Tag Archives: Erik Spoelstra

by | June 20, 2012 · 2:48 PM

Miami Heat Poised to Win Championship

One more

Doyle Rader: With the Miami Heat one win away from their second ever NBA title, now is as good a time as any for us to talk about the Finals. Last night, the Thunder, namely Russell Westbrook, threw everything they had at the Heat in an attempt to tie the series but came up just short as they have in every game since Game 1. Plenty of people are singling out Westbrook for the foul he committed on Mario Chalmers with 15 seconds left in the game as the moment the Thunder lost the game. (They were down three points at that time.) Yet, this is a complete overreaction to the play in my opinion. If it wasn’t for Westbrook in the first place the Thunder would have likely not even been in this game. He poured in 43 points on 20 made field goals. Everything was falling for him last night. It was a performance on par with what Rajon Rondo did against the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. During the presser LeBron James even likened those two performances to each other. It seems to me that a new narrative (it isn’t that new actually) is forming around Westbrook, scapegoating him, doubting him, much in the same ilk that James has dealt with throughout his career. However, James is on the cusp of shattering his previous narrative and the baggage that came with it.

Travis Huse: If we’re looking at problems here, it’s not Westy. Harden went
2-10 last night and finished with 8 points, and here’s the part where I tell
you that he was still third in the Thunder’s point totals. They managed to
beat the Spurs with an effective team play atmosphere, and they’ve lost the
contributions from Harden and Serge Ibaka. Smart team play can defeat Miami, but pitting a “Big 2″ against a “Big 3″ is suicide.

Casual basketball fans tend to place much more emphasis on offense than
defense, and that’s the population most affected by Anti-Westbrook Fever.
But you can’t overlook how the Heat have been able to control the tempo of
the game, and Harden looks thrown off. He was 2-10 on Sunday, as well, held
to only 9 points. If he wants the label of next-generation Manu Ginobili, he
needs to step up better now, where it really matters.

DR: You’re right, Harden has been bad, but it isn’t just his shooting. For
some reason, and there has been much to talk about concerning Scott Brooks’
rotations, Brooks insists on having Harden defend James for extended periods
of time. I know that James is a player that is difficult to defend on every
level but this simply is not where Harden should be utilized on the
defensive end. Time and again, James will just post him up since he is
bigger and stronger and the results have been devastating.

Zach Lowe over at SI.com touched on that today. By his tally, Miami scored 24 point on James post-ups. The points did not all come from LeBron as he was able to hit open teammates when double teams came his way. He finished the game with 12 assists. How can anyone stop him at this point, let alone an undersized player known more for his offense?

It’s not just Harden, though, you are correct in pointing out Ibaka’s
dramatic fall-off but Kendrick Perkins has been equally awful. He is the
wrench in the gears. Nick Collison showed flashes of brilliance against the
Heat in Game 4 but then vanished. Poof! Scott Brooks is showing us his
inexperience with these stubborn, and at times haphazard, lineups that he
has been throwing out there.

Last year Rick Carlisle showed his flexibility by inserting J.J. Barea into
the starting lineup to wondrous results for Dallas as they went on to win
the championship. Erik Spoelstra was left in the dust scratching his head as
he stuck with Mike Bibby in the starting lineup for too long. Now, Spoelstra
is in command and his small center-less lineups are rendering OKC’s bigs
completely useless.

TH: To be very honest, one of the biggest hindrances in Lebron’s career has
been his unwillingness to post up. He used to be very prone to jacking Josh
Smith-type 3s, so much so that every time I play against him (Miami or
Cleveland) on the 2K games, I will sag off him and make him shoot it. I
might have to change my approach with the next one. And it makes sense that
their success has revolved around his post play, because the dude is the
biggest, strongest, most athletic person that might have ever existed. The
Thunder don’t have anyone who’s going to be able to defend him without
leaving a glaring mismatch. I’m not sure anyone in the league does, and
that’s why the Heat are one win away from the championship.

They’re a stronger team than last year, and they’ve found a way for both
Lebron and Dwyane Wade to play together. Right now their bench is outplaying the Thunder bench. I don’t see any way the Thunder make it as champs, and you’re right, Spo is out-coaching Brooks. Unless something drastic changes, the Heat seem to be poised to close this one out sooner rather than later.

DR: After the body language that Durant showed last night in the post game
presser this series could wrap up Thursday night. During that presser we
witnessed the return of Durant’s backpack, which had been MIA all
postseason. It too was just as sad an dejected as Durant as he let it fall
to the floor, shoulders slumped. It reminded me of the Western Conference
Finals last year. There were many a sad backpacks to be found in that
series.

Here’s the thing though, as I am not a true fan of either of the teams in the Finals, just a fan of the game, I have slowly come to view the post game presser as must-see throughout these playoffs. Sure, the questions are generally fluff, verging on inane at times, but I find them to be truly interesting.

Chris Bosh, who has been great this series, gives one of the best presser
interviews there are. Honestly, if more people heard him speak, instead of
instantly buying into the “Like a Bosh” or “Bosh Face” trope, they would see
just how smart, composed, and well spoken he is.

But of course the presser is all about the clothes. Man, these players
(Westbrook) wear some silly expensive shit. That said, Wade won the presser
clothes game last night when he came out wearing glasses that were straight
off the face of Dwayne Wayne from Different World.

TH: I’ve never really understood why Bosh gets so much shit. He’s a consistent 20-10 player, a perennial all star, who stretches the floor very well. His outside touch does wonders for the sometimes-anemic Heat offense, exposing the rim for the slashing of the other two stars.

