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First Win an Easy Win for Spoelstra
The Spoelstra era officially got the first win tonight – and it was an easy win. The final score was 103-77 and after the first half there really wasn’t much of a challenge. This is, however, crucial for the Heat as they mentally needed to start the season off with a good win at home and this helps.
Last season was bad, so there is virtually no way this Heat team can help but improve from last year. The wins you can’t take for granted and the smiles on everyone’s faces read as much relief as they did joy. The Heat admitted they could have played better in New York and tonight they got a more consistent effort. The result was a win at home and the first win for Spoelstra’s tenure.
Dwyane Wade put on a show producing 4 blocks and 4 steals to go along with his 20 points. Tonight it was the Heat’s defense that set the tempo as they Heat forced 10 turnovers in the first half alone. Mario Chalmers and Marcus Banks both showed flashes of their physical gifts by using their speed, long arms and tenacity to pop balls loose and push the Heat offense.
Michael Beasley had a better performance by staying away from the three point line and dropping 17 points on 7-15 shooting and grabbing 9 rebounds.
Chris Quinn was inactive for the night.
Sobering Moment: Heat Picked to Win it All in Simulation
One of our members (Heat84) pointed this out yesterday – EA Sports ran a simulation of this season using their NBA Live 09 video game. It came up with a Lakers/Heat Final, with the Lakers edging out the Heat 4 games to 2.
So Heat fans, look at this loss to the Knicks as the start of an unbelievable season.
The Heat actually scored the most points in an opening night game since 1999 last night with their 115. They have the firepower, they just need to play better defensively. Of course, they started the game’s first half shooting under 40%, too. There are some things that need ironing out.
LIVE: Heat Open Up Against Knicks
So far, I have been keeping an eye on this (and another on my hamburger here at my house). Good game so far. The telecast from Sun Sports started off bad though – no video. But they fixed it and we could all breath easy.
…Right now, it is 45-40, Knicks in the 2nd quarter. I will be posting throughout the game for this live game log.
…Follow the game live with the rest of us in the MiamiHeatwave forum.
…Knicks now have 5 threes in 10 tries. They are standing at a 10 point lead.
….At the half, the Heat are down 15, 60-45. The defense is lacking, and the offense can’t hit a long range shot. The defense is giving too much spacing to the Knicks shooters. Wade looks like he is holding back. Not a good start to the season, let’s see how Spoelstra gets his team to respond. 32 points for the Knicks in the 2nd quarter to the Heat’s 18. The Heat shot .349 % in the first half.
…75-61 Knicks still maintaining their 15 point lead. Heat raising their field goal percentage up to .404 now. Chalmers and Banks offer some pretty good options at point guard – Chalmers is fast, quick and has long arms to defend taller players while Banks can get physical on both ends of the floor. We need defense right now.
…Ending the third quarter a bit better. The Heat have whittled the lead down to 13, but back up to 15 as Lee makes both FTs. Heat having a hard time in all facets of the game – not getting calls and not playing good, consistent defense.
…another three by the Knicks.
…how about the mohawks? Banks and Marion are sporting them.
…Wade having an off night. Missed 13 of 18 shots so far, and just isn’t getting calls and looks out of synch. Not a good way to start the season – yet rest assured, Heat fans. Toronto beat Philadelphia on the road 95-84. And a lot of people are picking the 76ers to get to the ECF.
…since this game is out of hand, let’s get back to the mohawks. Looks like Wade had one – see the remnants still on his head. He should sport it. I know Dorell did last year…
…UD just dunked his 23rd point of the night. Best defensive sequence tonight as the Heat look like they need a longer preseason. The talent is there, they just need to get focused on their defense a bit – I mean, a lot.
…Spike Lee is happy. Yuck.
…don’t look, but the Heat are still in this. Down by 12 with just under 4 minutes.
…Cook nails the three to put it within reach, but the Heat leave QRich WIDE OPEN who nails the three. 111-102 with just 1:52 left.
…111-105, Knicks clasping to that lead. Wade fouls out after he high-fives Jamal Crawford who makes only one of three free throws.
