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Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, they got six losses already.

The game against Indiana was awful. I didn't even want to keep watching past halftime. There was simply no effort or intensity, causing the Heat to make a lot of silly mistakes offensively, and more importantly, giving the Pacers a lot of easy looks in their offense due to the simplest things like getting back on [expletive]ing defense. I want to see Joel back in the starting line up. I know he struggles offensively, but I would prefer if Spo allowed him to play through his offensive mistakes, mostly due to the outstanding effort Joel gives. His energy and willingness to do the "little things" like showing on screens, taking away passing lanes inside, blocking and altering shots inside, overall making his match up work hard for everything, and offensively being a quick screener and making hustle plays like rebounding and diving for loose balls. Unfortunately, most of this goes unnoticed because almost none of it shows up on the stat sheet, except for shot blocking. The only thing the common fan will notice is once the ball does actually get in his hands and all eyes are on him, he is notorious for [expletive]ing up. Honestly, though, I think the latter part of his game won't be so prominent if he relaxed a bit. Though he needs to play with the same intensity, he needs to play without the jitters. Spo should take pressure off of him and allow him to play through mistakes as long as he's giving full effort. His offense isn't completely bad. He CAN finish, and he has been working very hard on adding a hook shot, and he can knock down his free throws well. He's just too damn nervous out there. As for Z, he's just too slow. I am tired of seeing how much offenses take advantage of him. All you have to do is drag him out of the paint for one second and he's utterly useless. Yes, he can rebound and block shots.. when he's already standing there. As for the rest of the time, he's too slow to even get close to the right position to affect anything positively on that end. I much prefer if Z gets limited minutes off the bench. As the season progresses, it's becoming more and more clear why Arroyo starts. It turns out Wade and LeBron aren't reliable to run an offense effectively, as odd as that sounds. Those two are best meant to bring the ball up looking to score rather than set things up, so Carlos is there for security. That doesn't mean he's the ideal player for the job. He's hardly average defensively, and his lack of range hurts (at least he's developed a corner three). For now though, he's the best Miami's got. I think the Heat can live with him at point and still win a championship this year. But anyway, who is really to blame? Well it's a mix of a few things. First and foremost, the schedule. The Heat are ranked #1 in SRS in the East despite their record, so automatically we can expect the overall record to increase as the schedule rounds out. Second, the defensive complacency of the Big Three, particularly in Wade and Bosh. Wade has hardly given effort with his help defense, other than raw steals and blocks. He is simply caught out of position too often, and he doesn't hustle to make up for it. As for Bosh, it's not as much his defense as much as his rebounding. He has bad habits in trying to simply use his length to grab boards rather than putting a body on a man. I think that is partially Spoelstra's fault. He is giving the big three too many minutes, causing them to feel the need to preserve energy, which are leading too these problems. Instead, Spo needs to cut down their minutes so they can play at 100% for more of their minutes. Third, a lack of fluidity in the offense, and a lack of an "attack, attack, attack" mindset especially from Wade and LeBron. They have a tendency to settle for jumpers even when they aren't open, which isn't as big of a problem when they are the only star on their team. Problem here is that you have two players like this now and there is no need to attempt these shots. Wade and LeBron both shoot below 30% from three, yet for some odd reason are taking 3-5 three pointers each per game. At times they will take a combined 10 three pointers, and by average they are only likely to make 3. That's 9 points in 10 shots. Not good efficiency. Instead they need to attack the basket, where a high percentage of the time they will either score, get fouled, or both, and those two are the best in the league at it. So why aren't they doing it more? If I was Spoelstra, I would man up and tell these guys they no longer have permission to take more than 2 three pointers per game each until they increase their ability to make three pointers. They are simply hurting the team taking these shots. As for the fluidity, I'm not going to bother discussing it since it's something that largely comes from most of the players being knew to the team. It's something that will improve over time. Fourth, the center position. Big Z is too slow, and Joel Anthony can't do [expletive] with the ball in his hands. As much as I'd like the team to put more faith into Joel, it seems like they have now turned over to Dampier. Hopefully he's the answer, though I really doubt it.

lol, good laugh http://slamdumb.com/a158.php

You and Amar'e seem to have the same problem, then.

