Tag: Miami Heat

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Shaq was right, they should be called the Queens



Can’t I just get suspended again?

1. Hotlanta finally deserves their moniker
Usually teams can’t wait to play against the Atlanta Hawks because it typically yields a victory and some huge numbers for the opposing team’s best players, or worst for that matter. It’s not too often that the Hawks get to be the bullies, but then again, they only get to play the Kings twice a year. Luckily last night was one of those games and Atlanta pulled out a 23 point victory, 99-76, over Sacramento that was never in doubt after the Hawks held Sac-town to only eight points in the third quarter. Potential future superstar Josh Childress scored a season-high 25 points for Atlanta in their fifth consecutive victory and Josh Smith came up just a point shy of a triple double with nine points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. But what’s unacceptable for the Kings is allowing some guy named Zaza to go off for 23 points on 11 of 12 shooting.

2. No date set yet

The story surrounding Dwyane Wade of late has basically been more of a lack of a story. It’s has been about a month since Wade made a tearful departure from the court in a wheelchair of all things and after passing on surgery so that he could make an attempt at returning to the team later this season, Wade told a group of reporters, “I’ve been working out every day and doing what they’re telling me to do.” Thanks Flash, that’s what you’re suppose to do when undergoing rehabilitation. But no rush, Miami is rolling without Wade and have pulled to within one game of the Southeast Division crown by going 10-3 with no Wade. Looks like the Heat are doing just fine without Dwyane in their Fave 5.

3. Shhhhh! No talking
Danny Ainge always has been a guy who likes to bend the rules, so it should be no surprise that he was fined $30,000 by the league by the NBA after the Celtics GM was seen with Texas superstar freshman Kevin Durant’s mother during the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. But in all reality, what does it even matter? How can Ainge talking to Durant’s momma have any influence over his decision to enter the draft? After all, it’s not like Durant gets to choose where he goes. Boston holds all the power so there is really no reason why good ol’ Danny boy can’t shoot the breeze his mom, dad or Kevin himself. But just like in his playing days, Ainge is so damn annoying that nobody is even going to complain on his behalf.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Paul Pierce @ New Orleans 29 min, 28 pts (FG: 11-18, 3FG: 4-7, FT: 2-3), 1 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Minnesota (28-37) @ Phoenix (50-16) Every win is becoming critical for the Timberwolves as the season begins to rapidly come to a close. Currently the T-Wolves are just 2 ½ games behind Golden State for the final playoff spot in the West, which is an amazing feat by itself considering that they have lost 10 of their last 13 games. But this still might be the most advantageous opportunity for Minnesota to knock off the Suns because Phoenix has lost consecutive games for only the third time all season. And if you overlook the three game slide they suffered through when playing without the league’s current MVP, it’s only the second pair of back to back loses since the team opened the year with a four game losing streak.

Buzzer Beater: While the talk is still only in its infancy, the NBA is beginning discussions to take the All-Star game overseas. It sounds like a good idea but things like travel time and jetlag could become sticky points between players and owners. But hey, they are all big boys and why should we let rowdy NBA fans destroy our cities when we can unleash them on those poor, naïve chaps across the pond. And if the players don’t like traveling overseas for an All-Star weekend just wait until David Stern decides to expand the league beyond the Canadian and American borders. After all, it is just a matter of time until Stern & Co. welcomes Tegucigalpa and Milan into the association.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Welcome to the neighborhood


1. San Antonio just got bucked
Last night was one of the greatest games that Coach K has ever been a part of. No, not the Coach K that choked away Duke’s first round game of the big dance for the first time since 1996. We’re talking about coach Larry Krystkowiak who snapped San Antonio’s 13 game winning streak in his first game as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks after Terry Stotts was fired on Wednesday. Well, a little credit has to go to Michael Redd who chipped in 29 points, five rebounds and five assists in the upset. Stotts was even able to make Andrew Bogut keep his fingers to himself. The win is nice but when a team has only won nine of their last 36 games, there’s really nowhere to go but up.

2. Miami’s heat check

Dallas’ 17 game winning streak is long gone and has since been replaced with a two game losing streak, and San Antonio had their 13 game win streak snapped by the Bucks last night which leaves Miami as the possessor of the league’s longest consecutive string of victories. The Heat were supposed to struggle without their superstar point guard in the lineup. But instead of flaming out (insert your own John Amaechi reference here), Miami has been torching opponents and have slowly worked their way up the playoff ladder in the East. With a win over Sacramento tomorrow, the Heat can grab the lead in their division via a 2-1 head-to-head tiebreaker with Washington and vault all the way from their current seed (sixth) to either third or fourth in the Eastern Conference.

