Real Deal

The two Heat players that Miami shouldn't have let go (traded, walked, whatever) racked up 58 total points last night.

So, it's intentional? Of course it is.

Not trying to be a smart ass or anything...isn't it clear as day what their problems are on offense and defense? If you were to take the two biggest problems... 1) on offense, they are trying to get themselves open shots way too many times throughout the game. Anyone ever look to see what their shooting percentages are this season? I'll show you... LeBron - .436 (lowest since rookie season, .503 last season) Wade - .441 (career low, .476 last season) Did you watch the game against Dallas tonight? Pretty evident. Why aren't they accomplishing that feat? Because neither are off-ball players. Both have never had the role of Ray Allen, Rip Hamilton or Reggie Miller. Their games are adjusted to playmaking and slashing to the rim. I mean, come on...who wants to adjust their game? LeBron doesn't, as he stated right before the Sixers game. http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/lebron-james-the-next-jordan%3F-more-like-wilt-chamberlain Miami is in the middle of the league in scoring, which says something about the pace they should not be playing. This is also a team that's shooting over 30 FT a game, second most in the NBA (next to the Thunder, of course). Can't be surprised, because it seems like every time the Heat are down and out, they make an attempt to get back into the game by playing selfish ball with one of their superstars, attacking the rim at will. One of the worst teams in the NBA in offensive boards, but that can't be solely due to their size, because their opponents are out-rebounding them by only 10 total boards so far this season. Turnovers a problem? Not really. The Heat are averaging under 13 a game, which is one of the lower averages in the league. Per 100 possessions, they are second (behind the Lakers). Passing the ball? Miami is, again, in the middle of the pack with almost 20 assists per game, compared to over 26 by the Celtics (a minimum of 12 extra points off of assists). 2) Back on defense, you have a bunch of help defenders, but no individually great on-ball defensive players. That means no significant players that step out on the court to defend the guys LeBron and Wade would rather not have to guard. No Bowen, Sefolosha, Ariza, Afflalo, or Artest. No post defenders, either. With Haslem out, there's nothing to show for interior defense. The two best helpers (LeBron and Wade) can't conserve energy and are, ironically, the two best scorers. Miami's oppFG% has increased, sticking them in the middle of the league (around where Houston is). They have been bumped out of the top five in defending the three-point line, now around the middle of the pack in forced turnovers. I'm really not sure if you can stick any coach in Spo's place and show significant improvements in that W-L record. A lot of this rests on James and Wade, and so far, this is a perfect example of two players not being able to play together. Of the 16 games they have played together, they have shot above 45% TOGETHER just four times (ORL, MIN, NJN, and PHX), winning all four games, and by an average of over 24 PPG. Their pace is lower than it should be, LeBron and Wade's consistency is pathetic as teammates, and they are slipping in defensive rankings. Can't blame it all on the sidelines.

Haslem is a good defender, can hit the mid-range shot. Miller is good. Everyone else, though? They aren't going to produce their own offense is Bron and Wade are too busy taking jumpers and looking to get themselves wide-open shots.

Golden State is just a different team with Lee, it's really that simple. There isn't so much on Ellis' shoulders, and Lee helps create a more dangerous team not only because of his offensive production, but by getting everyone else involved as well.

Do you think the Kings should trade Cousins before they end up stuck with this guy? I mean, I know it's a small sample size, but he has been a distraction on and off the court. He's not producing well, at all, and he has already called out players (Bynum, Favors, maybe others) and has feuded with Westphal. 10/27 @ MIN - 14 PTS (5-10 FG), 8 REB, 5 AST, 5 PF, 2 TO, 27 MIN 10/29 @ NJN - 12 PTS (3-8 FG), 4 REB, 0 AST, 6 PF, 0 TO, 21 MIN 10/30 @ CLE - 14 PTS (5-10 FG), 10 REB, 2 AST, 3 PF, 5 TO, 28 MIN 11/1 vs. TOR - 16 PTS (6-10 FG), 4 REB, 2 AST, 5 PF, 0 TO, 17 MIN 11/3 vs. LAL - 11 PTS (3-13 FG), 6 REB, 0 AST, 5 PF, 1 TO, 20 MIN 11/6 vs. MEM - 4 PTS (1-5 FG), 3 REB, 0 AST, 5 PF, 4 TO, 23 MIN 11/10 vs. MIN - 7 PTS (2-3 FG), 6 REB, 0 AST, 1 PF, 4 TO, 14 MIN 11/12 @ PHX - 9 PTS (4-8 FG), 7 REB, 0 AST, 6 PF, 0 TO, 21 MIN 11/14 vs. DET - 6 PTS (3-8 FG), 8 REB, 1 AST, 4 PF, 6 TO, 25 MIN 11/17 vs. NYK - 15 PTS (5-15 FG), 10 REB, 2 AST, 2 PF, 5 TO, 30 MIN 11/19 vs. NJN - 8 PTS (2-8 FG), 10 REB, 1 AST, 2 PF, 1 TO, 29 MIN 11/21 vs. NOH - 7 PTS (3-11 FG), 5 REB, 1 AST, 6 PF, 4 TO, 24 MIN 11/22 @ UTA - 18 PTS (5-13 FG), 9 REB, 1 AST, 3 PF, 2 TO, 29 MIN 11/25 @ LAC - 7 PTS (3-8 FG), 6 REB, 1 AST, 5 PF, 0 TO, 26 MIN 11/27 vs. CHI - 6 PTS (3-8 FG), 4 REB, 0 AST, 5 PF, 2 TO, 16 MIN ---------- TOTAL - 10.3 PPG (53-138 FG, .384), 6.7 RPG, 1.1 APG, 4.2 PF, 2.4 TO, 23.3 MPG

