Game Thread: Miami Heat Game Thread for games December 23- January 4th

[Paolo305613]

The Spo makes no adjustments , bad sub patterns crew is now nowhere to be found - until the next loss. The win makes them go away.

 

[Paolo305613]

The Heat still attempted and missed too many 3’s but got to the line enough and executed

 

[Andresrenee]

Great win and great game by Deng. Coach should have fed him more. 10 for 15 and great hustle and defense. Good to see Wade give him props at the end. Bird was very solid and pleasantly surprised to see Granger with five big points down the stretch. This was a nice win where a great half by Wade and nice D kept us in it. Still hate that we got outscored by 10 in the third as the disappointing trend continues.

 

[Andresrenee]

The Spo makes no adjustments , bad sub patterns crew is now nowhere to be found - until the next loss. The win makes them go away.

still here and still critical. Thank goodness for Dwayne "Bryant". LOL.

 

[Paolo305613]

Oh, and so much for that all important 3rd quarter going bad for us and costing us the loss, huh? The Heat turned it up and got it done in the 4th - when it counted the most

 

[Paolo305613]

Heat were +6 in rebounds, +16 in points in the paint, +14 in 2nd-chance & shot 21-for-31 in basket area.

 

[PPhan]

Of course, Wade will get all the credit in this one for his points, just as that would be the same reason he would get a pass even if it wouldve been a loss. But, Luol Deng and Shawne Williams were big for us tonight - along with Granger. They just made plays when necessary.

Deng and Wade deserve most of the credits for us today. Especially Deng. Wade was tired as fuck in the 4th quarter.

 

[Paolo305613]

Wade was tired as fuck in the 4th quarter.

As he and everyone who played in that game should be - If not, then they didnt leave it all out on the court as they needed to.

 

[bksballer89]

Granger stepped up huge late in the game....and the defensive effort in the 2nd half

 

[bksballer89]

 

[bksballer89]

If Bosh comes back Saturday we can really get rolling at a critical time.

It is possible that Z-bo misses Saturday's game so if Bosh comes back and Z-bo is out, I think it is possible that we win our next 3 which would put us at 17-16 heading into a stretch of 6 of 7 on the road

 

[Paolo305613]

One thing our broadcaster mentioned the other day as indicators of when CB might return is the fact that he is mostly working with the trainers right now as opposed to being out in practice with the rest of the guys. This means he isnt quite ready just yet.

When he is out working with the rest of the team and not spending so much time with the trainers, he will be much closer to returning. Hope he comes back soon - But, based on the approach being taken - I dont think he comes back until some time after the calender turns to 2015

 

[Paolo305613]

If Dwyane Wade plays some more at point guard, which allows more Danny Granger (as the closing lineup featured), we could mask the Heat's point guard play. Thoughts? -- Martin.

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A: I think playing Granger alongside Wade was inspired, because the Heat, especially amid the absence of Chris Bosh, too often have been left without a secondary scoring option beyond Wade. You saw that at the end of the 76ers game, when Philadelphia was sending two and three defenders at Wade, and you saw that approach again again by Cleveland. But the problem is who defends the opposing point guard? That wasn't as pronounced Thursday, because Kyrie Irving plays more as a shooting guard, with LeBron James handling most of the playmaking. It could come down to whether Luol Deng can take shifts against opposing point guards. Mostly what I liked about Thursday's rotation was Erik Spoelstra got his best players on the court. And I think having a second scorer in the lineup with Wade is essential. Ganger capably filled that role against Cleveland.


Q: Ira, I liked the classy response at the arena and the way everything was handled by the team. I hope the ESPN blowhards are on the air so they have to say something. -- Ingrid.

A: I agree that the fans showed the proper respect and that the Heat handled LeBron's return as well as possible, in marked contrast to the venom and vulgarity of when the Heat went to Cleveland the first time with LeBron. It was a classy production throughout, regardless of the result. The timing of just about everything Thursday at AmericanAirlines Arena was impeccable, including the pregame Christmas videos, the choir performances and, for some people's tastes, Flo Rida's performance.

