Dwayne Wade and LeBron James had their second best outing as a duo in terms of point scored tonight as they combined for 56 points. Their highest total of the season as a duo was 59 against the Utah Jazz in which the Heat blew a 20 point lead. Tonight, the Heat kept their starters in even with a 20-point lead as that game I'm sure loomed in Erik Spolestras head as he as been in the center of the Heat's sub-par start.
What was surprising about the point total was that Wade only had four points at the end of the first half. He came out shooting the lights out of the American Airlines Arena in the third quarter though. There was about five straight possessions where Wade was the only player touching the ball. His first half was plagued by injuries as his attacking style leaves him vulnerable to re-injury as he was nursing a wrist injury from the previous week. Wade was relentless at attacking the basket tonight as many of his points came in the paint and from the free throw line as he had 10 from the charity stripe.
James quietly contributed 30 points tonight as Wade certainly earned more style points tonight. James was in the middle of the head coaching controversy this week as he bumped into head coach Erik Spolestra against the Dallas Mavericks spawning countless callings for the coaches job. The team did perform tonight and the big name free agents certainly showed up as they combined for 76 points of the teams 105. Chris Bosh is also finding his game as the big man of this group as his rebounding totals have been up along with his defensive play and points.
The Heat will only have one day off before they host the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night before the much anticipated match up of the Miami Heat versus the Cleveland Cavilers, LeBron's former team. With a successful attempt at live blogging tonight, I will once again provide a live blogging for this Wednesday nights game against the Detroit Pistons.
Monday, November 29, 2010
This Cant Be Good
Now everybody on the Miami Heat can all play the 'keep it cool' card, the 'its still early in the season,' card, the 'everything is going to be alright,' card, but actions speak louder than words. LeBron James bumping Erik Spoelstra during a timeout against the Dallas Mavricks has said more about the teams status than any post game bit could have.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Heat Lose Again, Wade Struggles Continue
With each game surpassing the previous in expectations for the Miami Heat, they fell short for the third straight time as they lost against the Orlando Magic 104-95.
As most stories that start with the Heat this year, LeBron James led the offensive attack as he shot %50 percent from the field for 25 points and four assists. What seems to be holding the team back from achieving balance on the court can be summed up by Dwayne Wade's body language he as shown through out the course of the year. It is not a careless demeanor, but one of not being happy. Wade only shot less than %30 from the field for 18 points, but did collect 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Outside of shooting Wade had a good night, but when he struggles to find his rhythm, his teams suffers, mainly because he is taking away shots from James.
The Magic showed balance in all aspects of the game as they wanted to prove a statement that they were the better team to reside in the Sunshine State. Dwight Howard took care of the basketball under the rim with 18 rebounds and Jameer Nelson took care of the basketball from the point guard position with 14 assists. With those assists totals, the team really showcased their balance scoring by having the high scorer (Howard) score only 24 points while the team eclipsed the 100 point mark. The only other player to score 20 points was J.J. Redick.
If LeBron was not having fun before, its has to be getting downright frustrating for him now. The Heat are now in position to fall to .500 for the first time this season if they lose one more game with a record of 8-7. They have no real crutch to fall on in terms of go to style that would bring them a victory. Think Pittsburgh Steelers with their defense. They currently rank 11th in the league in scoring, 19th in rebounding, 20th in assists. So whats the team to do? Well facing the 76ers may be a good place to start as they currently hold a win over them this season. In a game too in which they dominated. Tip off is for 7:30 Friday night at the American Airlines Arena where they are 6-3 on the year.
As most stories that start with the Heat this year, LeBron James led the offensive attack as he shot %50 percent from the field for 25 points and four assists. What seems to be holding the team back from achieving balance on the court can be summed up by Dwayne Wade's body language he as shown through out the course of the year. It is not a careless demeanor, but one of not being happy. Wade only shot less than %30 from the field for 18 points, but did collect 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Outside of shooting Wade had a good night, but when he struggles to find his rhythm, his teams suffers, mainly because he is taking away shots from James.
