Chalmers Vows To Get His Starting Spot Back

[Poe]

Chalmers Vows To Get His Starting Spot Back

 

 

Problems with punctuality cost Heat point guard Mario Chalmers his starting job, but he vowed to do whatever it takes to get it back -- soon.

 

Chalmers, a starter through his first 111 games in the league, came off the bench for the second consecutive time Thursday against Orlando.

 

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra kept veteran Carlos Arroyo in the starting lineup ahead of Chalmers, who was benched for being tardy to the shootaround before Tuesday's game.

 

``I have to do the little things I used to do to get my job back,'' Chalmers said. ``I'll overcome it. It's no shock.

 

``It's something I did to myself.''

 

Spoelstra reiterated Thursday that Chalmers, a second-round pick in the 2008 draft, is held to a higher standard.

 

``I still think Mario can go to another level,'' Spoelstra said of Chalmers, the first rookie in Heat history to start all 82 regular-season games. ``Part of this is learning the responsibility of being a starting point guard in this league.''

 

Chalmers said his tardiness was the lone issue Spoelstra addressed regarding the demotion. But Chalmers also said that different players ``show up at different times.''

 

Chalmers and forward Michael Beasley were repeatedly fined for tardiness and other violations as rookies last season.

 

Heat president Pat Riley said younger players are expected to show up an hour early to practice and stay an hour afterward.

 

``Me and Mike, we used to get here early,'' Chalmers said. ``But that's something I slipped up on, and it's something I've got to get back to.''

 

Good boy

Edited December 18, 2009 by Poe

[Smitty]

Gotta post a link.

[Poe]

Gotta post a link.

Whoops, my bad. I made the title a link for ya.