It has become so commonplace to make fun of the Heat, that the worst thing I could think of has happened. I have moved past resenting them, past feeling sorry for them, into rooting for them as an underdog. Obviously, they are not the underdog, but I now feel that I have to throw stats in the faces of anyone who harps in on how much they hate the Heat.

DR: I found myself in the same place as the Finals started this year. For various and extremely biased reasons I cannot bring myself to root for the Thunder organization so that left me with only one choice. I have James many times on this blog, taking both a negative and positive view of him and his game. Seeing all the backlash towards one of the greatest players the league has ever seen has continually shocked me, though. Sure he, and the Heat have made some questionable choices in the past but does that really outweigh what goes on in a game? Miami is the most scrutinized team in sports and it is simply ludicrous to hear some of the things said about them.

The Heat deserve to win the championship this year, if for no other reason that silence the doubters who continually lob volley after volley of asinine rhetoric interspersed with buzz words at them all the while refusing to make sound judgments and arguments. At this point, if winning a championship is the only way to get it through the thick skull of some people that James is good and so are the Heat then so be it. They shall be vindicated.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Playoffs

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 24, 2012 · 4:35 PM

Wiz Flip Out

McGee and Blatche, giving their best Thizz faces.

With Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that the Washington Wizards have fired head coach Flip Saunders, the team appears to be headed towards a major rebuilding commitment.  While owner Ted Leonsis has attempted to improve the Wiz by small movements, it is very apparent that this team cannot be a playoff caliber team (or anything close) with the selfish trio of Andray Blatche, Nick Young, and JaVale McGee.  All three of these players are athletic and young, so it stands to reason that other teams would have desire in the raw talent in the hopes of maybe turning around their bad tendencies.

Andray Blatche

Blatche is never going to be a defensive presence, but there is something terribly off about his shot selection this season.  His FG% is down from .445 last season to .380 this year, and while he’s received the brunt of the Wizards’ ridicule, he has actually been taking 3 less shots per game than he did last year.

Could work for:

Phoenix Suns

The Suns took a huge offensive step back when they lost Amar’e Stoudemire.  Since then, their big man game has been weakened as well.  Robin Lopez has been unimpressive, and a creative trade might be an easy way of getting rid of their Josh Childress contract.

Miami Heat

I know how it sounds, but Erik Spoelstra is one of the few coaches who might be able to make Blatche an acceptable help defender.  He has the athleticism to defend, maybe putting him in a position where his offense is superfluous would be good for him.

Nick Young

Young is a prime example of how Gilbert Arenas was poisonous to this team’s mindset.  He’s wonderful with the ball in his hands, but he is cocky, selfish, and when needed to facilitate the rest of his teammates, finds himself unable or unwilling to help.

Could work for:

Dallas Mavericks

While Lamar Odom is a spectacular player, he hasn’t been playing well at all for the Mavs.  Eventually, he will be able to be his old self, a cannonball that few can match up well with, but as of now, this team could use him in order to produce in the same capacity that they employed Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson last season.

Chicago Bulls

Now, Young already plays with an excellent young point guard, but there is no chance that Young could be able to lead the Bulls in scoring like he did last year with Washington.  This could help Young to develop a little sense of humility with a team that’s not known to pander to its players.  Discipline, discipline, discipline.  Also, the Bulls are watching Luol Deng’s injury very closely, and might need some extra scoring to maintain their record.

JaVale McGee

If I were a betting man, I would say that McGee is the most likely to remain with the Wizards.  He’s more driven than the other stooges, he’s liked by fans (on occasion), and if the league ever allows double-dunking in games, he has a significant lead on all other players.  Not saying it’s going to happen, but Leonsis is a “forward-thinking” owner, you know.  However, with the right training and mental preparation, McGee could be a mixture of Pau Gasol and Ralph Sampson, long and lean, with great hands.

Could work for:

Minnesota Timberwolves

This team has some promise, but they’ve got to trim some fat first.  If the Wolves could find a way to pair McGee with Kevin Love, Love’s work ethic could rub off, and a starting five including Ricky Rubio, Wesley Johnson, Derrick Williams, McGee, and Love would be rather imposing when they hit their primes.

Milwaukee Bucks

While the Bucks already have a few players of his size, they are also ranked 25th in the league in rebounds and 24th in blocks.  McGee could add something to this anemic offense, and further lock down the paint.

Leave a Comment

Filed under NBA at Large, Players, Trades

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | December 27, 2011 · 4:03 PM

6 NBA Rookies to Watch in 2011-12

Leonard is one of a few promising rookies this year

Usually, this list consists of ten rookies to keep an eye on during the season. With the shortened season, however, this list is also smaller. Call it laziness on my part, call it whatever you want. It is what it is. Last year’s draft was something out of the Bizzaro universe. It was more notable for the peculiar name pronunciations than anything else. The popular rookies will get press elsewhere so there is no need to cover them in depth on this little blog. Plus, do you really need to read another article about the parallels between Jimmer Fredette and Tim Tebow? No, I didn’t think so.

The way in which the rookies were chosen to appear on this list is completely arbitrary and is a result of hope, sometimes terribly misguided, that these players will transform into household names in the future. Certainly, though, at least one is on here because of the sheer absurdity surrounding his journey to the NBA. (Can you guess which one?)

Norris Cole – PG, Miami Heat

Upon being drafted, Cole quickly discovered how he, as a player, is merely a commodity to teams. He was a member of three different teams on draft night, eventually landing with the Miami Heat. In college, Cole was the focal point of his team’s offense as he took 28.9 percent of his team’s field goal attempts. In Miami that will not be the case (understatement of the year, perhaps). What will set Cole apart will he his ability to pass the ball to the prominent scorers on the Heat as well as conform to the defensive system that Erik Spoelstra employs. His passing is already above average; however, he does have trouble passing out of a double team. Again, though, it will be unlikely that he sees many doubles while on the floor. It would not be surprising if Cole was inserted into the starting lineup at some point during the season so that Spoelstra can bring Mario Chalmers off the bench as an offensive kick for his second unit. Cole must continue to learn and play at a high level for that to happen.