…Chalmers is a beast tonight.
…Cook has ICE in his veins. More times than not, it seems, at the end of games he is there making a huge shot. I really like his confidence.
…Cook, again. It only takes a little bit of room for him to get his shot off. Such a quick, compact shot. Nails a three to put it within three…now, let’s hope the Knicks can’t shoot free throws.
…Heat scored 40 points in the 4th quarter. That has to give us Heat fans some hope.
…Spoelstra talking at his first ever press conference. Talking about how the team lacked trust in themselves to start the game – weren’t passing the ball around and setting up. They need to trust in the game, trust in themselves. Talking about Beasley – Spoelstra is not going to cut him slack. Says there has to be accountability and that defensively he has to be ready and that they have been working with him all of October. It is good to see him not coddle Beasley, but serve him with some expectations.
…Spoelstra’s overall message seems to be one of frustration. They lost but he notes that they need to rely on defense and they have to move the ball on the offensive side. Can’t be too let down by the score since the Heat had no business being in this game. They did do everything wrong to start the 2nd and 3rd quarters.
…Chalmers looked good. Spoelstra has confidence in both rookies Beasley and Chalmers. For his first game at MSG, he impressed on both ends of the floor. He is definitely the piont guard of the future. 17 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and only 1 turnover.
…Daequan Cook showed his ability to keep his team in games and score in nano-seconds. He’s clutch and has a quick release. 13 points for the game – all in the 4th quarter. When the Heat weren’t able to beat the Knicks defense with their outside shooting, you have to wonder where Cook was. That is something the Heat need to get to more often – get Cook the ball and get him work.
Heat Season Preview: Report Card
Based on the Heat's offseason, how many wins do you think the Heat will collect this year?
- 40-49 (47%, 39 Votes)
- 50-59 (23%, 19 Votes)
- 30-39 (13%, 11 Votes)
- 65+ (8%, 7 Votes)
- 20-29 (6%, 5 Votes)
- 60-65 (3%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 83
Loading ...How many wins? Well, it certainly can’t get worse. Let’s take a quick look at the Heat’s roster and break it down according to position.
Point Guards
Under new coach Erik Spoelstra, look for the point guards to basically handle the ball and set up plays. They will be expected to play defense, of course, but mostly to dish the ball off to Wade at the end of games and get out of the way. They need to be able to hit the open three. Of the Heat’s three point guards, Chris Quinn looks to get the start as he has shown the most consistency with Spoelstra’s system – but he is hardly the juggernaut point guard you want starting for a playoff caliber team. That said, he is solid and won’t make many mistakes. Marcus Banks and Mario Chalmers both offer physically tough guards that have long wingspans and can push the ball up the floor. Expect them to start the season coming off the bench to provide more defense.
C+
Shooting Guards
Dwyane Wade, when healthy, is one of the most dangerous players on the planet. Potentially an MVP candidate and his summer performance in the Olympics proved that. Daequan Cook will look to get some more minutes at this spot coming off the bench, but the Heat have a lot of flexibility in that they could play Dorell Wright at times here too. Lack of depth will bring down their grade, but their starter keeps their grade up.
A
Small Forwards
With the second pick in the draft, the Heat got quite a bit of value in Michael Beasley. The problem is, where is he going to play? Some think it will be power forward, others small forward. Wherever it shakes out, he is going to be sharing time on the floor with Shawn Marion – both players are very athletic with long wingspans and have the ability to get in someone’s kitchen to block shots. The Heat also added more pieces to complement Wade’s game with the additions of Yakhouba Diawara and James Jones – whose injured for the time being. Coupled with the potential of Dorell Wright, there is enough depth and versatility to really build an offense with.
A-
Power Forwards
We can’t talk about the power forwards without considering the small forwards. Either Marion or Beasley could slide into this spot and offer the Heat a more versatile offense as both players can offer weak side defense in the tangible terms of a blocked shot. Yet, if the Heat wanted they could also start local kid made good Udonis Haslem, who is quietly one of the hardest working players in the NBA. His toughness is needed as the Heat will look to build their attack on the perimeter, and his leadership and experience could help guide this team when it matters. This position’s grade will ride on the flexibility of the Heat’s roster – and depend also on Haslem staying healthy.
