bryant: 38.2 .468 .319 .821 6.3 4.9 1.6 0.9 22.5
LeBron James: 40.9 .476 .319 .698 6.7 6.0 1.6 0.7 27.3
Kevin Durant: 40.7 .443 .220 .886 7.4 2.4 1.6 0.7 28.1
The only numbers that are down right now for Durant are his 3P% (42.2% last season) which certainly has brought his overall FG% down (47.6% last year). He's not the ball handler that Bryant and James are but his overall numbers are outstanding for anyone, let alone someone his age.
Like a lot of great players around the league, he really is someone that you appreciate even more when you have the opportunity to see him live and in person. He can score from anywhere on the floor and he's freakishly athletic especially for someone who is 6'9". He looks even taller in person because of his skinny frame.
So if you have the opportunity to make it down to the AAA, do yourself a favor and go. Sometime in the very near future, tickets to see Kevin Durant play are going to be much harder to get.
The Durantula is averaging 28.1 PPG and 7.4 RPG in just his 3rd season in the league. That's up from the 25.3 PPG and 6.5 RPG that he was getting last season. And yeah, he's only 21 years old.
For a little perspective on how good his numbers are, here are the numbers for Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant at age 21.
MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Kobe Bryant: 38.2 .468 .319 .821 6.3 4.9 1.6 0.9 22.5
LeBron James: 40.9 .476 .319 .698 6.7 6.0 1.6 0.7 27.3
Kevin Durant: 40.7 .443 .220 .886 7.4 2.4 1.6 0.7 28.1
The only numbers that are down right now for Durant are his 3P% (42.2% last season) which certainly has brought his overall FG% down (47.6% last year). He's not the ball handler that Bryant and James are but his overall numbers are outstanding for anyone, let alone someone his age.
Like a lot of great players around the league, he really is someone that you appreciate even more when you have the opportunity to see him live and in person. He can score from anywhere on the floor and he's freakishly athletic especially for someone who is 6'9". He looks even taller in person because of his skinny frame.
So if you have the opportunity to make it down to the AAA, do yourself a favor and go. Sometime in the very near future, tickets to see Kevin Durant play are going to be much harder to get.
It's Dwyane Wade's House. Because He Says it is.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Here's a very good quality YouTube clip of Dwyane Wade's game winning shot against New Jersey.
There is really nothing more that needs to be said. He's great. He's really, really, great.
There is really nothing more that needs to be said. He's great. He's really, really, great.
A Saturday Morning Roundup
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Whats going on in the Heat Universe? Here is some reading material to get you caught up.
Ethan Skolnick of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says:
Ethan Skolnick of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says:
Ten minutes. That's all it took. That's the world in which we now live.Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel has a take on Udonis Haslem at Small Forward:
Ten minutes, and it had spread like a pandemic, with NBA fans and players scrambling to type Twitter tweets and embed YouTube video and update Facebook pages, all so you could see what they couldn't believe they just saw.
He is a physical inside presence. He is a gritty hustler. He is an undersized power player with an oversized heart.Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald with thoughts on some non-LeBron moves:
But he is not a small forward, especially when cast as a perimeter defender.
Still, none of those situations are worth sacrificing Miami's flexibility next season to make a move this season. But there is a place that might prove ripe for the pilfering: New Orleans.Chad Ford of ESPN on "Dream Team Miami":
This past week I've been crunching salary cap numbers after a Heat source told me they were trying to find a way to lure both LeBron James and Chris Bosh to Miami to play with Dwyane Wade this summer.Greg Stoda of the Palm Beach Post reflects on the Cavs-Heat game:
There was a palpable buzz in the place. There was a humming expectation. It was one of those exciting moments in professional basketball, and only an appetizer for what happened at the end of the quarter...Nyets in town tonight. I'm sure Brook Lopez is still pissed about this. Go Heat!
Cavaliers - Heat Game Recap
Friday, November 13, 2009
Just some final thoughts about last nights game...
I guess you could say last nights loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers was frustrating for the Heat. But it was a lot of fun nonetheless. That game will be forgotten by everyone until the next time Miami and Cleveland face off on January 5th, 2010 at the American Airlines Arena. But nobody will ever forget Dwyane Wade's poster-izing of Anderson Varejao which can be seen here. Even LeBron James said "It could crack the top 10" dunks of all time.
Mo Williams abuse of Mario Chalmers was the difference last night. You could say that Beasley canceled out Williams's 25 points but Mo hit big shot after big shot last night and sealed the deal for Cleveland. Chalmers really struggles against the top tier point guards in the NBA. Mario still takes too many chances on defense and the Heat don't have a stopper in the middle to bail him out.