Kawhi Leonard – SF, San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are a damned crafty bunch when it comes to drafting players. For them to have traded a promising young talent in George Hill to the Indiana Pacers for the draft rights to Leonard caused heads to turn. He would have been a great addition to an already scrappy Pacers squad, but they were overloaded at his position. Leonard made his mark in college as a premier (or monster) wing defender, forcing a turnover on 23.8 percent of the possessions in which he was the isolated defender as well as holding opponents to 37.5 percent shooting when he was defending them. His seven feet two inch arm span certainly helped him in these respects. Not only is he a stout defender but he is also a good defensive rebounder. Essentially, Leonard is the ideal Spurs player. Where he needs improvement, which Greg Popovich will administer in his own special way, is with his offense, both his shot and offensive sets. The Spurs are notorious for successfully developing players, much to the ire of rival fans, so Leonard should be in good hands. Also, with San Antonio shopping Richard Jefferson over the summer it looks as though Leonard could quickly move up the depth chart.

Ricky Rubio – PG, Minnesota Timberwolves

Oh, Ricky, Ricky, Ricky. What a zany (channeling Mitt Romney for that one) path Rubio has taken to the NBA. He was drafted what seems like a decade ago only to hold out until the final year of his rookie contract before agreeing to leave his beloved Spain to play in the cold wintery confines of Minnesota. This was either incredibly shrewd or insanely selfish. Rubio is not a typical rookie. He has played at a high level in Spain and internationally with the Spanish national team which is made up of mostly NBA players. One of the major criticisms of Rubio has been his scoring ability, however, he, like other Spanish point guards (read: Jose Calderon) is a pass first, offense facilitator. In Rick Adelman’s up-tempo style of play, especially with a team full of mediocre talent, Kevin Love aside, but that is incredibly athletic, Rubio should learn to thrive in the open court. He must first distinguish himself as deserving the playing time over the 1,000 other point guards that David Kahn has signed, though. That task should not prove to be a problem.

Iman Shumpert – PG/SG, New York Knicks

Shumpert was the buzz of New York after two preseason games. The hype was palpable. Shumpert was drafted for his defensive prowess but his offensive skills soon were apparent once the preseason began. Due to the Knicks’ lack of backcourt depth, he was slated to be a staple in the rotation. However, he suffered an injury in the first game of the season and will be out for several weeks. When he returns to the lineup, Shumpert needs to improve his shot selection, like most rookies, and his ability to finish at the rim. Against the Celtics he only made one of six shots at the rim. Boston maintains a physical defense, especially around the paint, but no NBA team is going to give up easy points around the rim if they can help it. With his usage percentage projected to remain high upon his return, Shumpert must finish the opportunities he is given.

Tristan Thompson – PF, Cleveland Cavaliers

Thompson was drafted pretty high, fourth overall, for a player that possesses little ability to operate away from the rim. He does, however, possess the ability to work off the ball offensively away from the rim in space but this is to free him up on a dive or cut to the basket. He will need to improve his ball-in-hand offense, specifically in the post, in order to adapt his game to the NBA level. Another area of concern for Thompson is his poor defensive rebounding ability. This, for one, is striking due to Thompson’s size, even as a young man, and good post defense. Yet, he cleans the offensive glass rather well which should benefit a team destined to miss a lot of shots. Despite his immediate drawbacks, Thompson has plenty of raw potential and other than Kyrie Irving, represents the only potential the Cavaliers have.

Kemba Walker – PG, Charlotte Bobcats

Michael Jordan has a special place in history when it comes to the draft lottery. That place is specifically referred to as Kwame Brown. MJ, let us hope you done right this time. Walker comes into the league with a solid NCAA pedigree. He was a member, and respective leader, of the national champion UConn Huskies. Not too shabby, right? Walker works well as a primary scoring threat for a team in pick-and-roll and off the ball screens. What will be interesting to watch for this season is if his ball hogging tendencies, he shot the ball 63.8 percent of the time coming off of a ball screen while at UConn, will carry over to the NBA. It is apparent that Walker will split and share time with D.J. Augustin in Charlotte, where is off the ball offensive movement will be on display. However with the ball in his hand, how will he react? One game is not a benchmark for anything, but Walker totaled just three assists, each leading to a shot from 16-23 feet, in 21 minutes in his first NBA game. He is a score first point guard.

Tip of the hat to NBA Playbook for many of the statistics used above.

1 Comment

Filed under NBA at Large, Players

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | May 15, 2011 · 2:38 PM

Eastern Conference Finals Prediction: Bulls vs. Heat

Battle of wills.

The league’s MVP squares off against Miami’s three-headed beast for the chance to go to the NBA Finals.

1. Chicago Bulls vs. 2. Miami Heat

What the regular season taught us was that the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat are very evenly matched. Their three meetings were decided by a combined total of eight points, all Bulls victories. That was the regular season, and that was before each of these teams slogged their way to within a series of the NBA Finals. Miami, despite having to go through the Boston Celtics, has seemingly had the easier road thus far. They were never in any real trouble against the Philadelphia 76ers and handled the Celtics better than most anyone could have imagined. They celebrated like East and West Germans did when the Berlin Wall fell after they beat the Celtics. All they needed was David Hasselhoff in a light-up jacket and their celebration would have been complete. Perhaps the celebration was a bit premature; Ganesa has not removed all of their obstacles. Miami is, after all, only half way to their goal and have to face the team with the best record in the league.