3. Say cheese!
Scot Pollard took a brief moment during a 20 second timeout in the midst of Cleveland’s decimation of Indiana on Sunday to let the world in on his personal message to the future of America. As a camera passed, Pollard moved into frame and said, “Hey kids, do drugs.” There’s been no confirmation on if Pollard was actually inebriated at the time of the remarks but we’re guessing he probably had a nice buzz going. The white Dennis Rodman minus the skills has since apologized and said the comment was a “bad joke.” But we really know that the guy with the dyed locks, funny hairdos and ridiculous facial hair is the most comical punch line.

In other camera related news, the last time Mark Cuban was seen he was shoving a camera after storming across the court following the Mavs double overtime heartbreaker to the Suns. So far, the league has not come down on Cubes for the incident but you know that David Stern is frantically thumbing through all the latest manuals on rules, regulations, policies and procedures just scanning for a fine or suspension to slap on the league’s most annoying owner.

Thursday’s Player of the Day: Kobe Bryant @ Denver 38 min, 25 pts (FG: 9-19, 3FG: 0-5, FT: 7-8), 5 reb, 9 ast

Friday’s Game to Watch: Detroit (41-22) @ Phoenix (50-14) This could be a preview of the championship series later this year. The Suns are hotter than they have been all year after pulling out the biggest game of the season against Dallas earlier in the week and the euphoria from such an epic contest could be the momentum that sends Phoenix off on another long win streak. But the Pistons will be no pushover as they hold an impressive 22-10 record away from Detroit. The Pistons have so many people who can step up when it counts and now Chris Webber has become a valuable offensive contributor to the cohesive unit. But it will take a trademark Detroit defensive effort to shut down the trio of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion.

Buzzer Beater: You have to believe in yourself in order to achieve your goals and nobody personifies this idea better than Shawn Marion. After the double overtime instant classic against Dallas on Wednesday, Marion was more than happy to share his opinion about his performance. “I think I should be the defensive player of the year,” he said. “I’m going to do my own publicity.” At least he’ll be endorsing a quality candidate. Marion guards everyone from Kobe Bryant to Kevin Garnett and averages two blocks and two steals to go along with 10 rebounds. But just so there’s no confusion, Marion is more than willing to clarify his stance on the matter. “Defensive player of the year, hands down,” Marion said of himself.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Is 17 Straight The Best You Can Do?


1. We Own You!
Not too many teams can say that they have the Mavericks number, but Golden State can. The Warriors improved to 2-0 on the season and 5-1 (4 straight) over the past two seasons after they snapped Dallas’ 17 game winning streak with a 117-100 victory in which the Mavs never led after the first quarter. Dirk Nowitzki struggled all night long to maintain his composure both on and off the court as he struggled to finish with just 13 points on 3-of-11 and managed to pick up a technical foul while sitting on the bench. But it’s hard not to get frustrated when eight different players light you up for at least 16 points a piece. What’s even worse for the defending Western Conference champs is that with the victory the Warriors are now one game behind the Clippers for the final playoff spot out west. If the season were to end with Golden State grabbing the eighth seed and Dallas remaining atop the league it would produce a best of seven series between the two. And you know Don Nelson is licking his chops at the opportunity to get even more revenge on his old boss and current enemy, Mark Cuban.

2. The NBA’s Teflon Don

No foul was called after an abnormally high elbow from Kobe Bryant caught Kyle Korver on the face during the Philadelphia/Los Angeles game on Friday night. But after reviewing the tape, the NBA decided to issue Bryant a flagrant 1 foul which is worth one point (a flagrant 2 foul is worth two points) and, as difficult as it is to comprehend, it’s only his first flagrant foul of the season. So, three players have felt the wrath of the Mamba but he only has one lousy flagrant foul point?!?! It takes at least five before David Stern starts handing out suspensions. Bryant can’t be suspended for the latest elbow because any suspension would have needed to be announced before the Lakers played in their next game which was against Dallas on Sunday. Basically, Kobe got off the hook without a scratch once again. Looks like even Bill Clinton and O.J. Simpson could learn a thing or two from No. 24.