The Magic showed balance in all aspects of the game as they wanted to prove a statement that they were the better team to reside in the Sunshine State. Dwight Howard took care of the basketball under the rim with 18 rebounds and Jameer Nelson took care of the basketball from the point guard position with 14 assists. With those assists totals, the team really showcased their balance scoring by having the high scorer (Howard) score only 24 points while the team eclipsed the 100 point mark. The only other player to score 20 points was J.J. Redick.
If LeBron was not having fun before, its has to be getting downright frustrating for him now. The Heat are now in position to fall to .500 for the first time this season if they lose one more game with a record of 8-7. They have no real crutch to fall on in terms of go to style that would bring them a victory. Think Pittsburgh Steelers with their defense. They currently rank 11th in the league in scoring, 19th in rebounding, 20th in assists. So whats the team to do? Well facing the 76ers may be a good place to start as they currently hold a win over them this season. In a game too in which they dominated. Tip off is for 7:30 Friday night at the American Airlines Arena where they are 6-3 on the year.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Phil Jackson Calls Out Erik Spoelstra
Not being one to hold his tongue, Phil Jackson said that if the Heat do not turn the season around, that it would be certainly possible that Pat Riley takes on the Head Coaching responsibilities of the Miami Heat. Now I do not think that these comments are out of line because Jackson is referencing a precedent because this has happened before. In 2002-2003 season, Riley replaced Stan Van Gundy as the Head Coach and sure enough, he delivered a championship.
Would Riley do that again? One would think not, but there is too much riding on this season for that not to be an option. Would the Heat have blown a 20 point lead at home against the Utah Jazz if Riley was the Head Coach? Possibly. Would they have gotten blown out against the Indiana Pacers when they desperately needed a win if Riley was the coach? Possibly. Would they have at least one good showing against the Boston Celtics if Riley was the coach? Once again, possibly.
Another question that arises is whether Riley wants the job or not. The Head Coach is a very stressful situation mainly because of day to day dealings with the media. Riley's current position, The President, gives hime the luxury of not being in the spotlight. However, Jackson's comments may have stirred the competitive spirirt of Riley back onto the bench as he is known as a winner. Whatever happens, tonight's game against the Magic is going to say a lot about where the Heat are and where they are going and could serve as a good barometer for the Heat's front office. Players have been known to rally for coaches on the verge of losing their job, I feel that if the effort is not there by the Heat tonight, the domino's may start falling.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Heat Reach Low Point
LeBron James once again proved to be the constant on this team as he registered 25 points 5 rebounds and 6 assists. However, his running mate Wade as yet to find his stride on a game in- game out basis as he went 1-13 from the floor and only registered three points on the night. The lone bright spot of the Heat may have been Chris Bosh registering his first double-double of the season as he had 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Entering the game with a series of injuries the Heat were left only four players coming off of the bench in James Jones, Eddie House, Jamal Magloure and Juwan Howard; not the deepest bench. With this being one of the question marks entering the season, it seems that there is some truth to the speculation on the Heat's depth outside of LeBron James and Dwayne Wade: the only player to score off the bench was Jamaal Maglouire.
The question becomes where do they go from here? Well, I guess the first would be to get healthy. Wade was playing with a wrist injury while they also lost their best player coming off of the bench, Udonis Haslem, to a foot injury. Star-shooter Mike Miller return remains a month away as well. Unfortunately the sports world as a tendency to ruin hype with injuries which is the current case with the Miami Heat. The stories are slowing down on ESPN's 'Heat Index,' while the crowds are starting to leave earlier. The calling for Head Coach Eric Spolestra firing may also be on the horizon due to the current President's track record for championships; something that is looking more and more difficult with each passing game.
One staggering stat is the only one that matters, the win-loss column. At this point last year, the Heat were 9-5 while they just dropped to 8-6 with this loss and whose weaknesses seem to be getting exposed with each passing game. With the injuries piling up for Wade, defenses may start focusing on him which will put additional pressure on LeBron James to perform, something that he was looking to get away from in Cleveland. Speaking of Cleveland, the December 2nd match-up looms closer, but the Heat have some challenges before that game; mainly Orlando Wednesday night.