Chicago faced their largest test in the first round as the Indiana Pacers threw everything they had at the Bulls, exposing a multitude of weaknesses that had been overlooked by outside observers. The Pacers eventually succumbed to the Bulls’ rebounding might. Though the Atlanta Hawks won two games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they were their own Achilles heel falling back into predictable Isolation sets late in games which allowed Tom Thibodeau to keep his defensive unit on the floor stifling Atlanta’s best efforts to play one-on-one basketball.

Defense will dominate this series. It has been the hallmark of both of these clubs throughout the regular season and in the playoffs. This post season, Chicago has limited its opponents to the fewest points per possession while Miami ranks fourth. Defensive rebounding has a lot to do with limiting an opponent’s points and both teams are adept at cleaning the defensive glass.  Where the Bulls do out-pace the Heat is in turnovers. Chicago creates more turnovers, and thereby more scoring opportunities, than the Heat. However, history would not appear to be on Chicago’s side despite the similarities of the two clubs. Six times in NBA history a team with the league MVP and no All Star teammates has faced a club with three or more All Stars in the playoffs. The team with more All Stars has won five of those meetings. The last time this happened was last season when the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated by the Celtics in the second round.

Marquee Matchups:

Derrick Rose vs. the Miami Heat

Head Coach Erik Spoelstra and LeBron James have made it very clear that Miami will employ multiple defenders in their attempts to slow down the league’s MVP. Everyone from Mike Bibby, Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade, and James will spend time guarding Rose. Bibby will start the game “guarding” Rose, Spoelstra has said, but Chalmers will be the one tasked with defending him for much of the game. “I think he’s one of the best in the NBA in getting in the paint. I have to do a good job of keeping him out,” Chalmers said and the numbers support his belief. Rose leads the playoffs in points inside of five feet with 106. When Rose gets into the paint he is shooting 45 percent, but when he gets within the restricted area his average climbs to 54 percent. In terms of shot distribution, 38.7 percent of Rose’s field goal attempts are taken at the rim. If the Heat does manage to limit Rose’s drives to the rim they still have not completely stopped him. He is shooting 46 percent on his midrange field goal attempts and most of these shots come as a result of the pick-and-roll. Rose leads the playoffs in scoring off the pick-and-roll with 118 points and runs 11.9 of them per game. To contain Rose’s scoring Miami must trap him along the perimeter and force him into a three-point shot. Beyond the arc, where Rose takes his second highest percentage of shots, he only shoots 27 percent.

Chicago’s defense vs. Miami’s offense

King Ghidorah

Slowing down the trio of James, Wade, and Chris Bosh (or Ghidorah as Hoopdata refers to them) is near to impossible. Even if one has a bad night or is swept into the emotion of a game, the other two will step up. What makes them especially potent is their ability to get to the free throw line. During the regular season, the Heat’s trio went to the charity stripe 36.3 percent of the time they attempted a field goal against the Bulls. As a team, Miami has the third highest offensive rating at 111.7 and that is despite playing a slow paced game. However, Chicago has the top rated defense in the league.

The Bulls have the pieces in place to pester Miami’s attack. Keith Bogans and Ronnie Brewer will be the primary defenders on Wade. Both are defensive minded two guards who can make Wade’s offense not flow as smoothly as it did against the Celtics. In the post, Joakim Noah will guard Chris Bosh. Noah has flustered each and every opponent that he has defended this post season and even had Josh McRoberts take a half-hearted punch at him that missed out of frustration. If Bosh let the ambiance of the TD Garden get to him, Noah will have him completely off kilter. As for James, his main defender will be Luol Deng. Size wise, Deng matches up well with James, however, in their regular season meetings James connected on 54.6 percent of his shots with Deng defending him.

X-Factors:

Because Miami will not be able to keep Rose out of the paint all the time, Joel Anthony will be the team’s last line of defense. Luckily for the Heat, he is their best defender and a more than capable shot blocker, blocking 4.1 percent of the shots taken while he is on the court. In fact, he is much more than that. He is Miami’s version of what Kendrick Perkins was for the Celtics in previous seasons. Anthony’s efficiency rating during the playoffs is a +101. In another nod to how valuable he is to the team, Miami’s opponents shoot 50 percent while Anthony in on the bench. While he is on the floor their opponents shoot 39 percent.

What are we to make of Carlos Boozer? This has been his worst post season statistically. He has shown flashes of why the Bulls signed him last summer, but they have yet to be consistent. He must show up in this series. Miami will focus primarily on Rose which will create opportunities for Boozer and he must capitalize on them. Many of his scoring opportunities will come off missed shots and he needs to be in position to get the offensive rebound and the put-back. Activity on the offensive glass will help the Bulls limit Miami’s possessions and their transition offense. If Boozer continues to slump, Taj Gibson will be called upon. Gibson is far more active on the offensive glass than Boozer and has been more productive over all. His athleticism could be the key to creating more scoring opportunities for the Bulls, especially when bench players are in the game. Chicago’s bench out-classes Miami’s.

Prediction:

This will not be high scoring series, that much is certain. Both of these teams’ defenses are too good. Since these teams are evenly matched across the board, this series will not feature many, if any, blowouts. These games will be close. Can the Bulls find their offense when Rose is not creating off the dribble? They have yet to show that they can. What does Miami have left in its tank after their emotional series victory over the Celtics? Did they exhaust themselves? In terms of an overall team, Chicago has the advantage. Yet, when it comes to edge, Miami is the team that has it after defeating its archetype. The Heat defeats the Bulls 4-3.

