Game Thread: Miami Heat Game Thread- April

[Paolo305613]

No Heat shootaround this morning, so updates not likely until about 5:45 on Deng, Beasley, Whiteside, Birdman, rest of not-walking wounded.

Per Ira Winderman

 

[Paolo305613]

Are Miami Heat letting pride get in the way of NBA Draft lottery? - Sun Sentinel

 

[avalon2423]

I am not huge on college basketball. So please enlighten me. Lets say we dont make the playoffs. What are the odds we end in the lottery? there are 14 teams that dont make it and only 10 in the lottery. Now if we do get in the lottery, what are the odds we get within a top 5 pick? Even if we pick 10th, what players are out there that could make an immediate change with this team?

 

[Flauge]

Every team that misses the playoffs is in the lottery. The closer you are to the playoffs, the worse your odds are in that lottery. Only the top 3 picks are determined by the lotto. So if the Heat miss the playoffs, we will most likely be picking 10-14th. If not there, it will be a top 3 pick.

 

[Flauge]

Okafor out of Duke and Towns out of Kentucky are considered the top 2 picks in the draft... after that there is a drop off.. There is a guy, Emmanual Mudiay in China, out of the Congo, played high school in America, somewhere in Texas I think. I really like this kid, but haven't seen him play. I like the fact he went overseas and made money as oppose to go to college. IMHO, the NBA banning 18 year olds from playing is complete and utter bullshit.

 

[bksballer89]

Okafor out of Duke and Towns out of Kentucky are considered the top 2 picks in the draft... after that there is a drop off.. There is a guy, Emmanual Mudiay in China, out of the Congo, played high school in America, somewhere in Texas I think. I really like this kid, but haven't seen him play. I like the fact he went overseas and made money as oppose to go to college. IMHO, the NBA banning 18 year olds from playing is complete and utter bullshit.

Brandon Jennings did the same thing.

Smart way to make money and still be a lottery pick when you enter the draft at the age of 19

 

[Flauge]

I had no idea Jennings did that. I just had to google it. You are right, he went to Italy. Good for him. Stopping someone from making millions of dollars based off age (or so they claim)... I have a big big problem with it. I will try no to get started.

 

[Paolo305613]

Dragic, Wade, Deng, UD, Whiteside

As to the NBA age limit issue, I love it. I hope they raise it to needing to be in college 2-3 years at least. Sure, some guys may be ready after one season of college if not before - But the percentage of guys who fit that mold is probably rather low - sadly, bust doexist in the NBA - not all these kids coming out of college early or have come out of HS in the past will be the next Kobe or Lebron - some will be Sebastian Telfair. Keep the age limit as is - or even raise it to them having to them having to stay 2-3 years in college - then at least they will not only be prepared for basketball a little more, but life after basketball just in case - assuming they dont go the Jennings route and go oversees to avoid this

 

[Paolo305613]

700th career start for Deng today

 

[Paolo305613]

Oh, and another score on a set play as Fiorentino indicated out of the time out, for the clueless idiot out there that claims Spo doesnt call plays

 

[Paolo305613]

UD playing his ass off again, as always - as is Dragic

 

[Andresrenee]

LOL. Wade should not be allowed to touch the ball in the 4th. WTF was that last play call. We have 3 timeouts......use them. This 4th quarter is like groundhog day all over.

 

[bksballer89]

Big win

 

[bksballer89]

Very likely that tmr at this time it will be a 3 way tie for 8th with all 3 teams probably trailing Brooklyn by 1

 

[bksballer89]

Only 9 minutes for Rio tonight

 

[bksballer89]

Rio had the flu

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Oh, and another score on a set play as Fiorentino indicated out of the time out, for the clueless idiot out there that claims Spo doesnt call plays

If any play called doesn't include Dragic handling the ball, then it is a bad play.
The results of Dragic running the point are night and day more favorable then when Wade is making the decisions.
I've been preaching this since forever.

There's no way to statistically prove anything, but my opinion and estimate is that we would prob be around 8-10 point better per game if Wade would just pass the ball handling torch.

 

[Flauge]

Wade leads the league in 4th quarter points. Dragic is the best ball handler on the Heat, but Wade is #2. I have no problem with Wade being the primary ball handler on a lot of plays.

There is also no way the Heat get 8-10 points more a game if Wade lets Dragic carry the ball up everytime. 8-10 a game would put the Heat at 104 a game. Also, Wade has missed enough games to know what you are saying is complete BS. The Heat don't average 104 a game without Wade.

 

[Paolo305613]

Are Miami Heat truly a Chris Bosh away from contention? - Sun Sentinel

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Wade leads the league in 4th quarter points. Dragic is the best ball handler on the Heat, but Wade is #2. I have no problem with Wade being the primary ball handler on a lot of plays.

There is also no way the Heat get 8-10 points more a game if Wade lets Dragic carry the ball up everytime. 8-10 a game would put the Heat at 104 a game. Also, Wade has missed enough games to know what you are saying is complete BS. The Heat don't average 104 a game without Wade.

My post wasn't meant to shred Wade.
And, Wade can be a good ball handler, BUT he often makes terrible decisions in that role.
He will takes shots that truthfully we'd be better off just taking a shot clock violation so we can at least set our defense.
If you need examples look no farther back then the last few games, and especially the Pistons.


Dragic is a true PG. The role of the PG is to be the primary ball handler, and especially in the most important stages of the game.

I said the 8-10 points was far from scientific, but the way you criticized it makes no sense.
I never said we were better when Wade isn't playing, so of course we aren't going to average more points when he doesn't.

I still contend that it isn't that unrealistic to think that many games we would have scored 8-10 more if you subtract the turnovers and poor shot selection that often leads to fast breaks the other way and instead turn some of those pisessions into scores on our end.