Honestly? Yes I do.

Well it depends on what kind of teammates he has... If I have a team of defenders or a team with only one star I would pick the 24 PPG guy but if I have already a lot of scorers I would pick the 5 PPG guy for sure. His skills in the clutch would definitely be more useful to me than another scorer then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqLAchEj7w8&feature=player_embedded

Maybe he looks more intimidating now.

Nene: Yo, who's playing with ma Melo? Brook Lopez: *raises hand* Guilty.

Fair enough I suppose, I'm not saying Bautista deserved it more or Cano deserved it more, just making the argument of why one would consider choosing Bautista over Cano. As for the first place vote, I suppose you always have to assume there will be that 1 guy who gives a 1st place vote to the HR leader.

i really hope you people don't share showers with anyone.

inb4smittyjokes

I could care less about a full body scan. I'm just saying living in fear is what the terrorists want, and we're obliging.

Bias? Melo doesn't want to play for your team. Why on earth would it take the 3rd overall pick and one of the best bigs under 25 for someone who wants to be traded/resign elsewhere? Laugh out loud.

Yessir. I also jerk off in the shower every single time. In college it's hard to find alone time, so no one really questions why I take 4-5 showers a day.

Good, here's two weeks ago... http://www.youtube.com/user/heatbreakdown#p/u/4/wtGZ-dsD9PA

You keep saying that, so why are you so quick to want to fire Spo?

Chris Paul and it shouldn't even be close right now.

If a Laker gets the MVP, it's going to be Bryant. He's the most valuable player on that team, hands down. He runs the offense, he's the primary scorer, and he's the second best defender on the team (next to Artest, and only because Kobe doesn't play defense all the time). Gasol has been timid when we've needed him to step up in a few of the games this season, which is why Kobe started ringing off 30s to keep us in them. There's no way Gasol is an MVP candidate over Bryant.

http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2009/0330/nba_g_cavts_576.jpg

Bulls, although I would pick the Magic if they kept the same logo they've had for like the last 13-14 seasons... http://layupdrill.com/wp-content/uploads/orlando-magic-photograph-c12270855.jpeg

whooping dat [expletive]