1 Comment

Filed under Players

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | March 7, 2011 · 5:34 PM

It’s getting hot in here

It's been a long season of disappointment.

With the final weeks of the regular season approaching, the heat is on for Miami to actually prove something.

The Heat have yet to show that they can even approach the preseason hype that had sports pundits claiming that a “super team” such as theirs could win 72 games.  They lost ten games by early January.

Miami is currently on a four-game losing streak with losses against teams that will be playing in the playoffs.

They blew the lead against a Knicks team that was adjusting to newly acquired superstar Carmelo Anthony.

Orlando overcame a 24-point deficit with a 40-9 run to pull out their second win over Miami this season.

San Antonio demolished them 125-95 in a game that was never competitive.

Yesterday, the Bulls’ stayed a perfect 3-0 against Miami as LeBron James missed another clutch shot.

However, it’s not just their missed shots that are causing such astounding losses.  Luol Deng sunk a late game three last week to clinch a win for the Bulls and Chauncey Billups hit a late one as well to help seal the Knicks’ win.  This sloppy, late game defense has put the Heat at 5-13 in games decided by five points or less.

We could also blame Karma following LeBron down to South Beach but it would make more sense to blame that bench.  That TERRIBLE bench is last in the league in scoring with a measly 22.3 points a game.  That same group of players is only dishing out 3.9 assists per game, which is also last in the league.  They are 4-6 in their last ten games and their bench has done even worse with just 14 points a game including only six against the Bulls yesterday.

A team will not win with a bench that only scores six points in a game.

They are having starting problems as well.

Erik Spoelstra has gone from Carlos Arroyo to Mario Chalmers to Mike Bibby who has been virtually invisible since coming to Miami.  Dwyane Wade sometimes brings it up and sometimes LeBron does.  Who runs the floor?  Nobody knows.

Now, it has been revealed that players were actually crying in the locker room after the game and Spoelstra is the one that broke the news.  Why is he giving the media more fuel to criticize his underachieving team?

It sounds like even he understands how pathetic the Heat’s situation is.

It is he who allowed Chris Bosh to keep taking shots during their game last week against the Bulls and go 1 for 18 from the floor.  It is he who keeps giving LeBron the ball at the end of games and it is he who isn’t responding well to having the heaviest thumb in the NBA over his head.

Pat Riley should be embarrassed about his team that cries in the locker room and a coach that can’t seem to get it right.

We have already seen Spoelstra on the hot seat once this season and his crying comments wont help.  It took a player-only meeting the first time around to help save his job and more loses before the playoffs will just turn the heat up even more.

Just when things seem to be at their worst, rock bottom hasn’t been hit yet.

In the next week, they have to face Portland that is pulling out the craftiest wins.  They will host the Lakers who are currently on a winning streak.  They have to play Memphis who is hot and has already beaten them once this year.  They have to play San Antonio who we all know is good and they have to play Oklahoma City.

All of the games are at home which will make it even more embarrassing when they lose.

It’s almost too easy to criticize this team that was crowned before the season even started and it’s just going to get easier.  The Heat have a lot of problems and not a lot of time to fix them.

Leave a Comment

Filed under 2010-11 Regular Season

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | January 31, 2011 · 8:24 PM

Eddie House fined for big balls dance

Deez Nuts

The NBA takes balls very seriously.

On Sunday afternoon, Eddie House hit a three pointer with 22 seconds left in Oklahoma City that helped seal the Heat’s 108-103 win over the Thunder.  He proceeded to motion towards his genitalia as though they were a lot bigger than they really are and the NBA wasn’t amused.

Today, the league handed House a $25,000 fine which is probably the most a player has ever paid for having enormous balls.  He has made the gesture before without a fine but head coach Erik Spoelstra has promised that fans will not have to see how big House’s testicles are in the future.

“The league came down on [the gesture],” Spoelstra said, “so we’ve taken it and it won’t happen again.”

House was probably a little too excited about becoming relevant in an offense that has a knack for alienating players outside of the big three.  The well-travelled veteran is having one of his worst seasons ever with only six points a game.  He finished Sunday night with only five.  However, his balls are bigger than ever.

This is the most controversial ball incident the league has seen since the synthetic ball was introduced to the league in 2006.

Leave a Comment

Filed under 2010-11 Regular Season, NBA at Large, Players

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | January 26, 2011 · 10:09 AM

Chris Bosh Will Miss More Games

The health of Bosh has always been a smoke and mirrors affair

Chris Bosh is expected to miss at least the next four games for the Miami Heat according to Ira Winderman at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Head Coach Erik Spoelstra said that injury that Bosh suffered on January 15 against the Chicago Bulls is a high ankle sprain. The injury occurred when Bulls’ center, Omer Asik, was diving for a loose ball and rolled up on Bosh’s ankle.

The injury prompted Bosh to issue a string of statements exuding masculinity and his will to play through any injury for the sake of the team. One gets a sense that he likens the hardwood to the gridiron. This is what he said:

C’mon, that is how guys get hurt, that is how serious injuries happen.

You’ve got to watch people’s legs. I know guys want to hustle and everything but we all want to play and provide for our families and have a job.

We all want to be healthy and that is very important. If it is by somebody’s leg, don’t dive for the ball, it’s too close.

It could’ve been a lot worse so I consider myself lucky. The damage is mild, so I’ll just do the proper treatment and what the doctors tell me to do. I couldn’t push off of it. In situations like that you have to keep the big picture in mind.

via Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com

Bosh has already missed Miami’s previous two contests, a loss to Atlanta and a trouncing of Toronto. Spoelstra has said that Bosh will not be available to play until he gets a full practice session under his belt. The Heat will go through a full practice on Wednesday but will not have another one until February 2. Until that time, Bosh will continue to undergo treatment to get him back to full strength.