At the start of the 4th quarter, my initial impression was that Erik Spoelstra held out Wade for a little too long. But after thinking about it today, that call probably comes from up high. And by "up high" I mean Dwyane Wade. Its safe to assume to Spo and Wade have had a discussion or two about minutes, and rotations, and how Wade likes to get ready to close games. And Wade certainly knows his own body and knows when he needs to get rest. So upon further review, I don't think this is an area we can really second guess the coach.
The Heat play the Nets tomorrow night at home at 7:30pm. The Nets have not won a game this year and I expect that to continue for at least one more night.
I guess you could say last nights loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers was frustrating for the Heat. But it was a lot of fun nonetheless. That game will be forgotten by everyone until the next time Miami and Cleveland face off on January 5th, 2010 at the American Airlines Arena. But nobody will ever forget Dwyane Wade's poster-izing of Anderson Varejao which can be seen here. Even LeBron James said "It could crack the top 10" dunks of all time.
Mo Williams abuse of Mario Chalmers was the difference last night. You could say that Beasley canceled out Williams's 25 points but Mo hit big shot after big shot last night and sealed the deal for Cleveland. Chalmers really struggles against the top tier point guards in the NBA. Mario still takes too many chances on defense and the Heat don't have a stopper in the middle to bail him out.
At the start of the 4th quarter, my initial impression was that Erik Spoelstra held out Wade for a little too long. But after thinking about it today, that call probably comes from up high. And by "up high" I mean Dwyane Wade. Its safe to assume to Spo and Wade have had a discussion or two about minutes, and rotations, and how Wade likes to get ready to close games. And Wade certainly knows his own body and knows when he needs to get rest. So upon further review, I don't think this is an area we can really second guess the coach.
The Heat play the Nets tomorrow night at home at 7:30pm. The Nets have not won a game this year and I expect that to continue for at least one more night.
LeBron Has 'Mo' Help then Wade
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Cavs-111 Miami-104. You can break the game down any way you want to. But the biggest difference between Miami and Cleveland right now? Mo Williams. It becomes painfully obvious when D Wade is resting on the bench that he doesn't have any real help. Yeah, someone will step up on occasion (Beasley did have a nice 24 point game) but there is no consistent number 2 scorer on this team right now. Nobody to hit that big shot on a regular basis other then Wade. Mo Williams, on the other hand, had a late dagger that sealed the game for all intents and purposes.
We'll delve into this game a bit more tomorrow. A disappointing loss for Miami but the 6-2 start makes it a little easier to swallow.
We'll delve into this game a bit more tomorrow. A disappointing loss for Miami but the 6-2 start makes it a little easier to swallow.
Wade Facializes Varejao
And here it is...
I think that might be Wade's best dunk of all time. It reminded me of this...
I think that might be Wade's best dunk of all time. It reminded me of this...
The BIG.......
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Regarded as one of the most likeable players in the NBA, Shaquille O'Neal has won fans over since the beginning of his career with his big smile and child like charisma. Its not news to most NBA fans that over the last couple seasons his skills have decreased as has his athleticism and durability, but its possible what "the diesel" has lost the most as his career winds down is his integrity.
Recent reports have come out that O' Neal has been caught having an affair with the fiance of Washington Wizards Star Gilbert Arenas. The website 'The Young Black & Fabulous' has posted emails allegedly between O' Neal and Arenas' fiance Laura Govan talking about some pretty horrific things. Such as Shaq naked in a car. Needless to say if this is true it could be one of the biggest dick moves in NBA history. The emails can be found here.
Whatcha gonna do with all that junk..
But wait there's more.....
Before this latest epic display of douchery Shaq was playing in Phoenix with the Suns. As the story goes one day Steve Nash came into the locker room and told everyone on the team about an idea he had for a television show. He would challenge athletes in their own sport to see how he matched up against them. Sound familiar? Maybe thats because shortly after that conversation Shaq had a deal to do a show with ABC. Unfortunately (or fortunately) it wasn't for a tv adaptation of Kazaam, it was for Shaq to challenge athletes at their own sport to see how he matched up. Since he blatantly stole Nash show idea, Steve hired an attorney and sued he was eventually added as a executive producer and I'm sure made a nice check to let it slide. Thus again proving that Shaq is a complete ass. But it gets worse....
Sleeping with a mans wife - Not good
Stealing a persons show - Not good
Possibly the dickest move of all his dickery was when he left the Miami Heat to go to the Suns he made this comment.