Although the trip will be relatively short, it may seem longer on the ride home if the Heat fail to perform. This will be a difficult task as the Magic crowd will surely be energized for the interstate rivalry. Accompany this with the aspect that the Heat are currently facing depth problems, a strong point for the Magic, and also lack the size to manage Dwight Howard, it may be a long night in Orlando and even a longer ride home.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Balanced Attack Leads Heat Past Raptors
With the latest issue behind him, his playing time, LeBron James cleared up the air once again as he felt his comments after the loss to the Boston Celtics were taking out of contexts. With the air cleared on the latest issue, the Miami Heat took to the court in front of a pack house eager to hit the streets of Miami for a Saturday night on the town.
James once again led the team in playing time as he registered 23 points 11 assists and 2 rebounds in his 39 minutes on the floor. His running mate Dwayne Wade led all scorers with 31 points as the dynamic duo continue to be a problem for teams not named the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately for the Miami front office, it is becoming harder and harder to put Chris Bosh in the same equation as his teammates for the reason the team is dominating on the court. Once again he failed to reach the 10 rebound mark and was out performed by teammate Udonis Haslem who registered a double-double with 10 rebounds and 10 point. Bosh was only able to register 23 minutes on the nights contest due to foul trouble.
The Toronto Raptors kept the game close and presented a challenge to the Miami Heat. The Raptors performance seemed to be stemmed from the energy from the crowd as teams seem to be playing their best basketball against the Heat, i.e. the Celtics. From the opening game of the season, each Heat game, especially at home, as had an added energy to them with no doubt teams getting extra amped to try to register a win against the most hyped team in recent history. The fact that the Raptors was the former team of Bosh also added to the teams energy. "There was no added incentive ... no emotion," said Raptors guard Jarrett Jack, a close Bosh friend for years going back to their time together at Georgia Tech. "It was all about beating the Miami Heat and we didn't get that done." The Raptors were only down four points with six and a half minutes left, but an offensive surge led by Wade and James gave the Heat some cushion as they went on a 12-2 run.
The Heat will close out their six game home stand by hosting the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night while hosting the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday night and then travel to Memphis to round out the weeks match ups. As the hype machine continues to fall victim to the media's obsession with them, James is already answering questions about his return to Cleveland on Dec. 2 and ESPN is already having a countdown to a Christmas match-up against the Lakers. "It's too early for me to think about," James said on the upcoming match-ups. Which it is.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Heat Fall To Celtics....Again
Their was a lot on the line last night as the Miami Heat hosted the Boston Celtics. For one, the Heat were trying to overcome an season opening loss against the Celtics where they were embarrassed on National TV. They were looking not to lose consecutive home games to move within one game of falling to .500. They were looking for their swagger that is needed in big games and they accomplished neither as they failed to show up and were once again embaressed by the Celtics
Historically there was something on the line too that does involve Michael Jordon and it is not the 72-10 mark that the Heat are supposedly chasing. I say supposedly because if you ask anybody on the team I'm sure that they would not agree that they are chasing that record, but aiming to win a championship. This is just another product that is the hype machine of modern day media. But historically, I will say that Ray Allen has solidified a spot as the greatest clutch performer since MJ. Allen set the tone for the Celtics as he connected on his first seven three pointers.
The play that wraps up the Heats night is Rajon Rondo's dunk on Chris Bosh who pretty much gave him a free pass to the rack. This signifies the softness that this team possesses on the defensive side of the ball; especially under the rim. Yes, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade are spectacular on the defensive side of the ball, but that is only so much when the weak point of this team is below the rim, Bosh's territory. Bosh once again failed to break the 10 rebound mark (James had 10).The Heat's lack the size makes it hard for them to match the swagger that the Celtics have, especially under the rim. The intensity of Kevin Garnett that not only fuels the likes of Glen 'Big Baby' Davis, but also fuels Shaquelle O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal and when the angry Kendrick Perkins comes back, it is going to be very difficult for the Heat to keep up with the Celtics in the rebounding sector of the game.
James showed up for the game and seems to be the only constant in this teams offense. He narrowly missed his second straight triple double by coming up one assist short. Wade did not break the 10 point mark and was held to 8 points while not registering his first bucket until the third quarter. The only other positive that the Heat had on the night was the play of Udonis Haslem who registered 21 points. The Heat have a lot of work to do and you can hear it in the post-game comments. The "It's still early in the season," was pretty relevant in the answer they had after the game. It is early in the season, but a great athlete once said "It's getting late early,"- Yogi Berra.
