6 Thoughts
1) The Heat are now 1-0 in triple overtime games, taking down Utah in Miami, who had won 12 of their last 13 overall. The Heat down 7 with 90 seconds to go in regulation, down 8 with 2 minutes to go in the first overtime, and were able to extend the game both times. Wade missed a jumper at the end of the second overtime to win it, Heat pushed out and won the third easily. Now a season high 7 games over .500 at 36-29. 9 of next 12 on road - just have to scratch out wins where possible. Brutal turnaround afternoon game tomorrow in Philly - by the time Miami got to the second overtime, it felt like a must-win with tomorrow's game promising to a fatigued affair.
2) Wade - ridiculous again. On a night where he seemed to feel less than great, 50 more points, along with 10 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals. Became Miami's all-time leading scorer, passing Alonzo, even though Alonzo played in approximately 900 more games. Look, LeBron is going to win the MVP - that's how it goes in the NBA, we decide who is going to win before the year, and then it is that guy's to lose. And LeBron has done nothing to lose it - he deserves it. But Wade's push should make him the leader in the clubhouse at the start of next season, to the degree that it matters. Which is not at all. Wade already has the MVP that matters most - the Finals MVP from 2006. LeBron's still working on that. So, too, for that matter, is Kobe. One is due the trophy this year - I'm guessing it will be LeBron.
3) Emcee Chalmers! Battled one of Dos' favorite non-Heat players, Deron Williams, all night. Williams got the best of him through much of the game - he finished with 30, and 13 assists. But Chalmers scored 23 of his own, and on back-to-back possessions in the third overtime stole the ball from Williams, and the Heat turned it into 4 points on the other end which pretty much decided the game. Chalmers may not be quite strong enough to be a defensive on the ball stopper yet, but he is quick, pesky, tireless, competes hard, and is 4th in the league in steals per game...and, of course, he is also a dear, dear friend.
4) Well, it was the first night since he became active halfway through the season that I didn't want to strangle James Jones. Okay, at least not all night - in the first half, I did. But he played well down the stretch, and Coach Spo rewarded him by letting him play the overtimes (Daequan Cook was out due to a dental issue), where he did a good job on the previously scorching hot Kyle Korver, and knocked down the biggest shot of the game, a corner three off an easy drive-and-kick from Wade midway through the third overtime to push the lead up and just about out of reach. Also made 2 free throws at the end of regulation with 3.4 to go to tie the score. Good night for Miami's own Mr. Jones.
5) Not to be forgotten: Jermaine O'Neal had 28 points and 8 rebounds. But it was his 5 timely blocks - including one at the end of the first overtime, right at the rim, with less than a minute to go, on a speeding Paul Milsap trying to flush one on him in transition, that helped save the game. Jermaino's best game on the Heat so far.
6) Finally, I hate to do this, but I need to get serious for a moment. With the tremendous run of success this country is on right now, I hate to bring up bad news, but I recently ran across this Haiku I wrote in 2005. By the way, that's not a joke - it was May 6th, 2005, there is a date on it. For some reason I was writing a lot of Haiku during that time of my life. I don't think they were all as serious as this one, but, every once in a while, somebody has to be real with it...Often, that's the Haikuist's job. Unfortunately, I am sad to report, not much has changed, and we just failed to elect the one guy who claimed he could rectify the situation.
Crafty. Bearded. Mean.
Hiding out in a dark cave.
Oh no, Osama.
----------------------
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Heat 107 Celtics 99
6 Thoughts
1) Yeaahhh, that's how we do it over the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics!!! Okay, backup guard Tony Allen was out, but he's been done for the season for a while. Oh yeah, Glen "Big Baby" Davis was out, too, but he isn't so great anwyays. Oh, right, starting point guard and defensive menace Rajon Rondo was out also, true, I'll give you that. What? You say Celtic team leader, defensive anchor, and all-around ferocious competitor, Kevin Garnett, the heart of the Celtics, was out, too? I didn't even notice. You know why? I was too busy watching us beat the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics!!!
2) Season-high 6 games over .500, 35-29. Eighteen games left, 40 wins is the magic number. Brutal five game stretch starting Saturday in Miami against a smoking hot Utah team, then four straight road games against playoff contenders.
3) Also out for the Celtics, former Net great and Plumber fave Brian Scalabrine. You know, this guy: http://www.nba.com/media/act_brian_scalabrine.jpg. Suffering from "post-concussion syndrome." Hit his head on a sandwich.
4) Tonight was just plain old normal Wade: only 32 points on 9-20 (first time under 50% in a couple of weeks), 7 assists, 4 boards, and 4 steals. Oh, plus a game clinching 3 over Ray Allen in the final minute.
5) One of tonight's referees, Steve Javie, once was fined only $1,000 by the NBA for telling then Heat coach, and current Heat president, Pat Riley, that "it is giving us absolute delight to watch you and your team die" during a game Miami was losing. Riley was fined $50,000 for pointing it out after the game. Strange. I'm not making it up, here is a link to an article about it: http://hoopshype.com/columns/officiating_arnold.htm. Brutal how Javie twisted the knife with the "absolute" phrasing - every third word out of Riley's mouth is "absolute." Do you think that before every Heat game that Javie refs, as he and his partners are getting dressed, he tells them the story again, while they silently roll their eyes behind his back? "Yeah, I once told Pat Riley off in this building - eff him - I'll do it again if I have to!" Earlier in the game, M.Minutos noticed him talking to new Heater Jermaine O'Neal during a break in the action. "Hey, J.O., hey J.O. - you weren't here then - did you hear about the time I told Pat Riley off in this building? Eff him - I'll do it again if I have to!"