"I love playing for this coach and I love playing with these guys," said O'Neal yesterday. "We have professionals who know what to do. No one is asking me to play with Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis. I'm actually on a team again."
did he really just take a jab at Chris Quinn...REALLY?.. REALLY?...
ok maybe he has a point.. But he's still a dick
Recent reports have come out that O' Neal has been caught having an affair with the fiance of Washington Wizards Star Gilbert Arenas. The website 'The Young Black & Fabulous' has posted emails allegedly between O' Neal and Arenas' fiance Laura Govan talking about some pretty horrific things. Such as Shaq naked in a car. Needless to say if this is true it could be one of the biggest dick moves in NBA history. The emails can be found here.
Whatcha gonna do with all that junk..
But wait there's more.....
Before this latest epic display of douchery Shaq was playing in Phoenix with the Suns. As the story goes one day Steve Nash came into the locker room and told everyone on the team about an idea he had for a television show. He would challenge athletes in their own sport to see how he matched up against them. Sound familiar? Maybe thats because shortly after that conversation Shaq had a deal to do a show with ABC. Unfortunately (or fortunately) it wasn't for a tv adaptation of Kazaam, it was for Shaq to challenge athletes at their own sport to see how he matched up. Since he blatantly stole Nash show idea, Steve hired an attorney and sued he was eventually added as a executive producer and I'm sure made a nice check to let it slide. Thus again proving that Shaq is a complete ass. But it gets worse....
Sleeping with a mans wife - Not good
Stealing a persons show - Not good
Possibly the dickest move of all his dickery was when he left the Miami Heat to go to the Suns he made this comment.
"I love playing for this coach and I love playing with these guys," said O'Neal yesterday. "We have professionals who know what to do. No one is asking me to play with Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis. I'm actually on a team again."
did he really just take a jab at Chris Quinn...REALLY?.. REALLY?...
ok maybe he has a point.. But he's still a dick
Six and One
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Outstanding start for the Miami Heat. Are there holes in this team? Of course. I still think the 4th seed in the East would be the absolute best case scenario but you have to give the Heat a lot of credit for how they have come out of the gates. Another nice test awaits on Thursday against the Cavs.
A few quick thoughts about the game:
- Quentin Richardson didn't exactly light up the stat line (0 points) but his defense and his knack for drawing charges has been a big part of the teams success tonight, and has been so far this season. He dropped a bunch of weight in the offseason and he's active all over the floor.
- Michael Beasley had a typical Beasley-ish night. Ok numbers (15 points, 6-17 shooting, only 5 boards). But his propensity to get his shots blocked when he goes to the rim is a concern. He did have a few nice finishes at the basket but we'd like to see some major improvement in that area.
- What is there to say about D-Wade? He struggled a bit early on but he was unreal down the stretch. 14-29 for 41 points and he added 5 assists and 5 rebounds. He remains the best ticket in town.
A few quick thoughts about the game:
- Quentin Richardson didn't exactly light up the stat line (0 points) but his defense and his knack for drawing charges has been a big part of the teams success tonight, and has been so far this season. He dropped a bunch of weight in the offseason and he's active all over the floor.
- Michael Beasley had a typical Beasley-ish night. Ok numbers (15 points, 6-17 shooting, only 5 boards). But his propensity to get his shots blocked when he goes to the rim is a concern. He did have a few nice finishes at the basket but we'd like to see some major improvement in that area.
- What is there to say about D-Wade? He struggled a bit early on but he was unreal down the stretch. 14-29 for 41 points and he added 5 assists and 5 rebounds. He remains the best ticket in town.
Chad Ford: LeBron and Bosh Could Land in Miami
This is from an ESPN chat today with Chad Ford and John Hollinger
[Comment From Shawn, Jackson Hole, WYShawn, Jackson Hole, WY: ]
What is the real deal with the Heat & Michael Beasley. When the dust settles next summer, will the Heat keep Beas and add one stud; Bosh, Amare, Bron Bron, other?
Yes please.chadfordinsider:
I think the Heat are the team best positioned to score big in Free Agency next summer. They are very likely to re-sign D Wade and I think they'll lure at least one top tier free agent to join him. I personally think it's the No. 1 destination for LeBron. And don't be surprised if Pat Riley finds a way to wiggle enough space (using Beasley as sign-and-trade bait) to get BOTH 'Bron and Bosh in Miami.
The Isiah Thomas Era Begins With a Loss
FIU opened its season up at North Carolina and the results were as expected: FIU 72 - UNC 88.