The Heat will have another go around tonight with the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Arena. With the Raptors sitting at a 2-7 record, this should be an easy win. I expect Miami Thrice to be in full effect tonight as they attempt to avenge the loss against the Celtics.
Historically there was something on the line too that does involve Michael Jordon and it is not the 72-10 mark that the Heat are supposedly chasing. I say supposedly because if you ask anybody on the team I'm sure that they would not agree that they are chasing that record, but aiming to win a championship. This is just another product that is the hype machine of modern day media. But historically, I will say that Ray Allen has solidified a spot as the greatest clutch performer since MJ. Allen set the tone for the Celtics as he connected on his first seven three pointers.
The play that wraps up the Heats night is Rajon Rondo's dunk on Chris Bosh who pretty much gave him a free pass to the rack. This signifies the softness that this team possesses on the defensive side of the ball; especially under the rim. Yes, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade are spectacular on the defensive side of the ball, but that is only so much when the weak point of this team is below the rim, Bosh's territory. Bosh once again failed to break the 10 rebound mark (James had 10).The Heat's lack the size makes it hard for them to match the swagger that the Celtics have, especially under the rim. The intensity of Kevin Garnett that not only fuels the likes of Glen 'Big Baby' Davis, but also fuels Shaquelle O'Neal, Jermaine O'Neal and when the angry Kendrick Perkins comes back, it is going to be very difficult for the Heat to keep up with the Celtics in the rebounding sector of the game.
James showed up for the game and seems to be the only constant in this teams offense. He narrowly missed his second straight triple double by coming up one assist short. Wade did not break the 10 point mark and was held to 8 points while not registering his first bucket until the third quarter. The only other positive that the Heat had on the night was the play of Udonis Haslem who registered 21 points. The Heat have a lot of work to do and you can hear it in the post-game comments. The "It's still early in the season," was pretty relevant in the answer they had after the game. It is early in the season, but a great athlete once said "It's getting late early,"- Yogi Berra.
The Heat will have another go around tonight with the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Arena. With the Raptors sitting at a 2-7 record, this should be an easy win. I expect Miami Thrice to be in full effect tonight as they attempt to avenge the loss against the Celtics.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Celtics Travel to Town for Round 2
In what will surely be a preview to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics will travel to Miami to take on the Heat.
The Heat are coming off a heart breaking loss at the hands of the Utah Jazz while the Celtics are also coming off of a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. This is an eliminate that was missing from the first game that will surely favor the Heat in this match up. Shaq has a couple games under his belt and is beginning to show signs of breaking down as he already as a knee injury to deal with so I'd imagine his minutes will be limited tonight. Jermaine O'Neal does not appear that he will be playing either so Chris Bosh may actually have a very productive game tonight. However, the Celtics depth at this position is certainly amplified as they still have Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Kevin Garnett can still be listed as a center at 7 feet.
The Heat need to take the lessons learned against the Jazz and apply it to this game. The Heat were victims of their own success in their last game as they have played with 20 point leads in three of their last four games prior to the Jazz Tuesday night. They need to learn how to keep those leads to the end of regulation, but this is just one reason why LeBron has publicly stated that this team will not be at its fullest potential until after the new year. And I must commend Head Coach Eric Spolestra for the job he has done handling these superstars as he was one of the question marks entering this season. Tip off will be set for 8pm and maybe just a good enough reason for me to pop my Downtown cherry and hop on a bus to soak in what will surely be a festive atmosphere.
The Heat are coming off a heart breaking loss at the hands of the Utah Jazz while the Celtics are also coming off of a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. This is an eliminate that was missing from the first game that will surely favor the Heat in this match up. Shaq has a couple games under his belt and is beginning to show signs of breaking down as he already as a knee injury to deal with so I'd imagine his minutes will be limited tonight. Jermaine O'Neal does not appear that he will be playing either so Chris Bosh may actually have a very productive game tonight. However, the Celtics depth at this position is certainly amplified as they still have Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Kevin Garnett can still be listed as a center at 7 feet.