According to Spoelstra, Bosh “has to be able to run. He has to be able to move side to side and he has to be able to do all the basketball movements without thinking about it. So that is a subjective feel to the player. Until he gets to that point, where he’s really going full speed, non-contact, we won’t be able to make a real judgment on when he can come back.”

Meanwhile, in the bitter cold in Toronto, Bryan Colangelo is sitting at his desk with a smirk on his face nodding to himself silently. It may be a new city and a new team, but it is the same Bosh.

Leave a Comment

Filed under 2010-11 Regular Season, Players

Tagged as , , ,

by | November 22, 2010 · 10:54 PM

Erick Dampier to sign One-Year Contract with Miami Heat

Will Dampier help Miami heat up?

Pat Riley never wanted it to come to this. He resisted the urge to call on Erick Dampier to become a member of the Miami Heat. Oh how times change. Dampier is expected to sign a one year contract with the Heat on Tuesday Ken Berger of CBS reports. The deal will be worth the veterans’ minimum.

To make room on the roster for Dampier, the Heat will have to release a player. As it stands now, the there are two likely candidates in Dexter Pittman and Jamaal Magloire, who scored the only bench points in their loss to the Pacers. Dampier will be filling the role left vacant when Udonis Haslem went down indefinitely with a foot injury that will require surgery.

The move to add Dampier was announced Monday night as the Heat were being manhandled, at home, by the Indiana Pacers. Miami began the season as favorites to win the championship but has seen those expectations completely shattered by their inconsistent and sloppy play.

Adding Dampier is a desperation move by a team that is already in panic mode. This was supposed to be a super team, or so many thought, that was incapable of losing and was therefore destined to bring a multitude of titles to South Beach. What has actually transpired is far from any semblance of glory. It is a team of two wing oriented superstars and their errand boy who operates as a small forward in a power forward’s body. The rest of the team is made up from the tripe of the league. It is uncertain whether any of the players on the roster even know if they have a defined role on the team at all.

Adding Dampier is a joke. It is nothing more than what Pat Riley and company hope to be a stop-gap measure. If they expect Dampier to contribute in any significant way towards a successful turn around for this team they are only fooling themselves. Dampier is not that type of player. He is a lumbering, dated post relic. His presence on the court will only continue to hamper the offense of the team due to his lack of speed and athleticism to go along with little offensive prowess. Defensively, he is well past his prime and only serves as six available fouls to expend against the more dominant frontcourts in the NBA.

Miami is in trouble and Erick Dampier is not the solution. The Heat lost on Monday to the Indiana Pacers 93-77, dropping their record to 8-6. It was not that the Heat were getting brutalized in the paint, as they often do, though the Pacers found multiple opportunities to exploit Miami’s weak interior scoring 41 percent of their points in the paint. The problem for the Heat is that they have no consistent production from any more than two players on their roster during any given game. Dwyane Wade was 1-13 shooting on the night while the Pacers’ bench outscored Miami’s reserves 40-4.

Dampier will not change the culture in Miami. He will not even restore it to any sense of normalcy that was envisioned for the Heat this season. This is normal and it will remain so for the remainder of the season. It is foolish to throw money desperately at three huge contract player and neglect to surround them with a competent supporting cast. It is a model for mediocrity and that is what South Beach has found out. No wonder no one attends their games.

As long as  mediocrity and inconsistency remain as the central themes in Miami, Erik Spoelstra can start counting the days he has left with the organization. He will go the way of Stan van Gundy and be replaced by the same man: Riley. However, as presently assembled, even with the addition of Dampier, the Heat will find themselves hovering a few games above .500 for the season with an early exit in the playoffs… that is unless they make another deal with the Devil.

1 Comment

Filed under 2010-11 Regular Season, Players

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | November 21, 2010 · 9:23 PM

Udonis Haslem’s torn ligament could be sad face for Heat :(

Haslem might as well be made of wood because he is the bench for the Miami Heat.

In what would prove to be another embarrassing defeat for the Heat, the boys in South Beach may have lost a little more than their pride.

Turns out that Udonis Haslem tore a ligament in his foot in the fourth quarter during Miami’s 95-97 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.  An MRI performed this afternoon revealed the bad news and he could be out for months.

Considered their best bench player, Haslem is essentially the only weapon they have other than the major three.  Zydrunas Ilgauskas only had six points in the loss while Carlos Arroyo only had seven.  Both starters are only averaging a little over six points a game while most of the shooting is going to Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James.

Haslem is one of the only remaining stars from the 2006 championship Heat and is considered one of the toughest players in the NBA.  He played in the finals with a bruised shoulder bone so an injury that could sideline for some time not going to be good.

This will also add further to Erik Spoelstra’s headache that is the Heat rotation.  Right now he is looking at an even more limited roster with Wade out with a sprained wrist.

To put it simply, the Heat are struggling and it really comes down chemistry and depth.  The team has never really seemed to click with three All-Stars taking most of the shots and a bunch of garbage on the bench.  In addition, Spoelstra doesn’t seem to really get on anyone’s case.  The guy is young and even looks timid taking time-outs during poor play.  Regardless, it’s still a depth issue.  Too many chiefs and not enough guys like Haslem that are willing to really leave it all out on the court.  With both captains out, what can we really expect?

The Heat are a funny team since so much was expected from them.  It’s a simple problem that will be hard to fix and it doesn’t come without a certain King’s eagerness to win.