From the Herald:
From the Herald:
As Thomas walked to the FIU bench, he was greeted with chants of ``Magic, Magic'' in reference to Magic Johnson's recent book, which is critical of Thomas.ESPN's Andy Katz says:
Thomas has limited talent but already has instilled a great work ethic. The Panthers forced the Tar Heels into 26 turnovers and never quit, not even when the game got into a 20-plus point spread in the second half.Whatever.
"I'm proud of our team," Thomas said. "We were very scrappy and extremely competitive."
The LeBron Thing
Monday, November 9, 2009
It has become borderline irresponsible to have a blog or newspaper column or television show or lungs, and not speculate what LeBron James will decide to do 8 months from now. Do this: Go to Google and enter July 1, 2010 and see what the first result is. Go ahead, I'll wait. Ok, come back. Please? So back to this LeBron thing. Within the last few days, ok ever since LeBron signed his extension in 2006, the guessing game of where 'The King' will end up in the Summer of 2010 has been every NBA fan's favorite pastime.
Since LeBron's visit to Madison Square Garden last Friday the internet has been in full "Where is LeBron going? What is LeBron thinking" mode. His latest destinations include New York (as always), Chicago, the Clippers, and... the Miami Heat. You can expect for the latter to continue to be a topic of conversation this week as James and the Cavaliers play in Miami on Thursday.
First off, I believe LeBron will be re-signing with Cleveland. Good team, it's home, he's done just fine in his quest to become a "Global Icon" in Ohio. But I don't pretend to know what the guy is thinking and if I had to guess, I would say that he probably flip flops on this thing all the time. Hell, he basically said as much last week. It's hilarious that everyone hangs on his every word trying to figure out his motives as if he talks in code-speak. Maybe he does. It's been my impression that he's been straightforward in saying that even he doesn't know what he's going to do yet.
All that being said, lets pile on and take a look at the Miami scenario. The driving force behind this theory is that Miami would be able to retain Dwyane Wade and still have enough cap room to sign another max-salary player. The cap room will be there baring any mid season trades and its safe to assume that if LeBron would be willing to come to the Heat then Wade will gladly re-sign with Miami. It would be an understatement to say that a lineup consisting of Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, and who the hell cares, would be a title contender for years. That alone would have to be at least mildly intriguing to LeBron and I don't think its crazy to say that it's something that he will at least contemplate, if he hasn't already.
Whenever a Lebron-to-the-Heat story comes up, the first question that is always asked is along the lines of "Would either James or Wade be willing to play second fiddle to the other?". Its a valid question and could be the biggest reason why something like this could never happen. I think Israel Gutierrez made an interesting counterargument in his article in the Miami Herald today. And while I'm not sure that I agree that "Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen wouldn't even compare", it would be the closest thing to MJ and Scottie that we may ever see.
Its a fascinating idea to say the least. And again, I think LeBron James is going to remain a Cav even if it's just a gut feeling. But that's all any of this is right now. Gut feelings and speculation. July 1st, 2010 has been on all of our minds for one reason or another for a long time now. We are in the stretch run of a marathon that started back in July of 2006. We'll see who the winner is sometime this summer.
Since LeBron's visit to Madison Square Garden last Friday the internet has been in full "Where is LeBron going? What is LeBron thinking" mode. His latest destinations include New York (as always), Chicago, the Clippers, and... the Miami Heat. You can expect for the latter to continue to be a topic of conversation this week as James and the Cavaliers play in Miami on Thursday.
First off, I believe LeBron will be re-signing with Cleveland. Good team, it's home, he's done just fine in his quest to become a "Global Icon" in Ohio. But I don't pretend to know what the guy is thinking and if I had to guess, I would say that he probably flip flops on this thing all the time. Hell, he basically said as much last week. It's hilarious that everyone hangs on his every word trying to figure out his motives as if he talks in code-speak. Maybe he does. It's been my impression that he's been straightforward in saying that even he doesn't know what he's going to do yet.
All that being said, lets pile on and take a look at the Miami scenario. The driving force behind this theory is that Miami would be able to retain Dwyane Wade and still have enough cap room to sign another max-salary player. The cap room will be there baring any mid season trades and its safe to assume that if LeBron would be willing to come to the Heat then Wade will gladly re-sign with Miami. It would be an understatement to say that a lineup consisting of Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, and who the hell cares, would be a title contender for years. That alone would have to be at least mildly intriguing to LeBron and I don't think its crazy to say that it's something that he will at least contemplate, if he hasn't already.