3. JC And Kobe Would Be An Awesome Combo
It’s obvious that Phil Jackson is getting a tad depressed over the Lakers current situation but the Zen Master might be going a bit overboard with his latest comments. When asked about the team’s injuries and losses Jackson said, “The way they are playing now, it doesn’t matter who comes back. Jesus Christ could come back and we still wouldn’t have a chance because we’ve ruined the mix by not playing together.” Don’t be so sure about that Phillip, from what we hear Jesus has a pretty smooth outside jumper. Apparently it’s awfully tough for a nine time champion to suffer through a career-worst six game losing streak twice during the past 15 games. But look on the bright side Jackson; you’re still in the playoff picture and you still have Kobe Bryant at your disposal. Things could be much worse; you could be Jake “The Snake” Roberts.

Monday’s Player of the Day: Vince Carter @ Memphis 41 min, 30 pts (FG: 10-19, 3FG: 3-6, FT: 7-8), 10 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk

Tuesday’s Game to Watch: Utah (43-19) @ Miami (33-29) No Wade, no sweat. Well, at least when you have Shaquille O’Neal playing like he did back in the purple and gold. Shaq is averaging 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists during the Heat’s current six game win streak. And Miami has played remarkably well at home this season where they are 21-10. But Utah is on a six game roll of their own as the Deron Williams to Carlos Boozer connection is back in full swing for the first time since Boozer returned to the team in late February. Throw in the poor man’s version of Dirk Nowitzki in Mehmet Okur and you’ve got a Utah club that is on the brink of making some serious playoff noise.

Buzzer Beater: What happened to the meaning behind the cause? In just one short month since John Amaechi came out of the closet because he hoped it would be a catalyst for intelligent discourse, he has changed his mind and decided to use his sudden new found celebrity to make a quick buck by pushing a brand of head-shaving razors. But, hey, no corporation says intelligent discourse quite like HeadBlade Inc. Amaechi is now just inches away from becoming the new Jared of Subway.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: The Beautiful People And The Unsightly

1. Hollywood’s House of Horrors
To borrow a phrase from Tom Jackson; Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson and all of the other Lakers got JACKED UP!! Dallas showed no mercy on Los Angeles as they defeated them by 36 points, 108-72, as Jack Nicholson, Tobey Maguire, Penny Marshall and Dyan Cannon all watched on. Kobe and crew had their worst offensive output of the season in the worst home loss in franchise history. The nastiest pounding the Lakers organization had ever received in Lalaland before last night was a 35 point spanking, 144-109, by the San Francisco Warriors on November 19, 1966.

But the Lakers shouldn’t let the loss get them too distraught since they can still claim a victory over the Mavs this season. That’s more than most teams can say. And they can also lay claim to the longest span of regular season home games without being defeated by 30 points or more. Sunday’s loss marked the end of that 1,521 game period that dated back to November 1969.

2. Late Bloomers
Everyone knows that the NBA’s hottest team is Dallas with 17 consecutive victories. And most know that San Antonio is also riding a double-digit win streak that has reached 12 straight. But a lot of people aren’t aware that two of the teams nipping on the heels of the league’s longest active win streak were on the verge of being in the Greg Oden/Kevin Durant sweepstakes just a few weeks ago. The Allen Iversonless 76ers are just four games away from grabbing the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference after ripping off seven straight wins that included victories over the Suns, Lakers and Pacers. Right behind Philly is Miami who has won six in a row as an invigorated Shaquille O’Neal has carried the Heat since they lost Dwyane Wade to a dislocated shoulder in late February. Thanks to a 106-104 victory over the Wizards on Sunday Miami is only one game behind Washington for the Southeast Division lead which would guarantee them one of the top four spots in the East.

3. Run For The Border
It’s not too often that a coach gets pissed off when an opposing player misses a 3-pointer, but that’s exactly what happened at the end of yesterday’s game between Indiana and Cleveland. With the game firmly in the Cavs hands, 99-84, and the final buzzer buzzing, Sideshow Bob’s biggest fan, Anderson Varejao, launched a 26-foot trey that failed to fall but succeeded in drawing the evil eye from Pacer coach Rick Carlisle. But what sour puss Carlisle didn’t consider was that the last second heave was meant to bring happiness to thousands; not mount more humiliation on a few. See, the three would have put Cleveland over 100 points which would have given everyone in attendance a free chalupa from Taco Bell. Now, don’t you feel silly coach?