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | November 9, 2010 · 12:59 PM

Power Rankings

It's good to be undefeated

It’s only a handful of games into the season but it’s these games that can set the pace for teams.  Some have started the season off well.  Some haven’t.  Some are building what could be formidable playoff teams while others are already snowballing into what will turn them into lottery teams next summer.  However they are starting the season, every team is setting a theme for both the best and the worst.

1. Los Angeles Lakers (7-0)

Being the No. 1 scoring team in the league should be at no surprise for the defending champs.  Point guards Derek Fisher and Steve Blake are both averaging only four assists per game and they are putting up 22 a game (9th in the league).  They are spreading out the ball and utilizing their depth very appropriately.  We could still question parts of this bench but Blake and Matt Barnes give them a lot more to work with.  As long as Pau Gasol is playing well both defensively and offensively, sky is the limit for the Lakers.

2. New Orleans Hornets (6-0)

The Hornets are only scoring 97 points a game.  This stat comes to no surprise when you look at who can really score in New Orleans but the fact that they are still undefeated really sticks out.  A team built around arguably the best point guard in the league in Chris Paul would be thought to be perfect this far into the season around offense.  Instead, it’s the defense that is propelling this team forward.  While giving up only 91 points a game, the Hornets have held Milwaukee to 81, Miami to 93 and San Antonio to 90.  This is the best start in franchise history for the Hornets but how long can the winning last?

3. Boston Celtics (6-2)

The pieces are coming together nicely in Boston.  Rajon Rondo is averaging 15.5 assists a game and has surely won over the respect of both his teammates and the pundits.  Scoring distribution will keep this team fresh and a good man running point will definitely help.  Five of their six wins are over teams that were in the playoffs last season.  We have yet to see Shaquille O’neal and Kendrick Perkins both active on this roster.

4. Atlanta Hawks (6-2)

It’s balance that is keeping these Hawks afloat and that’s the best thing to build a season on.  Josh Smith is making a case for early MVP consideration and will just get better over the course of the season.  It’s also looking like extending Al Horford’s contract is looking like a good decision.  They are averaging 104 points a game while still collecting 32 defensive boards a game. However, this team needs to recover from its recent two game slide.

5. Miami Heat (5-2)

For those of you that expected the Heat to win 82 games, sorry but that can’t happen now.  In addition, loses to both Boston and New Orleans should be nothing to be embarrassed about right now.  Erik Spoelstra needs to figure out the best rotation of the bench that wont hurt them too much.  Right now, the bench is being outscored and outplayed.  It’s a long season and three players cannot carry a team by themselves.

6. Orlando Magic (5-1)

Orlando should technically be 6-1 but issues at Madison Square Garden caused the Knicks to postpone their inevitable loss to the Magic.  Regardless, their one loss to the Heat is warranted and Rashard Lewis needs to put up more than 2 points for the Magic to win such a statement game.

7. Denver Nuggets (4-3)

Nene, Chris Anderson and Kenyon Martin are out with injuries.  They beat the Mavericks in Dallas with Sheldon Williams starting and that speaks volumes about how this team will perform when their big men return.  Their depth will increase tremendously.  If Denver keeps winning, it may translate to a happy Carmelo Anthony and when Melo is happy, everyone is happy.

8. Portland Trail Blazers (5-3)

Holding Phoenix to just 92 points and later Milwaukee to only 76 is what is helping this Trail Blazers team make the point that they are serious about defense.  Marcus Camby can defend well but Nate McMillen will need to figure out how to get some more scoring from his frontcourt.  His starting forwards only scored nine points against the Lakers on Sunday and they aren’t even breaking 100 points per game. It was, however, their fifth game in seven days.

9. Dallas Mavericks (4-2)

Dallas has seven players that will show up every night on the court. Jason Kidd is showing almost no signs of age while the frontcourt is stacked with Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler.  Dallas narrowly beat Denver last Wednesday just to lose to them Saturday.  The Mavs will rebound once Caron Butler and Shawn Marion hit their strides.  However, Dallas needs to clean up its turnovers that are at 16 a game and their bench is ranked second to last in scoring. Although there are no “statement” games in November, beating Boston is the closest you can get to having one.

10. San Antonio Spurs (5-1)

Their record is impressive until you see that they have only beaten one team that made the playoffs last season in Phoenix.  They are fourth in the league in scoring with 109 a game and their next three games are easy wins against the Clippers, Bobcats and the 76ers.  The youth in San Antonio surrounded by a mix of good coaching and veterans will spell out an interesting season.  However, Greg Popavich needs his young guys to get the minutes they need to grow.

11. Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3)

It’s funny that a team with Russell Westbrook is ranked 30th in the league in assists per game but when you look at the depth in OKC, it begins to make sense.  The ball isn’t being spread out enough and sheer depth may haunt the Thunder again this season.  Again, it’s 82 games and it takes more than an sixth man to get through a season and make the playoffs out West.

12. Memphis Grizzlies (4-4)

Rudy Gay became the first player in franchise history to score at least 25 points a game in five consecutive games.  However, it’s their defense that needs to step up since they are allowing their opponents to score 107 points a game.  They are undersized and young which is a bad place to be in the Western Conference.  It’s going to a long season with hopefully some growth.

13. Utah Jazz (3-3)

Deron Williams and company are obviously hurting from loosing some of their star players.  With Mehmet Okur out, the Jazz are limited in size and they are obviously having a hard time scoring when they can only muster up 78 points against the Warriors.  It wont get any easier with them playing Miami, Orlando and Atlanta this week.