Whenever a Lebron-to-the-Heat story comes up, the first question that is always asked is along the lines of "Would either James or Wade be willing to play second fiddle to the other?". Its a valid question and could be the biggest reason why something like this could never happen. I think Israel Gutierrez made an interesting counterargument in his article in the Miami Herald today. And while I'm not sure that I agree that "Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen wouldn't even compare", it would be the closest thing to MJ and Scottie that we may ever see.
Its a fascinating idea to say the least. And again, I think LeBron James is going to remain a Cav even if it's just a gut feeling. But that's all any of this is right now. Gut feelings and speculation. July 1st, 2010 has been on all of our minds for one reason or another for a long time now. We are in the stretch run of a marathon that started back in July of 2006. We'll see who the winner is sometime this summer.
Rumor: Mutual Interest Between Stephen Jackson and Miami
Sunday, November 8, 2009
I wake up this morning to see that the Stephen Jackson to Miami rumor has officially started. Being that Pat Riley has been such a mover and shaker over the years, the Heat seem to always get linked with whatever trade rumor gets circulated around the league. It was only a matter of time before they were in the ballpark of this Stephen Jackson situation.
However, I think this one is completely bogus. I like Stephen Jackson as a player but he has a contract that pays him around $35million for four seasons (this season included). Adding a guy with multiple years left on his contract is not in line with what the Heat are doing. And its not as if Jackson is a "game changer" for the Heat.
So we'll keep an eye on this one but I don't think there is even any smoke here.
However, I think this one is completely bogus. I like Stephen Jackson as a player but he has a contract that pays him around $35million for four seasons (this season included). Adding a guy with multiple years left on his contract is not in line with what the Heat are doing. And its not as if Jackson is a "game changer" for the Heat.
So we'll keep an eye on this one but I don't think there is even any smoke here.
Guess Who's Back!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Oh wait, you probably (definitely) never knew we were gone since you probably (definitely) had no idea we were around in the first place. Thats ok. I doubt anyone else is going to read this blog either.
So what the hell am I talking about? Well, we had a site a few years back at MiamiHoopsBlog.com that no longer exists. It was a fun exercise in futility. It was poorly written, but mildly entertaining to those of us who put very little effort into it. The biggest problem is that we were trying to write the damn thing while we were at work. Not only did this lead to a total lack of productivity at our jobs (not that we fucking cared) but also became a bit of a burden. In other words, we could not write the in depth scathing lies about basketball that we so badly wanted to embellish. Will this site be any different? No. However, I will say that we learned something about blogging and maintaining a site along the way. So all bullshit aside, I think this new exercise in futility will be slightly more rewarding.
A few other things about us: I'm not really in the mood to give out names at this point since I don't know how many former contributors will be doing their thing on this site. Although my guess is that we are going to add a few people who were not around before. This will bring the level of failure to an even higher level. Another thing that you will notice is that we are very Miami Heat centric here. Yes, there will be general NBA discussion. And hopefully, there will be some College Basketball discussion as well. But the truth of the matter is that we are a group of Heat fans who love to brag, bitch, and complain about our favorite basketball team, just like you do.
In closing, thanks for taking the time to take a look at our blog. Criticism and hate mail are of course welcome since we would expect nothing less from the internet. Just know that we really don't care if you ever visit our page and this is really just a bunch of (brilliant) narcissists writing for each others entertainment.
So what the hell am I talking about? Well, we had a site a few years back at MiamiHoopsBlog.com that no longer exists. It was a fun exercise in futility. It was poorly written, but mildly entertaining to those of us who put very little effort into it. The biggest problem is that we were trying to write the damn thing while we were at work. Not only did this lead to a total lack of productivity at our jobs (not that we fucking cared) but also became a bit of a burden. In other words, we could not write the in depth scathing lies about basketball that we so badly wanted to embellish. Will this site be any different? No. However, I will say that we learned something about blogging and maintaining a site along the way. So all bullshit aside, I think this new exercise in futility will be slightly more rewarding.
A few other things about us: I'm not really in the mood to give out names at this point since I don't know how many former contributors will be doing their thing on this site. Although my guess is that we are going to add a few people who were not around before. This will bring the level of failure to an even higher level. Another thing that you will notice is that we are very Miami Heat centric here. Yes, there will be general NBA discussion. And hopefully, there will be some College Basketball discussion as well. But the truth of the matter is that we are a group of Heat fans who love to brag, bitch, and complain about our favorite basketball team, just like you do.
In closing, thanks for taking the time to take a look at our blog. Criticism and hate mail are of course welcome since we would expect nothing less from the internet. Just know that we really don't care if you ever visit our page and this is really just a bunch of (brilliant) narcissists writing for each others entertainment.
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