B
Center
The Heat traded Shaq away and basically traded out the old notion of building around a power center. In fact, there are few teams in the NBA that can actually do that anyway – so the Heat will reflect the changes of the NBA in this regard. The options are Mark Blount, who is not going to defend too much but can offer a pretty stong jump shot and draw his man outside – this could be crucial to help the Heat build that perimeter-oriented offense. His backup was going to be Jamaal Magloire, but his injury will keep him sidelined for about 2 months. That said, Magloire was going to have to prove himself in camp to his new teammates and to the NBA as he looks to regain his notability in the league. Still, the most intriguing piece could be Joel Anthony, the Canadian center who reminds some of a Ben Wallace clone. Very limited offensively, Anthony can block shots with the best of them – just ask Alonzo Mourning. He also is very physical in the low block and with his long wingspan can be a little bit more agile to the ball than his larger peers at his position. He could be the starter before too long and could provide a defensive presence down low. Stay tuned for Zo’s return, which is shaping up to be about midseason: if that is the case, upgrade this position a full letter grade.
C+
Keep an eye on how Shaun Livingston develops. There shouldn’t be too much expected of him straightaway, but he is healthy and ready to go. The beating of an NBA season, however, will test his surgically repaired knee.
Season Prediction
I think in the end, this team surprises a lot of people and climbs to a 43-39 record for a berth into the playoffs. Don’t be surprised to see a second round appearance, either. In my opinion, this team is a dark horse to win the East – yes, that sounds crazy now, but if Wade plays like he did in the Finals of ‘06, there is nothing crazy about it.
Miami Heat 2008-2009 Season Preview: Redemption
There is one thing on the mind of this franchise, and it is probably directed by its superstar. Last season, the Heat amassed the worst record in basketball, sinking down to same amount of wins they grabbed in their first season back in 1988. What a 20 year trip; what a two year trip. From the champions of the NBA to the basement.
Most of it had to do with some bad roster moves, trading away Antoine Walker was not a bad move, but not replacing James Posey, Jason Kapono and finding a healthy point guard to step in and play didn’t help matters. So, the Heat fell out of the Eastern conference penthouse.
Yet, the architect of this team is still here. Pat Riley stepped down as the Heat’s head man, for the final time, and went back to being full time president of the franchise. In his stead he hired one of the youngest head coaches in the NBA when he moved 13 year assistant Erik Spoelstra into the lead seat on the bench.
Spoelstra will have his work cut out for him but don’t think he hasn’t been preparing for this moment. There have been whispers, even as far back as when Stan Van Gundy and his moustache were pacing the sidelines, that Spoelstra was being groomed for this spot. In fact, many of the Heat’s players lauded Spoelstra for helping them refine their games – such as Dwyane Wade and helping develop his jump shot. Spoelstra has the tools to communicate with his players and also to get them to work for him and improve their games. He has been the summer league coach and has worked on scouting players and setting up film, breaking down opponents weaknesses as well as the Heat’s.
The challenge for Spoelstra will be to forge an identity and to get the Heat team culture back to where it was. In part, this will change due to the roster moves President Riley is making. Gone are the me-first players who plagued the franchise and hamstrung its efforts. It is clear Shaq was in this camp, only looking out for himself. He had valid complaints but the Heat could not offer him the superstar cast he wanted in part because of Shaq’s immense contract. Now, that is the Suns’ problem. The Heat, for their pain, got back Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks – both of whom have worked tirelessly on their games and getting them to fit into the Heat’s philosophy.
In fact, Shawn Marion, in the final year of a $17M contract, still has yet to work out an extension. That could prove to the Heat’s advantage, but it also shows Marion’s professionalism and character, too.
