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Coach Spo Knows
He does seem to know a lot, this first year coach with the easy going demeanor. His young face may not detail his knowledge of the game the lines, however, formed from a furled forehead deep in thought perfectly illustrate his coaching pedigree. Erik Spoelstra has been laboring in the shadows waiting for his chance; quite literally, working in the belly of the beast taping film together for his mentors Stan Van Gundy and Pat Riley. His father was an NBA executive in Portland.
And he knows – the true identity of this team is not offense, but defense.
Take tonight for example. The Heat beat the Wizards by 22 points, 93-71 against the Washington Wizards. Yet what is apparent is that the Wizards are not only injury plagued, but they are not going to be one of the stronger offenses on most nights – despite having two excellent bookends in Antawn Jamison and the ex-Heater Caron Butler. So, when the Heat were struggling in the first half it was not the offense, but the defense that Spoelstra was concerned with.
“We shot 39% tonight,” Spoelstra says in reference to the final score. They also shot only 31% from three point range but it was the threes made (10) and the free throws which made the difference (22 free throws attempted for Miami to the Wizards’ 13) on the offensive side. Spoelstra is right – even though the Heat blew out the Wizards, the difference in the game was the defense the Heat played versus the defense the Wizards propped up.
The Heat’s defense, Spoelstra cited, was supported by the bench tonight. It was the hustle plays and the effort that made the difference. If the Heat are going to make a difference in the playoff race – especially now as we start the 2nd half – it will be through their defense that any gain will be made.
As good as Dwyane Wade is, he can’t do it all by himself – but he is very darned close on some nights. Observers of the Heat would tell you that Daequan Cook, Mario Chalmers, and even Michael Beasley are raising their game to complement Wade’s. Much like fine tubes of oil that go into a Picasso, the swirling confusion that is churned out gets hailed as a masterpiece in the aftermath. The Heat are far from churning out anything worthy of hardware, but Wade is definitely the player to do it.
It all comes back to Spoelstra. As a coach, it is his job to properly evaluate his talent and the way they are playing together. Playing defense is the way for the Heat – and Spo knows.
Spo also knows that the Heat need Marion. They are on a 5 game win streak without him, but their rebounding and defense are not as good without him. Spo knows.
Heat Making Heads Turn
The Heat are coming; they are starting to play some pretty good basketball.
Too bad we didn’t see it against the Celtics at the start of this homestand, but then again that is the Celtics who are the defending world champs. It is hard to argue against the Heat, however, making the playoffs and perhaps making a strong showing in the postseason.
Tonight, the Heat defeated the Hawks, another team in their division ranked ahead of them. In fact, it was the 2nd contest in as many nights as the Heat dispatched the Magic only a few nights previous, Dwight Howard finding an ejection in the closing minutes rife with frustration.
The Heat went with a different look tonight, launching Jamal Magloire to start at the center spot while bringing Mark Blount off the bench to help give the Heat a more dynamic offensive presence. For Blount, it has been a re-emergence of sorts after having not played in the previous 17 games. Spoelstra had in mind to use Blount’s range and athleticism to keep Dwight Howard honest and draw him outside the painted area. Against the Hawks, a kind of athletic “tweener” team, Blount’s services were again needed.
And for Magloire, it was an arrival – getting his first start in a Heat uniform. There was a resurrection expected (and talked about) at the start of the season for Magloire who was an all-star back in the ‘04 season with the Hornets (then still in the Eastern conference). Tonight, he flashed some of that skill contributing 6 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in just under 17 minutes of play. One of those baskets came on a dunk, where Magloire put his hands over his eyes in a Dee Brown fit of imitation. “Just having fun”, Magloire said.
As were the Heat tonight. And it is hard not to embrace this young, brash team. They play with a quiet confidence that is best illustrated in a Daequan Cook three point shot in the clutch, or the way Mario Chalmers continues to lock down his opposition on the defensive end each night. This team is executing and with Dwyane Wade playing at such a tremendously high level right now – the kind of level we haven’t seen in these parts since July of 2006 – there is little to doubt about this team.
This team is still growing. Consider how good Michael Beasley could be in a month or two; how good James Jones is going to be in a month being back healthy.
And Miami is doing some surprising things without Shawn Marion on the floor. What if the Heat actually trade him and upgrade their roster? Where is the ceiling then?