The Boston Celtics’ 88-80 victory over the Miami Heat on opening night was a case of a team beating a collection of individuals. Whereas the Celtics are familiar with five-man offensive principals, the Heat simply are not.Boston runs offensive sets involving all five players contributing meaningful action on each play, while against the Celtics, Miami often ran simple isolations or high screen/rolls with little movement elsewhere.Boston frequently runs weak-side action for profit, while the most weak-side action the Heat would run would be simple wing brush screens for Eddie House when Dwyane Wade or LeBron James would operate at the top.Boston frequently zipped the basketball along—25 assists to 32 made baskets—while the Heat had the ball stick way too often—15 assists to 27 made hoops.Boston’s core has played together for so long that naturally, the Celtics would be better at anticipating each other’s cuts and movements—though the Celtics did suffer from miscommunications. Miami, however, looked comprised of assorted streetballers selected for a pickup game.Boston frequently reversed the ball, while the Heat were content to stay on one side, allowing the Celtics to set their strong-side defense.The Celtics balance was on display in the shot attempts of their top six players in terms of minutes—seven, seven, seven, nine, 13, and 11 attempts for Boston’s starting unit, plus Glen Davis. For the Heat, LeBron and Wade attempted half of Miami’s field goal attemptsWith the Celtics fully indoctrinated in the cult of winning basketball, clever play calling willfully executed was the norm. The Heat’s three stars, though, have long played in systems where pounding the ball and having an offense catered to them was the modus operandi. No wonder neither of the Big Three accomplished very much when the ball wasn’t in their hands.Miami’s defense was frequently stretched thin by Boston’s play calling. Because all five players were involved and continuity flowed from each set, Miami couldn’t load up on stopping individual plays. The lowlight for Miami was a series of Ray Allen baseline screens that flummoxed Dwyane Wade so much, he ran into Joel Anthony, lifted his head in the air in exasperation, and trudged his way down the court—before Allen’s three went through the net.In short, the Celtics trusted each other and trusted the offense—traits that Miami hasn’t acquired. On an individual basis, Wade looked as though he hadn’t played basketball in several years. He committed uncharacteristically clumsy turnovers, like dribbling a ball straight off his foot out of bounds, and also uncharacteristically careless turnovers—like lobbing a crosscourt pass in transition that was easily intercepted by Garnett. He missed five layups, committed six turnovers, and forced innumerable off-balanced shots that were attempted strictly because he’s Dwyane Wade. It was if he carried instinctual memories of his past individual brilliance but having unlearned all the fundamentals of the game. The result was an awkward, contrived performance that was easily dismissed by the Celtics—4-16 FG, 6 AST, 6 TO, 13 PTS. Aside from a brief stretch late in the third quarter into the fourth, LeBron James had a quiet 31 points. He committed eight turnovers, some on miscommunications with his teammates, some when he tried to force his unselfishness on plays that never developed, and some on awful basketball decisions. Not surprisingly, LeBron only played reasonably well when the Heat ran quick-hitting high screen/rolls for him while his teammates stood around and watched along the perimeter. LeBron did knock down an early catch-and shoot jumper when he bumped to the corner off a screen, and he did knock down some shots as a standstill target for Wade’s penetrations, but the Heat did precious little for LeBron off the ball. They tried a few cross-screens to get him deep post position, but Paul Pierce was able to push him out to the wing. The two times LeBron did post, he overwhelmed Pierce with his physicality, but missed a subsequent short turnaround, and a timid pump, pivot, then fadeaway jumper. Chris Bosh played exactly as he did with the Raptors—stopping the ball, operating outside of the paint, and having zero physical presence in the game—3-11 FG, 2-2 FT, 8 REB, 8 PTS. Aside from a few times he was able to go by Garnett when KG crowded him, and a dunked-in lob after Garnett fronted Bosh coming out to set a screen giving up the entire back side, Bosh simply stationed himself at either elbow, faced up the defense, held the ball, and either launched a rhythmless jumper, or forced a drive that led to an ugly shot. Aside from a halfway decent job by James on Pierce, some patented open court shot-altering defense by James, and a Wade gamble and steal on a wing entry pass, neither of the big three played any defense. The only consistent offense Miami received was on the aforementioned high screen/roll action with James, a handful of drive-and-kicks by Wade, and some sharp shooting by Eddie House. Joel Anthony couldn’t provide any offense—he’s a garbage man and the Celtics never took out their trash. Worse, Anthony was too small to slow down Shaquille O’Neal Carlos Arroyo couldn’t penetrate, hit open shots, defend, or prove that he isn’t totally useless against an elite team like the Celtics. Botched high screen/roll defense by Arroyo and Bosh allowed Rajon Rondo to get going early. James Jones hit two of his seven open jumpers, a percentage that is much too low. He also committed too many mental defensive mistakes, from fouling Pierce on a three, to giving