They are 2-7 against .500 teams or better. That's shocking, really.

Gotta say, I never imagined the Grizzlies would pull Mayo off the bench like this. It's effective for him, but like I stated earlier in the season, they need someone to step up and actually ball like an all-star. Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo, those guys aren't going to drop 25-30 a night. Melo would be ideal, but he would never want to go to Memphis. Just need to say that Xavier Henry isn't playing too bad in the starting five. He's not going to score 15-20, but he can put out the defensive effort the Grizzlies are looking for, knock down some shots, and handle the role like he's expected to.

And the answer is...OR NOT! But, what the hell? I turned the game off at the end of the third, and it was tied up. Both teams were having trouble scoring, but that fourth quarter had to have sucked for the Nets if they lost the game by 16.

Two things... 1) I laughed seeing CJ Watson drop from a 30+ point game one night, to five minutes and zero points the next. Yeah, Rose is back...but still, funny. 2) Cousins sucks.

There's no point in looking at the team rep of whoever is posting the topic if the topic itself is something we can discuss. I think this falls into that description, but let's try and make sure we're not posting something that's really not going to bring any attention to the Heat forum. If LeBron bumps Spo, and it's that clear how intentional it is, it's something to talk about. Spo's job will always be on the line with these guys in Heat jerseys, so this just adds to the issues at hand.

Chill out. If you're going to bait Heat fans (or any fans), I expect you to be in support of the team they are playing AND stick your neck out there before the game starts, saying your team (or that particular team) will win. Even in a situation like that, keep it limited and appropriate.

Spo looked like he was about to kick his ass.

LOL, Kwame.

http://www.atdhe.net/index.html

They'll make the playoffs, for sure. There's no way LeBron would let them miss it. He will go into selfish mode before they choke that bad. This is his city now.

Which player of the big three is shooting bad tonight? Wade and LeBron both. I'm still wondering (without looking to see if they actually have done this yet) when all of the big three will have good shooting nights in the same game.

Brook has been on and off lately, so maybe this is where the Sixers can show the world why they wanted Hawes so much... ...or not.

These are just good examples of why I could never, ever get the comments about how Kobe never passes the ball for a last-possession shot. Please. He has many times, and if it doesn't go to Fisher, it's been a failure. Some will point out Gasol's tip-in against the Thunder. Cool. It's an offensive board that nobody else boxed out on. If we ran a play for Gasol late in the game like that, he'd be trying to pop in a 20-footer, as usual. Ron will always, always take either a long and contested three, or a sideways fadeaway contested 20-footer. Odom will brick a right-handed layup with his left hand, or airball a 20-footer with nobody on him. Kobe or Fisher get the ball. You can stick two people on Kobe for all I care (ex. Bell and Diaw), but he's still more capable of hitting a shot over a double than anyone else on this team trying to take one contested or in the paint through traffic.

Was Evan Turner injured? He didn't play much when I was watching (didn't see the entire game, though, but every time I changed it over, he wasn't on the court). Why is Hawes even starting? I don't even get why the Sixers traded for him. As far as the Heat go, I told my brother that one of the big three would shoot poorly. This game, it was LeBron. They can rack up 100 points every game, or shoot 45% or better, but there are still problems with this offense. Wade and James aren't going to be a huge threat until they both get their shots to fall at the same time, and they are having trouble doing so in almost every single game this season because both are uncertain as to how they need to play. Since neither are really great off the ball, this is going to be an issue for a while.

Jennings shot around 40%, Maggette didn't get to the line much, no Bogut....I don't see how the Bucks were going to win this game, even against Detroit. Plus, where did John Salmons go? He's pathetic this season.

WHOAAAAA!!!

What a super choke.

WOW AGAIN.

WOW.