Q: Luol Deng had another nice game. Is he coming around? -- Al.

A: Again, his play has a lot to do with how others integrate him into the mix. He said he appreciated the "floppy" action the Heat were running, and I think that's what the Heat need to more, add a bit more structure to the offense so he can get into a rhythm with his movement, instead of so much of it being random. I think the Heat's scoring droughts come when there aren't reliable play sets that can be implanted at times such as those.

 

[Paolo305613]

No. Wade at PG is not the solution. He makes far too many bone-headed plays and mistakes when he has ball in hand too much. Too much hero ball.

Even if its garbage time minutes, we need to get Napier back in the PG mix to help out - Wade there too much is not going to help anyone but the opponent

 

[Andresrenee]

Cole is our best ball handler but struggles to hit those big shots late in games. Nappier turns it over too much right now. However, we will need him. BTW - national media starting to take note of our horrible third quarters. Very few teams are worse than us with those being worse likely lotto teams - magic, pistons, twolves, Lakers, and Knicks.

 

[Paolo305613]

Despite that third quarter, the Heat got it done in that all-important, mostly-important 4th quarter and got the win and thats all that matters.

 

[Paolo305613]

2015 NBA Mock Draft: Duke's Jahlil Okafor looks like top pick - CBSSports.com

 

[Paolo305613]

Heat have been granted player exception fo McRob injury

 

[Paolo305613]

Michael Smith, Nick Buchert, Leroy Richardson your referees for tonight’s Heat-Grizzlies, 7:30 p.m., AmericanAirlines Arena (Sun Sports).

Memphis 21-7 but currently on a 3-game skid

 

[Paolo305613]

Ira, do you think the way things are going for the Heat so far this season they'll still be able to make the playoffs, and if so, what round do you think they make it through? Thank you -- Juan, Miami.

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A: It has been such a rollercoaster that this tends to be an in-the-moment answer, which means you probably would have received a different response after the loss to the 76ers compared to now, after the victory over the Cavaliers. With seven of eight on the road after Monday's home game against the Magic, I think you'll have a pretty good measure by mid-January, which is also both when the Heat reach the midpoint of their schedule and the first day (Jan. 15) the Heat are eligible to trade Chris Andersen (who might have the most value among the Heat's non-Wade, non-Bosh pieces). First, it's going to be really difficult not to make the playoffs, when you consider that only seven teams in the Easy don't advance. You can already count out the 76ers, Knicks and Pistons, and it's hard to make much of a compelling case (or reason) for the Magic or Celtics. So it comes down to the ability to beat out two of these teams: Charlotte, Indiana, Brooklyn or Milwaukee. Beyond that, as the Heat showed against Cleveland, when they can focus on a single opponent, they almost always give themselves a chance, especially if they can avoid the Bulls or Cavaliers in the first round. So the short answer: I think they will be in the playoffs and, if healthy, have a chance for the second round.


Q: The team can play a "grind it out" style of basketball but probably only for a five-game stretch until they tire out. -- Eric.

A: I don't think they have any other option. They no longer can afford to gamble for steals to fuel their offense, with their halfcourt defense so suspect, and they don't have the speed or athleticism they once possessed. With Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh they do, however, have two quality halfcourt components. It's who they are right now.

Q: Ira, why not more minutes for Hassan Whiteside, who had five rebounds and a block in very limited action? -- Raul, Naples.

A: I think he will continue to steadily get more. First, I think the minutes as a starter will wear on Chris Andersen, but I also think the Heat will come to appreciate the need to have a rebounder and shot-blocker on the court, someone other than Birdman to provide deterrence. At minimum, I think Whiteside will get the minutes Justin Hamilton had been getting, and could see him getting some of the minutes Andersen and Udonis Haslem currently are receiving.