him too much room in transition, to not rotating effectively. Eddie House couldn’t stay in front of anyone, hit several big shots, and performed his role reasonably well, mainly popping over wing brush screens, catching, then shooting. Zydrunas Ilgauskas set several effective moving screens that weren’t called, and several ineffective moving screens that were whistled. Udonis Haslem hit a few leftover shots, did a terrific job of rebounding in pulling down 11 boards, and tossed several terrific outlet passes that led to a few stolen points. The Celtics meanwhile ran their gameplan to full effect. The Celtics funneled screens into help, and away from the middle of the floor. Boston limited ball reversal and forced the Heat to play one-side-of-the-court basketball. Because Miami’s offense was simple and the Celtics prepare so well defensively, their rotations were on-time and on-point. Shaq’s mass altered a great many shots at the rim, and if Shaq couldn’t change a shot, he’d give a hard foul changing a player’s mind about trying to drive. If he missed his cookies at the rim, and most of his free throws, he was able to throw around Anthony near the basket, and he set earth-shattering screens. Paul Pierce played LeBron as well as could be expected, even committing two blocking fouls that clearly should’ve been charges after guessing right on LeBron’s moves to the rim. Pierce couldn’t shake free of LeBron’s strong-armed defense, but the Celtics didn’t force him to. Pierce mostly operated within the confines of the offense, hitting big threes in early offense, and getting to the line in transition. Ray Allen frustrated Dwyane Wade with his perpetual motion around screens—7-13 FG, 5-8 3FG. The most encouraging sign for Allen wasn’t his shooting or his solid defense, but the two tough layups he converted at the basket. Kevin Garnett telegraphed reverse passes, had trouble finishing around the rim, and was beaten to a number of rebounds, but his screen defense, and his overall defensive range were awesome. Garnett’s ability to show and recover on screens sets the tone for the Celtics defense, taking away a staple of most team’s offenses. Glen Davis sacrificed his body to draw several charges that will endear himself to Doc Rivers. Davis—6-7 FG, 13 PTS—was also effective both in knocking down mid-range jumpers, and in creating his own offense in the post with a nifty turnaround step back jumper over Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Jermaine O’Neal blocked a shot, missed a pair of rotations, and was a general non-entity. Nate Robinson was likewise a non-factor. Marquise Daniels posted Dwyane Wade for profit among his eight points. Plus, while he’s not as good a defender as Tony Allen, he did a respectable job defending James. However, as usual, Boston’s performance was predicated on Rajon Rondo. When Rondo was pushing the pace, attacking the paint, and looking for quick-hitting offense, the Celtics were unstoppable. Despite only having four points, Rondo’s court vision and decision making fueled Boston’s offense with 17 assists (17!). However, Rondo missed both his shots outside the paint, and still walks the ball up when his team is struggling to score, taking too long to get into the Celtics offense. Boston’s offense tends to stall at times because the Celtics no longer have a dominant scorer, and don’t have much of a post threat when Shaq isn’t on the court. In these situations, the Celtics need Rondo to push the ball and create opportunities in early offense, but he would rather walk it up and call out a play. This overabundance of trust in running the correct offensive play takes away from Rondo’s strength as a playmaker. It also allows good defenses time to set up for Boston’s offense, while early-offense and transition offense are much more difficult to stop because defenses aren’t set. In these situations, the correct offensive play is to push the ball to generate easier scores. What we saw from Rondo, though, and what we saw from the Celtics, is the trust to run complex basketball plays because he knew his team could handle it. What we saw from Miami was a lack of trust, though in fairness, the fact that the Heat played so few minutes together in the preseason does contribute somewhat to Miami’s self-centered gameplan. What the contest ultimately told viewers is that the Celtics still have a ton of pride, they still gameplan extremely well (even without defensive guru Tom Thibodeau), and they still know how to stonewall one or two-dimensional offenses. And they’ve proven that whatever happens in the regular season, they’ll know how to turn it on come the playoffs. Miami hasn’t proven anything other than they have the talent to win a ton of regular season games. The Heat’s core of isolation and screen/roll oriented scorers haven’t proven in the past, and they sure didn’t prove against the Celtics that they can play any kind of complicated team offense that would put pressure on an elite defense. And that isn’t going to change until they face a playoff team that’s packed with talent and has been given time to scout and prepare for the Heat on a game-by-game basis. The Heat will play better by default, but they’re miles away from being ready to knock off championship competition like the Lakers and Celtics. Sure the Heat have talent, but talent isn’t enough when matched up with another talented team that plays with discipline, intelligence, awareness, creativity, and trust. The Celtics are already a championship-caliber team. The Heat, as of now, are simply a talented collection of individuals.