The Heat need to take the lessons learned against the Jazz and apply it to this game. The Heat were victims of their own success in their last game as they have played with 20 point leads in three of their last four games prior to the Jazz Tuesday night. They need to learn how to keep those leads to the end of regulation, but this is just one reason why LeBron has publicly stated that this team will not be at its fullest potential until after the new year. And I must commend Head Coach Eric Spolestra for the job he has done handling these superstars as he was one of the question marks entering this season. Tip off will be set for 8pm and maybe just a good enough reason for me to pop my Downtown cherry and hop on a bus to soak in what will surely be a festive atmosphere.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Heat Blow 22 Point Lead, James Registers First Triple-Double
There were a lot of disappointed Miami Heat fans last night that left the American Airlines Arena as they were left befuddled to the fact that their team blew a 22 point lead. Befuddled to the fact that their two best players, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James, both had their best games of their year on the same night.
Wade registered 39 points as was 12-16 from the floor and 3-5 from three point range; he was also featured on another 'Dunk of the Night,' by ESPN. In overtime as he took the ball up the court, he got selfish and took the ball to the rack by himself reminding us of why he was nicknamed 'Flash.' James also had his best game of the year as he posted a triple double to further provide evidence of his role within this team. He registered 14 assists, 11 rebounds and 20 points. Once again, James out rebounded Chris Bosh who has been under performing at this all season.
The loss comes as a surprise to many due to the manor that it came in and by the individual who delivered the blows, Paul Milsap. Millsap, who finished 19 of 28 from the field, had been a 2-for-20 shooter from 3-point range in his career -- then went 3 for 3 against Miami in the final minute.
The Heat will have to forget this game pretty quickly as their main competition to win the Eastern Conference, The Boston Celtics, comes to town. In their last meeting, the Celtics handed the Heat their first loss of the season in pretty convincing fashion. However, the Heat have shown alot of improvement since that game and will look to even the score on the season series. This game will provide an intense atmosphere as floor seats are selling for close to $12,000 each. Injuries surround the Celtics as Shaquille O'Neal will not practice today as he is nursing a knee injury. Fellow Celtics big man Jermaine O'Neal will also not be on the floor tomorrow as he is also nursing an injury. This gives an advantage to the Miami as the Celtics other big man, Kendrick Perkins, is still nursing an injury he suffered in this previous post-season and will not be with the team until the beginning of December. Tip off is set for 8pm and will be aired nationally on TNT.
Wade registered 39 points as was 12-16 from the floor and 3-5 from three point range; he was also featured on another 'Dunk of the Night,' by ESPN. In overtime as he took the ball up the court, he got selfish and took the ball to the rack by himself reminding us of why he was nicknamed 'Flash.' James also had his best game of the year as he posted a triple double to further provide evidence of his role within this team. He registered 14 assists, 11 rebounds and 20 points. Once again, James out rebounded Chris Bosh who has been under performing at this all season.
The loss comes as a surprise to many due to the manor that it came in and by the individual who delivered the blows, Paul Milsap. Millsap, who finished 19 of 28 from the field, had been a 2-for-20 shooter from 3-point range in his career -- then went 3 for 3 against Miami in the final minute.
The Heat will have to forget this game pretty quickly as their main competition to win the Eastern Conference, The Boston Celtics, comes to town. In their last meeting, the Celtics handed the Heat their first loss of the season in pretty convincing fashion. However, the Heat have shown alot of improvement since that game and will look to even the score on the season series. This game will provide an intense atmosphere as floor seats are selling for close to $12,000 each. Injuries surround the Celtics as Shaquille O'Neal will not practice today as he is nursing a knee injury. Fellow Celtics big man Jermaine O'Neal will also not be on the floor tomorrow as he is also nursing an injury. This gives an advantage to the Miami as the Celtics other big man, Kendrick Perkins, is still nursing an injury he suffered in this previous post-season and will not be with the team until the beginning of December. Tip off is set for 8pm and will be aired nationally on TNT.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Heat Smoke Nets, Prep For Jazz
The hybrid known as LeBron James and Dwayne Wade reared its ugly head against the hapless Nets this past Saturday at the American Airlines Arena in front of a sold out crowd in the second game of their four game home stand.
