Miami Heat Thread

[Murat]

Today, I'm agreeing with Martti because Erick Dampier got ejected because of hitting a player from Spurs (Tony Parker). Ilgauskas is way better than Dampier and he is not a big injury prone. Nice work with Mike Bibby too...

Andrew, yesterday I watched Inside the NBA from NBA TV (international). It said that Miami has a bad record against other teams. This needs to be fixed if this team wants to be a champion. The first target should be this.

[Martti.]

They're 28-3 against teams under .500, but can't win against teams above .500. Good news is that 8 of their next opponents are over .500

[NovU]

Ilgua isn't better than Dempier. Ilgua is old as hell and he can hardly walk. In fact, he runs slower than Shaq, rotates slower than Eddy Curry, and shoots like Shaq at FT line. If he did start for the Heat, he'd instantly become the weakest link over Chalmers. He couldn't guard anyone, not Dwight, not Shaq, not Boykins, not Eddy Curry and definitely not Mbenga.

Back on the topic, I am extremely disappointed with another loss tonight. Blow out loss is just inexcusable. Some saying it's not time to panic yet, but what? The team is an utter shit, definite dog shit atm. It's definitely time to try something new. Fire the underachieving Spoeltra or at least move him down to assistant coach to bring changes.

After allowing ORL to come back from 24 point deficit by giving them wide open 3 looks, again the Spurs hit how many treys in tonight's game?

[Murat]

Martti, they will be able to test themselves! They'll defeat Portland, I'm sure.

ZanShadow, Miami forgot Matt Bonner instead of 3 bigs. Spurs has a deep bench.

[rise]

The heat have a losing record against team over 500 if i understand right!

Also they have 0% of the games they've played against .700 teams.

[Martti.]

Arroyo will sign with Boston, if Miami will reach the ECF, they won't advance. Mike Miller is always -20 in the +/-, accept for the game he had 32 against the Raps, James Jones is out of the rotation, Joel Anthony, who is their best defensive C, only plays against Amar'e. Spo should see that the rotation he had, with Dampier out of the rotation, is the best, but he won't. I hope next season, when they have the MLE, they can sign someone, who can defend to fit Spo. Dalembert for ex. With all the line-up tweaks, I don't see how the HEAT can advance to the Finals. It hurts to say it, but I see Boston or Chicago advancing to represent the East in the Finals, not Miami.

[buzzy]

Fuck this shit, I'm done with this team.

Going for a godamn iso to win the game .. Why? Because it worked so fucking well all year?

It's only a matter of time until shit goes down in their locker room.

[George7]

It's only a matter of time until shit goes down in their locker room.

...and Pat Riley returns to the bench...

[Cartar]

Fuck this shit, I'm done with this team.

Going for a godamn iso to win the game .. Why? Because it worked so fucking well all year?

It's only a matter of time until shit goes down in their locker room.

I haven't seen many Heat games this year, so I was wondering do they all the time go to LeBron during crunch time? I was wondering because, if I were to choose who to go with the last possession, I'd prefer Wade over LeBron.

[buzzy]

IraHeatBeat
Erik Spoelstra: "There are a couple of guys crying there in the locker room."

It's only a matter of time until shit goes down in their locker room.

...and Pat Riley returns to the bench...

Pat won't return. But I wouldn't be opposed to somebody like Sloan.
But Spo? Definitely has to go.

[Martti.]

Spo has to go.

When the Big 3 were asked who will take the final shot, they said whoever is hot or open. So far, Wade has shot it only once, while LeBron has missed 5-6 already, but Spo still thinks LeBron iso is the only way to go. The only time they did make a late shot, it was Eddie House.

Spo doesn't have the experience to handle a team like this years Heat, we need a more experienced coach.

Now Arroyo is in Boston and the C's can get great inside scoop of the Heat's playbook, although it's non-existent.

Bibby has been useless so far, as has Miller.

[buzzy]

some pictures say more than a thousand words:

[Silver24]

Lol and they still can be champions? Jesus

[Cleveland wins]

Spo has to go? Yes, what i've been saying all year long. Do we hear, hm Pat Riley? Maybe not, do we smell Mike Brown? Possibly.

[Andrew]

Mike Brown? Somehow, I don't see LeBron being all that supportive of that hiring. If Spoelstra is shown the door, I have to believe Riley will step in for at least the rest of the season.

[NovU]

I am sorry but I would like to be alone. Would you guys please leave this thread?

[formx]

I am sorry but I would like to be alone. Would you guys please leave this thread?

No. But Wade missing that 3 must be pretty heartbreaking.

[Lamrock]

I am sorry but I would like to be alone. Would you guys please leave this thread?

U MAD?

[benji]

Didn't see the game, was this another one where with the Heat needing a three Spoelstra keeps Chris Bosh on the floor instead of say, three point champion James Jones? (And if you want a big out there, don't you want one who can get an offensive rebound or set an effective screen...so anyone but Bosh? Damp or Z especially?)