Yet, with so much change on this roster, there is still some things that remain the same. Dwyane Wade will return for his 6th professional season with the Heat and coming off his amazing gold-medal Olympic run, there is a new buzz about him. Perhaps playing among and with the world’s best has helped him rejuvenate his sense of competition. It can be said that Wade is one of the few players in the game that has that hot sauce, intangible item that comprises a great player – an insatiable competitive spirit backed by an iron will. When Wade pits his will against anyone in the game, he stands to prove the test. Just check that 2006 NBA Finals. Check this 2008 summer Olympic run. Wade is playing with a chip on his shoulder – and the league should be put on notice.
Oh, yeah – and he’s healthy.
Which brings us to Michael Beasley; what can be expected of such a gifted rookie? He has all the physical talents to be a prime time player in this league for years to come. The only question is, how long, or short, is his learning curve going to be? The Bulls saw Derrick Rose as too tantalizing to pass up, but questions bubbled about Beasley’s character and work ethic which prompted the OJ Mayo discusssion for the Heat. Don’t believe it – the Heat had their eye on Beasley the entire time and when it became clear the Bulls were going to pick Rose, you got to believe the Heat felt they were truly getting the best value in this draft. Any other season, Beasley is the unquestionable #1 draft choice over all. You may debate him going up against LeBron James in the draft, or even Greg Oden, but that only is a testament to the kind of player that Beasley is.
The Heat did make some minor moves that could prove helpful. Jamal Magloire is looking for redemption as he will start the season injured but look to prove he is the kind of player he was once known to be. Yakhouba Diawara, the French forward from Pepperdine, will prove not only is his name hard to spell, but that is defense is hard to get free of, too. Although injured, James Jones homecoming may help the Heat as they make a push for the playoffs this season. Yes, think playoffs. Because a team with the kind of talent found in the trifecta of Wade, Marion and Beasley is the kind of team that is playoff caliber. This team, however, is starting to feel a bit like the 2003-2004 team – a young, fun team that could run. That team was guided by then-first year coach Stan Van Gundy, who injected youth and offense into the picture. This team will look to do the same.
There are some solid pieces that were brought in to help replenish the roles abandoned when Posey and Kapono left. Arguably, we see those replacements in Diawara and Jones. Yet don’t discount Dorell Wright, who is returning after knee surgery this past offseason. With Jones out for a while, Wright is going to get one final chance to prove himself – and without Riley’s quick judgement and lack of faith, maybe this year Wright breaks through. Spoelstra is looking to create a more dynamic offense and Wright offers up several tangible skills that could be used. Not to mention, the expectations are not as high for this team as in the past, yet there is a bit of a wild maverick feel to this team. Nothing to lose. While this team is looking for redemption, Wright is looking for affirmation.
The guard position might be the most surprising of any in Heat camp. The Heat were expected to dig for a starting caliber point guard this offseason. They retained Marcus Banks, who looked to be the starter but has since gotten into a dogfight for the reserve role with rookie Mario Chalmers, the Jayhawk who hit the game-tying three to send his team into overtime for the eventual championship. Chalmers speed and defensive presence have helped him garner minutes but it is Chris Quinn who quietly has stolen the starting role. Quinn looks more like starting waterboy than starting point guard, but the heady Notre Dame alumnus offers precisely what the Heat needs on offense – efficiency. He is not going to turn the ball over and will not do anything beyond his game and abilities. Shaun Livingston is a project who is just trying to rehabilitate, let alone find redemption in this league. He may be a factor in the mid season, but look for him to focus on 2009 as his real return.
What can we expect? Expect Spoelstra to tweek the offense into something fast paced and open court. There are a lot of athletes and size will be a problem for this team defensively who will have to rely on its athleticism to close out and cover opposing players. Expect excitement – this team has Dwyane Wade who is like a pit bull at the end of games – when healthy, which he is now. Coupled with the dynamic attack of players like Beasley and Marion, this team has a lot of options. Look for Haslem to quietly establish himself again as the hard-nosed captain of this team.
Expect surprises: this team has the makings of a dark-horse playoff team. They don’t quite look complete enough to get deep into the Eastern Conference, but they could upset a team in the 2nd round – much like they almost did back in 2003-2004. Yet, I just can’t rule out Dwyane Wade – there is just too much for him to play for now. Feel the redemption; it’s coming.
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