Heat Vanish Magic; Spoelstra Defeats Old Teacher
The Heat close out a tough game against the team with the best road record in the NBA, the Orlando Magic, 103-97. It was a significant win for the Heat, as ex-Heat coach Stan Van Gundy returns to match wits with an ex-assistant of his, current coach Erik Spoelstra.
It started off well for the Heat as they lead practically the entire game, building up a 15 point lead to end the 3rd quarter. The Magic, however, had other plans and fought back with clutch three point shooting and timely free throws. The Heat had a hard time accounting for the Magic’s defensive game plan on Dwyane Wade, whom the Magic chose to double at certain critical moments of the game and force him into taking bad shots and forced passes.
Yet Wade finished with 6 assists and zero turnovers to go with his 27 points and 8 rebounds.
The other superstar in the contest, Dwight Howard, ended up being tossed in frustration with his 2nd technical foul in the final seconds of the game, which allowed Daequan Cook the opportunity to nail down three free throws to seal the game.
It was the Heat’s tough, active defense that closed the game off with a steal from Mario Chalmers providing the exclamation mark.
For the Heat, they improve their record to 23-19, still trailing heavily their division rivals and leaders, the Orlando Magic.
Zo Retires
Alonzo Mourning stood in front of the cameras smiling and seemingly, in relief. A much different picture than the last time Zo was in a Heat uniform, clutching his mangled knee on the court while being helped off of it by teammates Earl Barron and Dwyane Wade only to later discover his season was over.
“It’s over, it’s over, it’s over…” Mourning recalled. Those were the words he was muttering to himself at that particular moment yet the warrior that is Zo’s spirit would not let him give up so easily.
Although a whisper of a return was there, it seems Zo doesn’t have the calling to grit through another NBA season. Rightfully so: he has proven everything there is to prove.
Since overcoming adversity as a child, Mourning has had to fight for everything that he recognizes now blesses him. His kidney disease raised great concern for Zo not just as a basketball player, but as a human being struggling with his immediate future. When he returned to Miami, he was the spirit of a team that finished the 2005-2006 season with a championship ring. Easily, this is Zo’s best basketball moment.
Zo will be remembered for his bicep flexing, his snarl, his intensity, and his God-given gift to block shots and keep them in play for his team. He was a defensive weapon – no, an arsenal. He could shut down an opposing center’s offense as well as create paranoia for opposing offenses as they came into the Heat’s painted area. He was a part of arguably the Heat’s greatest teams – the mid-90’s Riley lead teams where Zo, Timmy Hardaway, Dan Majerle and others lead the Heat year after year into the playoffs to contend with the rival Knicks – igniting an intense, sometimes poisonous, encounter.
And it is Zo’s future that the Heat will also get to enjoy. He continues to be a huge force in south Florida with his anthropological efforts. He also will eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame and will do so as the first ever member of the Miami Heat. His #33 will also be retired and will hang from the rafters alongside the Heat’s lone championship and the only other retired jersey – the #23 of Michael Jordan.
Zo’s legacy as a member of the Heat, his gold medal as an Olympian, and as one of the great centers of his era will loom large. Yet, it just may be Zo’s legacy as a human story, and his anthropological efforts, which may figure more into his importance going forward.
We wish you the best, Alonzo Mourning.
Heat Take On Bucks; Wade Comes Home
The Heat are in the midst of a long road trip, but tonight Dwyane Wade returns to a place he is familiar with. He started in Milwaukee as a student athlete at Marquette, where he helped lead his team into the NCAA tournament, a Final Four appearance in 2003 to be exact, and eventually into the NBA as the 5th pick.
Tonight, Wade will be leading his Heat and their 20-17 record up against a tough Milwaukee Bucks team. The new-look Bucks are focused on defense, and seem to mirror the Scott Skiles-lead Bulls teams of only a few seasons ago. For the Heat, it all starts with Dwyane Wade and his 29.1 PPG. Appropriately, he comes back to Milwaukee to keep building the Heat’s resurgence but it is the first time he has played in Milwaukee in 2 season – last year Wade was unable to play due to his knee injury.
Yet, when Wade does take to the court, he is averaging 28.2 PPG at the Bradley Center. The Heat have won 5 of their last 8 games at the Bradley Center against the Bucks but the Bucks are 11-6 there this season.
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