Both Wade and James had magnificent dunks that were certainly poster worthy, but the best came when the two combined on an alley-op dunk towards the end of the third quarter. Wade set a James perfectly as he could have dunked the ball himself, but chose to set up friend/teammate James summing up their relationship on the court; unselfishness. Unfortunately this same unselfish play was the reason the Heat lost Friday night against the Hornets as Wade passed off an open jump shot to tie the game to pass it to an open Eddie House who missed the game tying three.
With the win, the Heat improved to 5-2 on the season and look to have another performance like this against the Utah Jazz who are entering the game with a 3-3 record. The Jazz are coming off a thrilling double OT game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Jazz are still finding out what their identity is with All-Star Forward Carlos Boozer leaving town for the Chicago Bulls. The Jazz still have the most underrated player in the league in Deron Williams and Andrei Kirlenko but not much after that in terms of talent on the offensive end. Tip off for this game will at 730 and will air on NBA TV.
Both Wade and James had magnificent dunks that were certainly poster worthy, but the best came when the two combined on an alley-op dunk towards the end of the third quarter. Wade set a James perfectly as he could have dunked the ball himself, but chose to set up friend/teammate James summing up their relationship on the court; unselfishness. Unfortunately this same unselfish play was the reason the Heat lost Friday night against the Hornets as Wade passed off an open jump shot to tie the game to pass it to an open Eddie House who missed the game tying three.
With the win, the Heat improved to 5-2 on the season and look to have another performance like this against the Utah Jazz who are entering the game with a 3-3 record. The Jazz are coming off a thrilling double OT game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Jazz are still finding out what their identity is with All-Star Forward Carlos Boozer leaving town for the Chicago Bulls. The Jazz still have the most underrated player in the league in Deron Williams and Andrei Kirlenko but not much after that in terms of talent on the offensive end. Tip off for this game will at 730 and will air on NBA TV.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Hornets Swarm Past Heat
The Miami Heat suffered their second loss of the season against the very much underrated New Orleans Hornets.
Chris Paul showed why he is the leagues best point guard as he distributed a staggering 19 assists while contributing 13 points. Some care calling it the blue print to beat the Heat, I would have to disagree witht that because there is only one Chris Paul in the league which means there is only one player who could do what he did against the Heat; himself. Paul even out rebounded Chris Bosh on the night as he grabbed four rebounds while Bosh only grabbed two; one offensively and one defensively. Although it is not time to quit on Bosh yet as a productive big man, with each passing game, Bosh's inability to collect rebounds is growing more and more apparent.
This was not the only aspect of the Heat's game that was exposed last night. Carlos Arroyo, the listed starting point guard in the starting line up, only played 17 minutes, contributed 0 points and 1 assist. There was not much more production out of the non-Miami Thrice players. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade both scored more than 25 points a piece while James, who appears more and more everyday the point guard of this team, contributed 10 assists. Out of the dynamic duo, one stat that is becoming more and more alarming is the amount of turnovers this team is accumilating. Wade had 7 turnovers last night, a couple which came at the hands of Paul's 5 steals on the night. This ability to perform on the defensive side of the ball is one of the main reason's why Paul is considered an elite player in the NBA.
What ultimately was the deciding factor of the game was Wade passing up the last shot of the game; his strength, unselfishness, was also his weakness last night. Wade had a perfect shot lined up last night for him in the winding seconds of the game as he was left wide open at the top of the key for a potential game tying 3 pointer with two seconds left in regulation. Wade opted to pass off to Eddie House who was probably surprised himself that Wade would pass up an opportunity like that. This poor decision making by Wade may be the reason he is committing an inordinate amount of turnovers. However, this is a man who missed the entire pre-season and has yet to find his comfort zone on a day in- day out basketball schedule.
The Heat look to bounce back tonight as they host the New Jersey Nets which should be an easy win for them. The Heat defeated the Nets last week by a staggering 30 points. Tonight they will be playing host against a sell-out crowd at the American Airlines Arena in the heart of downtown Miami. Tonight marks the a four game home set for the Heat which will have them play host to the Utah Jazz on Monday, the Boston Celtics on Thursday and the Toronto Raptors, Bosh's old team, on Sunday. As Miami tourist season begins to pick up, more and more people will be coming down to see the Heat play.