I can see from the boxscore it was another game where Mike Miller stays on the court for big minutes despite bricking everything in sight and contributing nothing else. Was he out there having to guard Rose in the fourth like he was Billups?

do we smell Mike Brown? Possibly.

When you can go from a guy who can't figure out how to use two of the best players in the league, three point shooters and adequate bigs to produce consistent offense and sensible rotations to one who has more than proven he can't do it, you just have to! I can't believe this team is still in the bottom half of the league in pace. Better than Mike Brown's Cavs at least.

Flip would be good for them. (And anyone really.)

Too bad he went senile, LeBron's the player Don Nelson spent his entire career wanting to coach.

Eddie Jordan would probably be an upgrade. He can at least envision an offense other than isolation for the star. Princeton-style offense would actually cause problems for the Thib-D which the Heat have no answer for currently because you can't run isolations against it for obvious reasons.

[benji]

Watching the late night ESPN replay (where they cut out all the timeouts, commercial breaks, etc. and randomly jump ahead), there's an obvious flaw in the Heat offense the Bulls control (and thus the Celtics as well) that was evident in the game a week ago and here in the first quarter is also evident.

There's no real motion when it gets to one of the Big Three. Except maybe LeBron half the time since he looks to pass quite a bit.

Bosh gets it, and they clear out.

Does LeBron or Wade move to the same side and create a problem? No. Bosh has to go one-on-one.

Repeat for the other two.

I can understand the role players clearing out, even though they shouldn't, but I understand it.

A certain play sticks out.

LeBron dumped to Bosh in the high post. Solid move, Bosh may be best operating from this spot even though he can't pass because he sucks in the low post and loves jumpers. The entire Heat team backed off to the opposite side.

Bosh quickly showed he had no good options against Noah, but LeBron stayed back instead of moving to that side, either getting the ball from Bosh and creating something or putting pressure on the Bulls D. Wade hid in the far corner the entire possession.

I can get if Bron or Wade are in that situtation you iso to an extent, but not Bosh. They absolutely have to put at least one of the other three in motion whenever one makes a move.

This is maybe one of the greatest open floor teams of all time, and they show that constantly yet they seem to despise half-court motion in any way that makes sense. They just rely on the raw talent overpowering the D. What team could defend them if Bosh and Wade were in motion with LeBron as the Webber-Divac Kings used to be? That team violated people with motion, and the Heat are pounding the ball into the floor like it's Francis and Mobley?

And as a side note because I'm currently watching a game and everyone but Jae needs to be reinformed how I am when I watch games. That means random shit!

Dampier is epic. I can't believe how this guy turned his career around suddenly and became so epic post-Mavs. He has simply amazing timing and positioning at this point in his career. His athleticism is all gone but he's constantly putting himself in the right place and using his arms well to get or tip rebounds or get easy buckets we could all make. Give this team Dampier from like four years ago plus actual knowledge and a good coach, and they'd be unstoppable. Even if you kept the rest of the team the same.

Why is Mario Chalmers on the floor ever with the BIG THREE? He gives up with them. You can tell they change with Bibby, Z or Eddie House because those guys have played with stars and still found their place. Chalmers doesn't do shit. The others play like they normally do.

Boozer continues to have a shit shot selection that somehow works.

Ronnie Brewer of course being as good as expected.

Kyle Korver is an epic signing for the Bulls. If they win a title, he'll be a key player.

They probably should have tried more to convince Amare.

[NovU]

Good points, benji. Couldn't agree more.

I am sick and tired of every possession being isolation by one of the trio(mostly 2) while rest just sit and watch. The offence is damn too predictable.

Also Bosh who supposed to be the inside presence has turned into a jump shooter, a crappy one at that.

[koberulz]

Also Bosh...has turned into a jump shooter, a crappy one at that.

Was he ever anything else?

[NovU]

Spoeltra is getting bashed by all Heat fans for letting the whole world know that our players were crying in the lockers like bunch of 9 years old girls after a loss. It sure was an odd thing to hear from a coach. It not only embarrasses players but also it's like saying that his players are soft as a tofu cake.

Seemingly though, his intention was to let people know that Heat player take the games seriously and are trying hard to make it work.

[Jackal]

But also that they are girls.

[shadowgrin]

...but, but, real men cry. Like Kendrick Perkins.

"It's tough man; real tough," Perkins said in a phone interview with CSNNE.com shortly after he was shipped off to Oklahoma City along with Nate Robinson.

Perkins has never been one to keep his emotions bottled up.

When he's angry, you knew it by the scowl or the mean-muggin' face that he would make.

When he was happy, there was a smile that came around a lot more than people realize.

"There was a lot of crying, lot of hugging going on," said Perkins. "And a lot of it was me."