HEAT -vs- BULLS Preview

It seems like we are always playing against the Bulls these days. Not much has changed in terms of the teams approach since the last match up, but Derrick Rose has been out for the Bulls. He should be a game time decision after hurting his wrist on a dunk attempt the other night. If Rose is out, the Heat should have an advantage in quickness. They better be quick tonight, after last nights embarrassing defeat handed to them by the lowly Indiana Pacers. I expect a much better effort from Dwayne Wade, who always plays well against the Bulls.

HEAT 88 - PACERS 90

That was just a bad loss all around. Not only are the Heat battling to keep their playoff position, but they lose what looked to be an easy win matchup wise. No Mike Dunleavy and an early injury to Troy Murphy, should have resulted in an easy win, but the team never got it together. Dwayne Wade struggled to put the ball in the hoop, and the rest of the team did not pick up the slack. Udonis Haslem had a great game, scoring 18 points and pulling down 15 rebounds, but the rest of the team just did not come to play. Their was no answer for Danny Granger or the 2 headed point guard monster of TJ Ford and Jarret Jack. Once again Mario Chalmers got torched on defense and Luther Head provided no relief on the defensive end either. This was a game to forget.

2 WINS = MORE OF THE SAME WADE

It is safe to say that the rest of the league is looking at Dwayne Wade as a real MVP candidate these days. In the last 2 games he has powered his team to wins over Detroit and Memphis. The Detroit game showed off his clutch defense, as he had the big block down the stretch on Rodney Stuckey and then saved the ball from going out of bounds to seal up the win. Then last night against Memphis he made the plays early and often for a blow out win. He set a new single season scoring mark for the Heat topping his previous high in the 2005-06 season. Wade's versatility is on display every night and that is the mark of a true MVP candidate.
He has propelled a team that would have been lottery team into the playoff race easily. It does not look like they are going to catch Atlanta for home court in the first round, but getting the fifth seed and playing that Hawks team is better for them than dropping to the 6th seed and having to deal with Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. Jermaine O'Neal has a much better chance of playing Al Horford evenly than he does of competing with Howard at this point in his career. Howard is just too physically gifted to contain, and the Magic have surrounded him with a group of great outside shooters, which makes it tough to double down on him. Horford on the other hand, is flanked by a bunch of good players, but yet reached the point where he needs to be double teamed every night. Earlier this year he did put up a 20-20 game on the Heat, but he can't do that for a 7 game series, whereas Howard can.
This is where Wade's brilliance comes in. He is far and away better than anything either team has to offer, and if the frontcourt is evenly matched up, no team with a player as good as he is can be counted out. They say that in a 7 game series, that the best team will win, well what about the best player? The true testament of a great player is that he makes everyone around him better, and Wade does that. Congrats to Wade on a new scoring record, and with the playoff seeding hanging in the balance I fully expect that record to get demolished here in the last few months as he puts this Heat team on his back.

HEAT -vs- PISTONS Preview

The Heat takes on their old playoff nemesis today, this time it is in a battle for seeding in the East. Both teams have fallen off from being the top teams in the East, but they still have some fight left in them. For the Heat they seem to be on the way back up, and for the Pistons they want to show the world that they are not done just yet. They have had an up and down season, in part due to the Chauncey Billups - Allen Iverson trade, but there are some pieces in place to still get it done. They are a team you do not want to play in the playoffs, cause their core guys can beat anyone on any given night. As for this night? I think the Heat's need to salvadge this road trip will be the inspiration to get it done. I expect Dwayne Wade to lead the way often and early, and the Heat to follow suit. If Jermaine O'Neal can get some scoring opportunities the Heat should win this game.

CELTICS 112 HEAT 108 in OT

• So this is what life without Dwayne Wade looks like and it started very ugly.
  
• Looks like Wade will not be reaching his goal of playing in all 82 games this year.
  
• The Celtics shot 68% in the first half despite missing Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen. That is just unacceptable if you are Coach Spoelstra. Stopping Paul Pierce had to be the agenda, and 12 points in the first quarter is not the way to do it. Double Team Him!
  
• Once again the Heat found itself down after the 1st quarter, this time down 34-21.
  
• Beasley came out aggressive to start the 2nd quarter scoring and the squad followed his lead. He needs to a consistent effort like this when Wade is not playing if the Heat is going to beat anyone.
  
• He scores the majority of his points with face up jumpers, but if he is going to be a star in this league he is going to have to work on his post game this off-season. The Heat need him to be a guy that can get easy buckets on the block.
  