14. Phoenix Suns (3-4)

Steve Nash entered the season with reservations about the Suns’ chances this season.  Losses to Portland, San Antonio and LA aren’t something to be ashamed of this season.  In all three of their loses, Hedo Turkoglu has scored six points twice and nine points once.  Maybe it’s time to put some production into this starting lineup. Alvin Gentry is going to get to the point where he no longer asks permission to yell at his team.

15. Chicago Bulls (3-3)

Derrick Rose and the Bulls really took it to the Celtics last Friday in a come back that forced overtime.  They fell short in the extra minutes but the play of both Rose and Joakim Noah should keep Bulls fans optimistic.  If Tom Thibodeau and company want to win, Ronnie Brewer needs more minutes and Carlos Boozer needs to return from injury.

16. Golden State Warriors (5-2)

The Warriors have started the season off 4-0 for the first time in 20 years.  Subsequently, three of those four wins are against teams that failed to reach the postseason last year and Utah isn’t the beast it once was.  Monta Ellis has already had two very impressive outings of 46 and 39 points and the return of Stephen Curry will greatly help this backcourt.

17. New York Knicks (3-3)

A win in Chicago could or couldn’t be a big deal this early in the season since we have yet to see them form.  Their other two wins were against Toronto and Washington which both paint a better picture of what this team is truly capable of.  We all know that Mike D’antoni teams can get worn out and that Amar’e Stoudemire’s heightened level of play wont last.

18. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-3)

Cleveland has the fourth best bench as far as scoring in the league.  That same bench never got LeBron James a ring so we don’t really expect the same to pan out for Antawn Jamison and friends.  Byron Scott is letting them grow but that’s about all we expect from this season.  An initial win over Boston is impressive until you see that they lost to Toronto and Sacramento the following days.

19. Sacramento Kings (3-3)

The Kings are scoring but still allowing their opponents to rack up 107 points a game.  DeMarcus Cousins has yet to record a 10-rebound game and Tyreke Evans is still trying to do too much on the court.  Good news is that their both young and when they click, it could mean a lot to wherever the Kings end up playing next.

20. Milwaukee Bucks (2-5)

Scott Skiles is having a hard time getting the Bucks rolling into this season.  They are 30th in the league in scoring at only 89 a game and it’s mainly due to their depth.  Drew Gooden is giving them some more power up front but with just Corey Maggette producing off of the bench, it may be a long road for the Bucks.

21. Houston Rockets (1-5)

All five of Houston’s losses came from very formidable teams this season (Lakers, Warriors, Spurs, Hornets and Nuggets).  Aaron Brooks will be missed and Kyle Lowry will not be able to carry the load by himself.  Luis Scola and Kevin Martin are working out well with all the injuries but Rick Adelman needs a healthy roster in order to compete.

22. Philadelphia 76ers (2-5)

Philly started the season off with losses against Miami, Atlanta, Indiana and Washington.  If you are surprised, close this window immediately.  Evan Turner’s scoring has been up and down but what can you expect from a rookie surrounded by a bunch of trash?  Surprisingly, their bench is ranked first in scoring.

23. Indiana Pacers (2-3)

At first, it’s looks like Darren Collison may be a little in over his head at running Indiana’s point.  Then again, look at who this young man is passing to.  He filled in when Westbrook went down at UCLA and stepped up last season when Paul went down in New Orleans.  However, the talent is pretty thin in Indiana.  Danny Granger seems to be approaching a nice stride but there isn’t much other good news coming out of Indiana.

24. Detroit Pistons (2-5)

The Pistons are bottom feeders in almost every statistical category. This does not bode well for a team that is striving to achieve mediocrity. However, they have won their last two contests. Pistons fans should take any small achievement as good news because there will not be much this season.

25. Los Angeles Clippers (1-6)

At least one team in L.A. has a tough start to their schedule. The Clippers have faced the likes of Portland, Dallas, San Antonio, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Utah in their first seven games with their only win coming against the struggling Thunder. It must be hard to be the bastard child of the Staples center and see the Lakers with a sugarplum and lolly pop schedule until late January.

26. New Jersey Nets (2-4)

Right now the Nets are on a better winning pace than last year. That is the upside. It doesn’t look like Avery Johnson is ever going to let third overall draft pick, Derrick Favors, into the starting lineup anytime soon now that Troy Murphy is back. In their most recent loss, the Nets did their best Washington Generals impersonation to the Heat’s Globetrotter act.

27. Washington Wizards (1-4)

John Wall and Gilbert Arena will be reunited again. That’s good.  Their one win however, well, that’s not so good. December is going to be a rough month for the Wiz so now is their best opportunity to get some wins under their belt. Hopefully, the Republicans won’t try to filibuster their next win.

28. Charlotte Bobcats (1-6)

They were in the playoffs last season and had the number one rated team defense in the league. Now, they have a defensive rating ranked 20th. Not good. Maybe His Airness can breathe some life into this franchise. Something needs to happen, and quick, if they want another playoff birth.

29. Toronto Raptors (1-6)

The Raptors are bad. We knew they would be. They were bad last year even with Chris Bosh on their roster so what are the expectaions of them now that he is gone? Right, there are none. One thing that Raptors fans can take delight in is that the so-called Young Gunz on the team will put on a decent show every night. Jose Calderon needs to be back in the starting lineup otherwise the team’s assists will continue to be dreadful.

30. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-6)

We wrote an open letter to David Kahn. This is something we normally wouldn’t do. However, the T-Wolves are terrible. Kurt Rambis coaches like a chicken with his head cut off and has no sense that Kevin Love is their best player. They are ranked last in most every statistical category. They only thing that Minnesota fans have to look forward to is the high draft pick that the team will get next summer…which Kahn will promptly waste on yet another point guard. KAAAAHHN!

2 Comments

Filed under 2010-11 Regular Season

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,