With the passing of Dan Marino’s record, my heart is sad. I was going to write about how much better Marino was than the competition he faced in his era, how he attempted fewer passes, and how only two other QB’s threw for 4,000 yards the year he set the record and now everybody throws for 4,000 yards. As you can see, it would have been whiny, and full of numbers.
So I’ve instead decided to focus on the early season dominance of the Miami Heat. This past holiday week you were probably flying across the country, having dinner with your abuelo, or breaking bread with a bunch of people you call aunt and uncle but aren’t really related to. You know what I did? Watched basketball. So to keep you informed I’m gonna break down the Heat’s season so far. Game by game. Boom!
Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks (W 105-94)
I personally think this is how every new season should start in every league, a rematch of the previous championship game. Think of the past few years, we could have started off the NBA seasons with Lakers-Celtics and watched Packers-Steelers on Thursday night football. In some ways, its good that the commissioners don’t listen to me, because it would be hard to sell Cardinals-Rangers this season as must see TV on opening day.
But I digress, I fully expected the Heat to win, and they delivered. They were too much for the over matched Mavs and this completely makes up for the crushing NBA Finals loss we suffered last summer. The Heat ran their “spread” offense that Filipino Jackson picked up when he visited the Oregon football team and the Mavs could only get in front of Wade and LeBron long enough to get whistled for fouls.
I know we say this every year, but I think the Mavs look too old and have lost too much talent. I would be wary of crossing them off the contenders list, but they are starting Vince Carter. That disqualifies them. I’m sorry. It is just a mysterious part of God’s will, no team that has to start sour puss Vince Carter in meaningful playoff games will win the NBA Championship. Case closed.
Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics (W 115-107)
The C’s kept it close but once again, the Heat were just the better team. Miami got out in transition and Boston kept it close by throwing out some zone D. Why does the zone still slow us down? How did this not make the list of things to practice against? If it wasn’t for LeBron’s mysterious disappearance and the Mavs zone defense, we would have won the championship. I’ll give Spo a pass if he indeed spent the off season fixing LeBron’s postseason shrinkage, but I don’t think that’s what he was working on.
Wade and LeBron put up 50 combined points and Norris Cole took over the 4th quarter. Watching that game, it looked like Norris Cole thought he was the best player on the court. Even when Wade and LeBron was out there, it looked like NoNo thought he needed to close that game out. I loved it and hated it at the same time. The early impression is that the Heat got a legitimate rotation guy late in the first round with confidence and skills on a veteran team. That is huge, stealing a rotation guy that late is a big win if it pans out. But I’m also afraid that during the playoffs, NoNo will go all Eric Maynor on us and wave off LeBron and Wade for a game deciding last shot. Oh well, we’ll see.
For the first time in a while it also looked like the Heat were the deeper team in this match up. Which bench would you rather have: Bass, Daniels, and Dooling or Haslem, Battier, and Cole? I would take the Heat’s. How did this happen? What were the Celtics doing this off season? Did they really make the team worse around KG-Pierce-Allen-Rondo and expect to be better this year. How does that make sense?
Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Bobcats (W 96-95)
The Bobcats got out to an early 11 point lead and it took the whole game for the Heat to catch up. LBJ kept up his stellar play. NoNo kept shooting, but the shots didn’t fall this game. Bosh had a great game and made sure to fill his quota of goofy movements with this post dunk(belly pose.) Does he realize how ridiculous he looks to all of us? Do people refer to him as a dinosaur or Boshtrich in the locker room? See, this is why I need a media pass to interview these guys.
It was extremely tight at the end of the game, and Wade did what he always did. He banked in a last second shot to make everyone forget about the bad game he was having. He then spent the press conference using words like “clutch”, “killer instinct”, and probably “leader.”
Even though the Bobcats played tough and almost stole one from the Heat is it hard for me to understand what this team is trying to do? Who are they building around? I couldn’t even tell who their best player was. It might be Kemba in the future, and for the sake of saying his name, I hope that’s how it turns out... Kemba.
Miami Heat vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (W 103-101)
LeBron put together another great performance, Bosh was solid again, Wade was alright but made up for it with another buzzer beater. Same old same old, lets talk about the T’wolves!