Sunday’s Player of the Day: T.J. Ford vs. Seattle 37 min, 25 pts (FG: 11-15, FT: 3-4), 4 reb, 13 ast, 3 stl

Monday’s Game to Watch: Houston (39-24) @ Phoenix (48-14) The All-Star power is off the charts in this contest as five of the league’s elite will make the start between the two clubs. The Suns come into this game with the second best record in the league and, like usual, are riding a nice winning streak; four in a row and nine of their last ten. But Houston is on a three game win streak of their own as Yao Ming is bouncing back into shape way ahead of schedule. Yesterday against the Magic, Yao looked like the dominant player he was before breaking his leg in November as he went off for 37 points, seven rebounds and four blocks in a 103-92 victory. Tracy McGrady didn’t disappoint as he put up 19 points and 10 assists in the game. Nevertheless, no team wants to make the trip to Phoenix for the backside of a back-to-back.

Buzzer Beater: After a weepy Ron Artest apologized to the world on Saturday for his latest random act of stupidity, he came out and played decent ball in his first game since being reinstated. But don’t let the sniffles and tears fool you, it’s only a matter of time before Artest’s name is back in the headlines for some dumb off court decision. Eric Musselman is just hoping to get through the remainder of the regular season and any playoff run that Sacramento might see before Ron-Ron loses his marbles again. It’s like Terrell Owens in Big D; you know he’s gonna screw the franchise eventually, so all you can hope to do is milk him for 150 yards and a pair of TD’s per game until he does.

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Miami Heat

To be fair, Shaq was educated during the Reagan administration


You know what’s a shame? That they don’t release Wonderlic scores for basketball players. Cause Shaq might be challenging Chris Leak and Vince Young for low score.

Shaquille O’Neal says you won’t hear him bashing President Bush in light of an eye-opening visit to the White House with the Miami Heat.

“When it comes to ridiculization, if you can’t walk in a man’s shoes, you shouldn’t ridicule him,” O’Neal says. “When I was sitting in the blue room and seeing all the (stuff) the president has to go through, people bringing him letters and a million people walking around, I couldn’t do that job.

If one of the job requirements for being president of the United States is misusing words (“tacular“), then Shaq should considering running in the next election. We’re sick of people making up words whenever they want. Ridiculization isn’t a word, Shaq. The worst thing about Shaq is that he actually thinks he’s smart. He’s like Mike Tyson without the insanity. Just because you’ve read Aristotle doesn’t mean you’re a smart man, it just means you’ve read Aristotle.

Links:
[USA Today]: Shaq for prez?

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Playing the Wade-ing Game


1.  The Dr. Will Be In Shortly
If you’re a Miami Heat fan, then today is a big day.  That’s because Dwyane Wade will receive the much anticipated second opinion on his left shoulder.  After that, D-Wade will make his decision between beginning a straight rehab program or opting for a season ending surgery.  Obviously, fans want Wade to return this year so that the Heat will have a shot at defending their title, but, in reality, it’s all about the dolla dolla bills, ya’ll.  Just ask Pacman Jones.  Like all athletes, health is Wade’s most valuable asset, so don’t be surprised when he decides to undergo the operation and leaves Shaq to carry on the hopes and dreams of an entire city.  The Heat have moved past Orlando and now sit four games behind the division leading Wizards.  But catching the Wiz isn’t going to be easy since they are expected to have their tremendous trio reunited on Friday as Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison both return from injuries.

2.  What’s My Name!?!
LaMarcus Aldridge showed everyone why he was selected second overall in the draft.  Last night, Aldridge scored a career-high 30 points as the Trailblazers utterly destroyed Charlotte, 127-90.  By the end of the third quarter, Aldridge had already put in all of his points while helping Portland build a 37 point lead.  His previous high of 18 was achieved in a pair of games against the Wizards and the Lakers last month.  The 30 points marked the best offensive game by a Portland rookie in 22 years!  But Aldridge wasn’t the only young gun on the Jailblazers to bitch slap the wretched Bobcats.  Martell Webster came off the bench to score 20 points and Brandon Roy blew up for 14 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.  While Aldridge still has a long way to go before he lives up to his high selection in the draft, it’s good for Portland to see a solid performance out of the franchise’s future; even if it is against Charlotte.