Chris Paul showed why he is the leagues best point guard as he distributed a staggering 19 assists while contributing 13 points. Some care calling it the blue print to beat the Heat, I would have to disagree witht that because there is only one Chris Paul in the league which means there is only one player who could do what he did against the Heat; himself. Paul even out rebounded Chris Bosh on the night as he grabbed four rebounds while Bosh only grabbed two; one offensively and one defensively. Although it is not time to quit on Bosh yet as a productive big man, with each passing game, Bosh's inability to collect rebounds is growing more and more apparent.
This was not the only aspect of the Heat's game that was exposed last night. Carlos Arroyo, the listed starting point guard in the starting line up, only played 17 minutes, contributed 0 points and 1 assist. There was not much more production out of the non-Miami Thrice players. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade both scored more than 25 points a piece while James, who appears more and more everyday the point guard of this team, contributed 10 assists. Out of the dynamic duo, one stat that is becoming more and more alarming is the amount of turnovers this team is accumilating. Wade had 7 turnovers last night, a couple which came at the hands of Paul's 5 steals on the night. This ability to perform on the defensive side of the ball is one of the main reason's why Paul is considered an elite player in the NBA.
What ultimately was the deciding factor of the game was Wade passing up the last shot of the game; his strength, unselfishness, was also his weakness last night. Wade had a perfect shot lined up last night for him in the winding seconds of the game as he was left wide open at the top of the key for a potential game tying 3 pointer with two seconds left in regulation. Wade opted to pass off to Eddie House who was probably surprised himself that Wade would pass up an opportunity like that. This poor decision making by Wade may be the reason he is committing an inordinate amount of turnovers. However, this is a man who missed the entire pre-season and has yet to find his comfort zone on a day in- day out basketball schedule.
The Heat look to bounce back tonight as they host the New Jersey Nets which should be an easy win for them. The Heat defeated the Nets last week by a staggering 30 points. Tonight they will be playing host against a sell-out crowd at the American Airlines Arena in the heart of downtown Miami. Tonight marks the a four game home set for the Heat which will have them play host to the Utah Jazz on Monday, the Boston Celtics on Thursday and the Toronto Raptors, Bosh's old team, on Sunday. As Miami tourist season begins to pick up, more and more people will be coming down to see the Heat play.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Heat Face Competition Against Undefeated Hornets
The Miami Heat will actually face some competition tonight as they travel to face the very competent New Orleans Hornets tonight at 8pm.
The New Orleans Hornets offense starts and ends with the play of All-Star point guard Chris Paul. What makes Paul such a great basketball player is the same thing that makes LeBron James and Dwayne Wade great basketball players: unselfishness. Paul is the type of player that feeds off of setting up his teammates which makes him an ideal point guard. He currently leads the Hornets in scoring average (21.3) and assists (9.0) which makes him good for contributing close to 40 points a night.
Paul will have his hands full on the defensive side of the ball has James will be playing tonight after some speculation on his status due to a bruised right shin. With the Heat still trying to find their identity at the point guard position, Paul, an All-Defensive team player, may face up to three different players bringing the ball up the court as Wade and Carlos Arroyo will be playing the position along with James.This is one of the aspects that is going to make this Heat team so special is the different looks that they will presenting to each team. James at the point guard position makes an automatic mis-match at the position because of his sheer size. Wade's attacking nature also makes a difficult match up for any player at that position in the league. When Arroyo takes the ball up, expect him to set-up the two superstars.
This game will also serve as a good road test as the Heat foiled when they visited in Boston, while their other road game was against sub par New Jersey and Philadelphia. Expect the Hornets to be playing against a full house that will add energy to the defensive side of the ball as well as energize their offense. I am still currently working out the kinks on setting up live blogging. Look for announcements regarding this feature in the coming days.