Kevin Love looks like a monster this year. He was doing everything. He might be the best rebounder in the game, which is remarkable because he is under 7’0 tall and can’t jump very high. He is still an amazing outlet passer and can drain 3 point shots, and it looks like he has put together a solid low post game. If he can improve his interior defense he will be a great all around player. I say all of this to let you know that I really like Kevin Love as a player, but he is not elite. All of the talking heads on ESPN are talking about him being a top 10 player in the NBA. In the same breath they say that the T’wolves have a lot of good young talent. Yet, Minny still doesn’t win. Truly elite players in the NBA win games for their teams. You can’t say it is the people around him, because everyone is drooling over the points Beasley can put up, the skill set of Anthony Randolph and the potential of Rubio and Derrick Williams. Even if the team isn’t as good as people think, great players win games on bad teams. Look at Chris Paul the past few years, or Dwight Howard now. Even as I type those names I shudder a little inside. Minny might turn it around this year, and Kevin Love is a special player, but he is not elite. He is not in the same class as those guys yet.
I was happy the Heat pulled this win out, LeBron even said he didn’t want to see the T’wolves later this year. Even he is on the bandwagon! On to the next one...
Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Bobcats (W 129-90)
Easy blowout. Pretty efficient games for the Big 3. NoNo kept shooting. Bobcats search for a best player continues to confuse me. Kemba put up a solid line of 17 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal, yet the Bobcats were outscored by 18 points while he was on the court. Maybe MJ should just sell the team.
Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks (L 92-100)
I didn’t realize that how much I was hoping we would go 66-0 until the Heat lost this game. I might have actually believed we had a shot, and I might be a total homer. I took the loss hard and what made it worse is that T-Mac did us in. T-Mac was hitting everything in the 4th quarter, and what Championship contender hasn’t lost to a washed up superstar, who got hot in the 4th quarter, and is related to the immortal Vince Carter? Oh yeah, every team that played T-Mac in the post season.
The other thing I noticed is Josh Smith. The dude is good. He didn’t put up a lot of points but his athleticism is astounding. If you can notice a person’s athleticism when they are on the court with LeBron James, you know it is elite. The guy was flying around the court and it looked like he could block nearly any shot if he timed it right. I would like him to go to a real contender and see what he can do. You could absolutely win a championship if Josh Smith was your 3rd best player. Just not if you are Atlanta. Sorry.
So why did we lose this one? I refuse to admit that Atlanta is better than us, or that the zone defense shut us down. Atlanta did keep us out of transition and force us into a half court game and we didn’t handle it well. But we were primarily a half court team last season, so I think we will fare better in that situation in the future and eventually we will figure out the zone defense. Right Spo?
In all seriousness, we had a lead late in the game, T-Mac went on a run, we had a chance to get back in it, but the shots weren’t falling, especially for D-Wade. Everyone has games like that. We put up some good shots but they bounced out. It happens. 65-1 is still a possibility.
Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers (W 118-83)
I was hearing all of this talk about how good the Pacers were, Bill Simmons predicted they would be the no. 2 seed in the East, I was hyped for this game. But the Heat blew them out, even without Dwyane Wade.
The most interesting to happen was LeBron twisting his ankle on a fast break. Of course he stayed in and nearly played the rest of the game but he is a game time decision tonight. I don’t understand basketball injuries.
We ran all over Indiana. We got out in transition, slammed home some easy buckets, and James Jones hit some open up 3’s. It was an easy win. It is how I expect the Heat to look every game, but that would be terribly boring television.
Also, what happened to Danny Granger. He used to be good? Now he is shooting 30%. Did Delonte West sleep with his mom, too?
Indiana looks like a team of young role players to me. I like Roy Hibbert, but that’s about it.
So there you go. Enjoy my pinings on the Heat, use my opinions of their opponents at parties, claim them as your own. I don’t care, as long as you come back to the Miami Sports Machine for more rants.
I don’t know what will happen tonight if it is just Bosh vs. the Hawks. I predict NoNo puts up 25 shots, Josh Smith makes an extremely impressive play, then promptly gets hurt, and there is the possibility I will get very sad if we lose the prospect of going 65-1.
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