3.  Jazz Hole
As the media blitz continues to rush at John Amaechi, he continues to answer the endless questions coming from reporters, and he continues to do so honestly.  When on Fox Sports Radio, host Andrew Siciliano asked Amaechi if Utah coach Jerry Sloan is the worst coach he’s ever dealt with.  At first, Amaechi took the high road — “No, he’s the best coach I’ve ever played for in terms of his technical ability.”  Then John revealed his true feelings about the old-school ball coach.  “And without a doubt, he’s the worst person I’ve ever met in my entire life, in terms of dealing with people.”  At least nobody can accuse Amaechi of sugar coating the situation.

Thursday’s Player of the Day:  Rashard Lewis vs. Los Angeles Clippers 45 min, 31 pts (FG: 10-19, 3FG: 2-5, FT: 9-10), 7 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk

Friday’s Game to Watch:  Orlando (28-31) @ San Antonio (39-18) These two had quite a contest back on February 9 when Dwight Howard’s last second inbounds slam capped off an 18 point comeback as the Magic slipped past the Spurs, 106-104.  But after losing four of five, San Antonio has ripped off a six game winning streak.  Orlando desperately needs a victory as they have fallen to third in their division, five games behind Washington.  The Magic have lost 17 of their last 23 games, but it’s not due to a lack of effort from their All-Star.  In February, Howard averaged 23 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks per game, and threw down a couple of sick slams over All-Star weekend.  Who knows, maybe Howard will “kiss the rim” on a breakaway during the game.

Buzzer Beater: Dennis Rodman is undergoing negotiations that would enable him to get back on the court this season.  Where is the Worm heading, you ask.   Maybe Dallas since the whole Reggie Miller talk fell through?  Or Cleveland who was pursuing Scottie Pippen?  The Lakers perhaps?  Nope, Rodman is in talks with the ABA’s Rochester Razorsharks.  If everything works out for Rochester, the eccentric rebounder would suit up as the team’s celebrity “13th Man” in one of the two final regular season home games which will be played on Tuesday and Thursday.  But the Razorsharks might want to consider shying away from the term “celebrity” in their promotions.  While Rodman is one of the best defensive players the NBA has ever seen, he is now joining local bar owner Moe Alaimo as the most recent “celebrities” to hoop it up with the defending league champions.

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NBA General

Around the Rim: The Suns Run


1. On the Verge of History
The Suns are 4-0 since Steve Nash returned to the lineup and nobody is happier about it than Amare Stoudemire. Last night, Nash had 14 points and 13 assists with a bunch of those passes going toward helping Stoudemire score a season-high 43. Phoenix pulled out a 115-106 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta to improve to 13-0 against the Eastern Conference on the road. The Suns are now only two wins away from sweeping the East in their gyms with back to back games at Indiana and Philadelphia on Tuesday and Wednesday. While Phoenix has already obtained some lofty accomplishments this season, should they win their next pair of games they would become the first team to sweep its interconference road schedule.

2. Nets Bets Payoff
For a majority of the season, rumors surrounded the possible trades of Vince Carter and Jason Kidd from New Jersey. Well, the Nets are probably breathing a sigh of relief that they didn’t pull the trigger on any deals leading up to last Thursday’s trade deadline. New Jersey is 2-0 since the deadline passed thanks to big games from their resident superstars. Against Sacramento on Friday the duo combined for 48 points, 24 rebounds and 15 assists. Last night against the Knicks, they went off for 51 points, 13 boards and 22 assists. The good news for the Nets is that with the win they moved two games ahead of New York in the Atlantic Division. The bad news is that they are still five games behind division leader Toronto.

3. Go Go Kapono
There was no continuation of the friendly rivalry between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in yesterday’s game between the Cavs and Heat but Miami didn’t need the services of Wade as they outplayed Cleveland in the fourth quarter of yesterday’s game. The hideous orange uniforms probably didn’t help the Cavaliers any either. The future is up in the air for Miami while Wade is seeking a second opinion before having surgery on his injured shoulder. But Shaq is beginning to round back into form for Miami after going off for 19 points and 11 rebounds in the club’s latest victory. Sounds good, but it’s gotta be a brutal blow to the Daddy’s ego that the team’s best perimeter shooter, Jason Kapono, is matching his stats by scoring 17 points and grabbing 11 boards of his own. .