The New Orleans Hornets offense starts and ends with the play of All-Star point guard Chris Paul. What makes Paul such a great basketball player is the same thing that makes LeBron James and Dwayne Wade great basketball players: unselfishness. Paul is the type of player that feeds off of setting up his teammates which makes him an ideal point guard. He currently leads the Hornets in scoring average (21.3) and assists (9.0) which makes him good for contributing close to 40 points a night.
Paul will have his hands full on the defensive side of the ball has James will be playing tonight after some speculation on his status due to a bruised right shin. With the Heat still trying to find their identity at the point guard position, Paul, an All-Defensive team player, may face up to three different players bringing the ball up the court as Wade and Carlos Arroyo will be playing the position along with James.This is one of the aspects that is going to make this Heat team so special is the different looks that they will presenting to each team. James at the point guard position makes an automatic mis-match at the position because of his sheer size. Wade's attacking nature also makes a difficult match up for any player at that position in the league. When Arroyo takes the ball up, expect him to set-up the two superstars.
This game will also serve as a good road test as the Heat foiled when they visited in Boston, while their other road game was against sub par New Jersey and Philadelphia. Expect the Hornets to be playing against a full house that will add energy to the defensive side of the ball as well as energize their offense. I am still currently working out the kinks on setting up live blogging. Look for announcements regarding this feature in the coming days.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Timberwolves Keep it Close....For a Half...
It was another day at the office for LeBron James and Co. as they hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Arena tonight for their second home game of the season. The Timberwolves showed signes of life until the third quarter when the Miami Heat broke the game open and eventually won 129-97.
As this team continues to perform its starting to look like this team will only be judged on big games. There is little commentary that can be produced from a game like this other than what was said from after the Philadelphia 76ers game which showed the Heat dominating to give their stars the forth quarter off. The team has been showing off their potential since Dwayne Wade has come around. As mentioned before on this blog, I felt that the first game against the Boston Celtics, Wade was emotionally drained from his child custody case in Chicago, but since putting his head on basketball, this team just seems to improve with each passing game.
Speaking of passing, LeBron reached the high mark for assists tonight by a registered forward for the Miami Heat with 12 assists. This is the first time all season James has surpassed the double digit mark in assists. This bodes well for a team with the superstar talent they possess because for one reason, it signifies non-selfishness. James Jones also continues to be very high as the first option outside the Miami Thrice; hit connected on 5 3-pointers tonight.
But the story of the game was certainly LeBron displaying his passing ability. Head Coach Eric Spolstra explains that "What I saw tonight out of LeBron was a high IQ game, he managed and dissected the game with his mind. He was baiting two guys on him, really playing with a poised tempo. He wasn't 100 percent tonight, but was able to make plays and really set up guys with wide-open shots."
The Heat will travel to New Orleans on Friday to take on the Hornets and will host the New Jersey Nets in their next home game on Saturday. You can catch the best recap for the Miami Heat games, right here on Southbeachking.blogspot.com.
As this team continues to perform its starting to look like this team will only be judged on big games. There is little commentary that can be produced from a game like this other than what was said from after the Philadelphia 76ers game which showed the Heat dominating to give their stars the forth quarter off. The team has been showing off their potential since Dwayne Wade has come around. As mentioned before on this blog, I felt that the first game against the Boston Celtics, Wade was emotionally drained from his child custody case in Chicago, but since putting his head on basketball, this team just seems to improve with each passing game.
Speaking of passing, LeBron reached the high mark for assists tonight by a registered forward for the Miami Heat with 12 assists. This is the first time all season James has surpassed the double digit mark in assists. This bodes well for a team with the superstar talent they possess because for one reason, it signifies non-selfishness. James Jones also continues to be very high as the first option outside the Miami Thrice; hit connected on 5 3-pointers tonight.
But the story of the game was certainly LeBron displaying his passing ability. Head Coach Eric Spolstra explains that "What I saw tonight out of LeBron was a high IQ game, he managed and dissected the game with his mind. He was baiting two guys on him, really playing with a poised tempo. He wasn't 100 percent tonight, but was able to make plays and really set up guys with wide-open shots."
The Heat will travel to New Orleans on Friday to take on the Hornets and will host the New Jersey Nets in their next home game on Saturday. You can catch the best recap for the Miami Heat games, right here on Southbeachking.blogspot.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)