• Luther Head continued to play strictly as a 2 guard. He is a good scorer, that will be a nice addition in the playoffs.
• James Jones is shooting the rust off. Just in time to secure his spot in the rotation. He played decent defense too.
  
• Chris Quinn had a nice first half, but there is no reason to have the guy on the court in the 4th quarter guarding Rajon Rondo.
• Paul Pierce is too good not to double team him. With so many injuries on their squad, why does the Heat not treat Pierce like teams treat Wade and double him as soon as he touches it. Double Team Him!
  
• Eddie House is joining the list of Heat killers. The only guy on the court outside of Pierce that could hit a jumper and the Heat still could not stop him.
• This is the kind of game the Heat needed to play, a shootout without their leader Dwayne Wade to take over. Chalmers was very aggressive attacking the hoop for layups and kickouts. I like it.
• The Miami Heat were 5-0 going into overtime, but the poise of Pierce and Rando was just too much.
  
• I like Chalmers attitude, he was pushing and jawing with Rando on and out of bounds play, then hits a three in his face with the shot clock running out. Then hits an off balance 3 pointer to cut the game to 3points, yet it was just not enough.
  
• A tough loss for the standings, but a moral win for a young squad trying to find themselves. If they can get an effort like that from Chalmers, Beasley, and O'Neal this team is going to make a stir in the playoffs. We know what Wade is going to give us, so if the supporting cast steps up, watch out.

HEAT -vs- CELTICS Preview

After winning 3 out of 4 games last week in memorable fashion, the Miami Heat got a much needed couple days of rest to start this week off. They are back at it tonight against the same undermanned Celtics team they beat last week by 8 points. The Celtics have struggled of late, due to their injuries, dropping 4 out of their last 5 games. Tonight they again will be missing their star inside, Kevin Garnett, but unlike last weeks game, they will have starting point guard, Rajon Rondo, back. Rondo has become the motor of their squad and is a good player for our own Mario Chalmers to model himself after. Rondo came into the league as nothing more than a pesky defender, but he has turned himself into one of the best penetrators in the league, while continuing to develop his outside shot. That matchup tonight will be very interesting to watch, cause when Chalmers plays well the Heat usually collect a win.

With Rondo back a lot of the load no longers falls on Paul Pierce and Ray Allen's shoulders, but unless they can get some help inside, the Celtics are going to have a hard time collecting a win. Leon Powe, who has been filling in for Kevin Garnett, hurt his knee the last night and is questionable for tonights game. This should allow Dwayne Wade to attack the rim without much opposition. The Heat need to get the ball early and often to Jermaine O'Neal and Michael Beasley inside, cause Kendrick Perkins and Mikki Moore are no match for them. O'Neal has scored 20 or more in his last 2 games.

The injuries to so many key players for the Celtics put them at a considerable disadvantage going into tonights game. However, any team that has Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo can't be taken lightly. Hopefully the two days of rest did Dwayne Wade good, cause we are going to need a big game out of him again if our inside guys do not play up to their potential tonight. This is the type of win a Heat team trying to lock up the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference has to win.

DWAYNE WADE - ONE OF MARCH MADNESS'S BIGGEST STARS

He is a household name now, but most of us came to know of Dwayne Wade in the 2003 NCAA tournament when he put his Marquette team on his back and took them to the Final Four. In honor of that coming out party, here are some of Wade's best college highlights.
An Insane Shot:

Marquette's Final Four Video:

REVIEWING THE SHAWN MARION TRADE

With the Heat having the night off, I thought it would be a great time to analyze the Shawn Marion for Jermaine O'Neal and Jamario Moon trade. A lot of fans have been hard on the trade, because O'Neal has not been the dominant force on the boards that they had hoped, but they are missing the big picture. Yes, if they are to succeed in the playoffs, he needs to be grabbing 8-10 boards a night instead of 6. However, this was a 2 for 1 trade and the numbers of both must be taken into account. Combined, the Heat brought in roughly 20 ppg, 10 rpg, and 3 bpg. Those are numbers that would be a dream out of one player, but hey I will take it from two guys if I have to.
Shawn Marion was not fitting into the system run in Miami, and it was obviously clear to management that the best thing to do would be to move him while still adding value to a team that is going to be in the playoffs. What did the team really lose in Marion? Defense? I would say that Moon has been just as solid as Marion was on the perimeter, but he has not been able to cover players in the post as effectively. That is where the addition of O'Neal comes in. Granted he is not on the level of the great big man in the league anymore, but no longer do we have to worry about guys like Brad Miller lighting us up. O'Neal has given the team a scoring presence inside, a much needed dynamic since they reelied too much on perimeter play. This has not fully taken form yet, as the squad still manages to forget he is on the court after the 1st quarter most of the time, but each game has been a bit better. It is the job of the coaching staff to keep O'Neal active even when he is not getting his touches, so when the 4th quarter comes around he can be that featured low post scorer that can get a few easy baskets.
Playoff basketball is played at a slower pace, and O'Neal's skills were brought in for just that. Marion was not a guy you could throw the ball to anywhere on the court and expect a bucket, unless he was wide open under the hoop. O'Neal is aplayer that can work on the block or the hight post. Since the trade Moon has really come on as a solid wing player. He has energized the squad with his wicked dunks, mostly a result of a Dwayne Wade alley oop, and he has also hit is fair share of three point shots, something Marion was not so good at.
Shawn Marion's contract runs out after the season, but the Heat were not going to use the money saved on him to add any big name players in the offseason, cause they are structuring the finances of the squad to make a push to keep Wade in 2010, while also adding another big contract. With this in mind, the deal makes great sense. Moon's contract runs out after this season and O'Neal's after next year. They have been using the 2nd half of the season to see if Moon fits in with the squad, which I would say he does. Expect management to try to sign him to a cap friendly deal, if they can find a way to move James Jones and his long term contract. O'Neal will be gone after next year, unless he is willing to take a minimum contract, so the Heat is positioned perfectly to make a play for a big named complement for D.Wade in 2010.
In order for the deal to be a smashing success, they are going to need to get production from the two players in the playoffs. Something that is going to be easier now that the roster is more balanced. No more Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire, or Mark Blount starting in the middle, which has to make Coach Spoelstra the happiest man in the league. Nice trade by the Heat.

HEAT 107 CELTICS 99

The Heat keep the streak alive against an undermanned Celtics squad. It should have been a much easier win, but in the end they got it done.
Here are the highlights:

BOSTON CELTICS @ MIAMI HEAT

It is an interesting game to prepare for tonight, because Boston will be missing two starters and three key reserves against the Heat. Most notable of these absences are forward Kevin Garnett and point guard Rajon Rondo. Garnett has missed 8 straight games and Rondo is sitting for the second straight game. Newly acquired Stephon Marbury started in Rondo's place the other night and had 4 points along with 0 assists. Not the kind of production the Celtics were hoping for when they signed the mercurial star, but they are hoping that is just takes a little time for him to get into game shape and learn the teams system. While 2 major stars are missing tonight for the Celtics, they still have 2 All Stars playing great basketball, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. These 2 will have to carry the load tonight if they are to have a chance against Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat.
Wade is coming off of when of the all time great performances Monday night against the Chicago Bulls and looks to capitalize on that. He did not get much help on the offensive end the other night, except for the 2 rookies, so look for the team to try to get Jermaine O'Neal a lot of looks early. When O'Neal gets in the flow early in the game, he is usually more connected throughout the game. He was ineffective most of the night against Chicago, but did have 2 huge shot blocks in the 4th quarter. Coach Spoelstra needs to find a way to get O'Neal going, because he is a proven offensive commodity that they need to take some of the load off of Wade and Michael Beasley.
While Beasley has been a nice complement to Wade, the team still needs to find a 3rd scorer. There have been times during the season when it has looked like Mario Chalmers or Daquan Cook would be that player, but both are still too prone to mental lapses to be that guy. So the burden falls on O'Neal, and tonight's matchup with the Celtics could be just what he needed. Without Garnett, Glen Davis, or Brian Scalabrine up front, the Celtics are left with Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe, and Mikki Moore, all of which are no match for O'Neal. Powe is the best player of the bunch, but he does not have the height to take on O'Neal for most of the game. I would expect that he is going to be matched up with Beasley and Udonis Haslem tonight. Perkins and Moore should be considered nothing more than 12 fouls at this point.
With the Celtics missing so many key players, the Heat might finally have come across a team that they can afford to rest Wade against without fear or a run by the squads second unit. Expect Spoelstra to limit his stars minutes, while trying to get guys like O'Neal, Chalmers, and Cook back into the offensive flow. With the season closing and the battle for the 4th spot in the East heating up, every win is vital. The Heat can ill afford to lose especially to a team so banged up.
Prediction: Heat by 10