Sunday’s Player of the Day: Amare Stoudemire @ Atlanta 45 min, 43 pts (FG: 14-25, FT: 15-17), 16 reb, 6 ast, 3 blk

Monday’s Game to Watch: Los Angeles Lakers (32-25) @ Utah (37-18) The rotating door in Salt Lake City continues to revolve as Carlos Boozer finally returns to the lineup but the Jazz immediately lose Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur to injuries. Both players are questionable for the game against LA, but even if they don’t make it into the game Utah will still have a decided home court advantage (22-6). The Lakers have no chance to catch Phoenix over the final stretch of the regular season as they are already sitting 11 ½ games behind their division’s leader. But the Lakers can improve on their current sixth seed position. Kobe Bryant’s All-Star MVP performance has spilled over into his current run as he has now lead his team in scoring for 12 straight games. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, they are 5-7 over that span that included the worst losing streak of Phil Jackson’s career (6 games). Still, it’s hard to feel bad for a guy that has nine rings on his fingers.

Buzzer Beater: Even though the trade deadline has passed, the rumors are still running wild. Kevin Garnett can opt out of his contract after next season and there is already speculation that he will join the Lakers after doing so. If KG can remain patient for another season then his dreams of a NBA championship could be finally fulfilled. Sure, there’s lots of time and anything can happen but if Garnett and Kobe Bryant are able to join forces and have quality role-players surrounding them, it could become a pretty dominant team. But, at this point, the talk is nothing more than guesswork and guesswork isn’t going to get The Big Ticket past the first round of the playoffs.

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NBA General

Shaq serves and protects (his own stuff)


Here’s a novel way to meet your favorite NBA star: hit his Escalade and then drive away. According to police, Shaq and his bodyguard Robin saw a man hit his Escalade. They “leapt into the damaged sport utility vehicle to give chase.” They then caught up with the driver and the passenger and called the police.

The two men, Emmnueo Cibrin and Junior Rondon, said they were going to stop but then saw an Escalade chasing them so they kept going. This actually sort of makes sense but that didn’t stop the police from charging them with leaving the scene of an accident.

Can you imagine hitting a car and then seeing a 7’1″ 325 pound guy chasing you and then stepping out of his car. And then seeing that it’s Shaq? First you’re peeing your pants, then you’re wondering if you have a sharpie in the car for an autograph. They’ve gotta figure out a way to build Shaq into the next Grand Theft Auto.

Links:
[Miami.com]: Shaq helps Miami police nab hit-and-run driver

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NBA General

Around the Rim: Heat Check



Too much Stackhouse

1. Finals Rematch
Thanks to some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Jerry Stackhouse, the Mavericks were able to defeat the Heat 99-93 on Sunday. Dallas continues to mow down opponents, winning seven games in a row and 20 of their last 21. But Miami put up a decent fight as they wait for Shaq’s return to action. The Heat’s starting backcourt went off for 48 points and Udonis Haslem came close to a double-double with 15 and eight. Even the recently pudgy Antoine Walker got into the act with 11 points. Miami’s record isn’t pretty but if they can make the playoffs with a healthy O’Neal, then they can’t be counted out simply because of a low seed.

2. Wishful Thinking
Phoenix is like the Energizer Bunny; they just keep winning and winning. And they do so in fast breaking fashion. Last night, the Suns put up a whopping 131 points against Minnesota in regulation. Steve Nash has led the Suns to 13 straight victories, scoring over 105 points in ten of the contests. The Suns have three legitimate All-Stars who are capable of going off on an opponent on any night, which can be bad enough, but when the trio of Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion are all clicking at the same time, it turns into to 120+ point night quite easily. If only the NBA would arrange a mid-season seven game series between the Suns and Mavs. Oh, what a series it would be.

3. Hairy Situation
It’s not just the Suns win streak that continues to grow longer with each victory. The team’s facial hair is beginning to get out of control as well. Steve Nash isn’t even sure how the trend got started but sometime during Phoenix’s current win streak, some of the players on the team decided to avoid the razor and let their beards appear. Nash admitted to hating the look but like most athletes, he’s just superstitious enough to buy into the routine. Shawn Marion, on the other hand, isn’t giving in to temptation. “I can’t do it, man,” Marion said. “My face gets too itchy.”

Sunday’s Player of the Day: Dwyane Wade vs. Dallas 44 min, 31 pts (FG: 12-21, 3FG:1-4, FT: 6-9), 6 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl

Monday’s Game to Watch: Memphis (10-31) @ Denver (20-17) Memphis sucks but who cares, after all, he’s baaaack!! Carmelo Anthony will be in Denver’s lineup for the first time in 36 days after being suspended 15 games for his part in the mayhem that occurred between the Nuggets and the Knicks in mid December. Finally, after all the speculation and anticipation, we will get to see if Melo and Allen Iverson can coexist when Memphis makes the trip to The Mile High City tonight. Since A.I. joined the club, the Nuggets have gone 5-8, which included several double-digit losses. Anthony’s presence on the floor can do nothing but help as he remains the league’s best scorer with 31.6 points per game.

Buzzer Beater: Josh Smith gave a double barreled salute to the crowd as he walked to the locker room after being ejected in the second quarter of a 104-85 blowout loss in Charlotte on Saturday. There must be something in Atlanta’s water, or should I say in Atlanta’s water bottles, to make this Hawk think throwing the bird would fly in Mr. Stern’s NBA. Expect the commish to dish out some punishment early this week, possibly today.

Categories
NBA General

Around the Rim: Houston, We Have A… Nevermind


1. No Yao, No Problem
There’s no doubt that the Rockets miss their big man in the middle, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at their record. Since Yao broke a bone in his leg the Rockets have won four of five games, including their current four game winning streak. Whatever was holding down Tracy McGrady earlier in the season is no longer a problem as he has scored over 30 points in four of the games since Yao got injured. But the rest of January could prove to be detrimental as their schedule becomes tougher with teams that rely more on their inside presence. While nobody is happy with the loss of Yao, T-Mac has got to be enjoying having free reign to create on the floor and, once again, be able to score at will.

2. Scoring at Will
If you had to guess two teams in the league that would combine to score 279 points in a game, it probably wouldn’t have been Memphis and Golden State. But that’s exactly what happened. In an offensive explosion, each team scored at least 30 points per quarter as Memphis held on to win, 144-135. The Warriors’ Matt Barnes had a game-high 36 points and Mike Miller lead his team with 33. 13 out of 19 players that logged time in the game scored double digit points. It was only the fourth win since the beginning of December but it was their second win in four games as Pau Gasol returns to his old form. Tony Barone Sr. seems to be filling in quite nicely since the team fired Mike Fratello.

3. The Hurt Heat
There were not too many people who believed that Miami would win the championship last year, but now it’s getting hard to believe that Miami will even make the playoffs. Injuries have plagued this team throughout the year and nothing appears like it will change anytime soon. Currently, the team is missing Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker, James Posey, Wayne Simien and coach Pat Riley. And last night against the Clippers it showed. Miami lost 110-95 and fell to 13-18 on the season, dropping them to five games behind first place in the Southeast Division. At this point, the defending champs would miss the playoffs altogether. But even with a healthy cast it will take a spectacular comeback over the second half of the season for the Heat to have a chance to defend their title in the post-season.

Wednesday’s Player of the Day: Gilbert Arenas vs. Milwaukee 44 min, 32 pts (FG: 12-25, 3FG: 4-9, FT: 4-5), 11 reb, 8 ast, 4 stl

Thursday’s Game to Watch: Indiana (17-15) @ Dallas (25-7) After a surprising end to last season and an even more surprising start to this season, the Mavericks have been one of the most impressive teams in the league. Dallas strung together a 15 game win streak earlier this season and also have a current 11 game streak. Despite a loss to Charlotte on Saturday, the Pacers have been playing good ball lately in winning six of their last nine. Jermaine O’Neal has stepped up his play and currently averages a double-double but Dirk Nowitzki will be a tough opponent to defend as he continues to push his name into the ring for MVP.

Buzzer Beater: When you make your living as a professional athlete, is it too much to ask that you be in shape? Apparently, some Miami players think it is. And that’s why Antoine Walker and James Posey could be facing suspensions for their poor health. The two were already deactivated for their game against the Clippers and forced to remain in Miami where they will workout with the team’s strength and conditioning coach. Looks like it’s time to leave the lunch line and start running lines for these Heat heffers.