6) Thor asked me to review track 11 of U2's new album. His review of track 6 coming later in the week. Look, it is the last song on the album, so it is probably unfair, because I think they tend to put some of their slower, less catchy songs back there. It is okay, kind of a slow spoken lament about war, and how effed up the world is, called "Cedars of Lebanon." Let The Captain listen to it, he felt it was fair as well. Thought it might get better with additional listens. Pointed out that hates Bono's activism, a fact of which I was well aware. (Full disclosure: The Captain loves Yes, Rush, and Boston, and is a Republican). Album got five stars from Rolling Stone out of five, which claimed it is their best album since Achtung, Baby - always a bad sign when Rolling Stone starts comparing a band's album as the "best since" - "The Rolling Stones' first effort at a full-on gangster rap album is their best since Some Girls." Look, good rock music is by the people, for the people, but without giving a crap if the people like it. U2 - they are way far away from that, right? I respect them, it could be worse, but I think I will pass on the rest of the album, even at nine cents a track on the Russian website.
1) Yeaahhh, that's how we do it over the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics!!! Okay, backup guard Tony Allen was out, but he's been done for the season for a while. Oh yeah, Glen "Big Baby" Davis was out, too, but he isn't so great anwyays. Oh, right, starting point guard and defensive menace Rajon Rondo was out also, true, I'll give you that. What? You say Celtic team leader, defensive anchor, and all-around ferocious competitor, Kevin Garnett, the heart of the Celtics, was out, too? I didn't even notice. You know why? I was too busy watching us beat the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics!!!
2) Season-high 6 games over .500, 35-29. Eighteen games left, 40 wins is the magic number. Brutal five game stretch starting Saturday in Miami against a smoking hot Utah team, then four straight road games against playoff contenders.
3) Also out for the Celtics, former Net great and Plumber fave Brian Scalabrine. You know, this guy: http://www.nba.com/media/act_brian_scalabrine.jpg. Suffering from "post-concussion syndrome." Hit his head on a sandwich.
4) Tonight was just plain old normal Wade: only 32 points on 9-20 (first time under 50% in a couple of weeks), 7 assists, 4 boards, and 4 steals. Oh, plus a game clinching 3 over Ray Allen in the final minute.
5) One of tonight's referees, Steve Javie, once was fined only $1,000 by the NBA for telling then Heat coach, and current Heat president, Pat Riley, that "it is giving us absolute delight to watch you and your team die" during a game Miami was losing. Riley was fined $50,000 for pointing it out after the game. Strange. I'm not making it up, here is a link to an article about it: http://hoopshype.com/columns/officiating_arnold.htm. Brutal how Javie twisted the knife with the "absolute" phrasing - every third word out of Riley's mouth is "absolute." Do you think that before every Heat game that Javie refs, as he and his partners are getting dressed, he tells them the story again, while they silently roll their eyes behind his back? "Yeah, I once told Pat Riley off in this building - eff him - I'll do it again if I have to!" Earlier in the game, M.Minutos noticed him talking to new Heater Jermaine O'Neal during a break in the action. "Hey, J.O., hey J.O. - you weren't here then - did you hear about the time I told Pat Riley off in this building? Eff him - I'll do it again if I have to!"
6) Thor asked me to review track 11 of U2's new album. His review of track 6 coming later in the week. Look, it is the last song on the album, so it is probably unfair, because I think they tend to put some of their slower, less catchy songs back there. It is okay, kind of a slow spoken lament about war, and how effed up the world is, called "Cedars of Lebanon." Let The Captain listen to it, he felt it was fair as well. Thought it might get better with additional listens. Pointed out that hates Bono's activism, a fact of which I was well aware. (Full disclosure: The Captain loves Yes, Rush, and Boston, and is a Republican). Album got five stars from Rolling Stone out of five, which claimed it is their best album since Achtung, Baby - always a bad sign when Rolling Stone starts comparing a band's album as the "best since" - "The Rolling Stones' first effort at a full-on gangster rap album is their best since Some Girls." Look, good rock music is by the people, for the people, but without giving a crap if the people like it. U2 - they are way far away from that, right? I respect them, it could be worse, but I think I will pass on the rest of the album, even at nine cents a track on the Russian website.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Heat 130 Bulls 127 2ot
6 Thoughts
1) "Guys, it's a tie game, 15 seconds to go in the second overtime. Let's come out of this timeout, run the clock down, and take the last shot. Whatever you do, don't let Dwyane Wade steal the ball from you, steam upcourt, and make a running three pointer to win the game at the buzzer. Okay? Bring it in - one, two, three, Bulls!"
2) You have to kidding me: DWade - 15 of 21 for 48 points, 5 for 6 threes!, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 blocks, one steal and running three pointer at the buzzer to win in double overtime. 15-21 for 48 points? What? What has gotten in to this kid? As the winning three went through the net, Wade ran to the scorers table, climbed up, and declared "this is my house." Heat play-by-player Eric Reid stood underneath him, pumping his fists, yelling, and waving in vain for a high five from Wade, before quickly composing himself, turning to partner Tony Fiorentino, and giving him a "come on, let's calm down and keep it professional," palms down gesture. Tony had never moved.
3) Earlier in the game, when talking about shotblocking, Reid, an impressive repository of NBA knowledge, referenced mid-80s Bulls fringe reserve big man Jawan Oldham, pointing out that "you certainly remember him, Tony!" After a long pause, it turned out Tony did not remember him: "I mean, the name seems kind of familiar, but I don't know, Eric." Oh. Well, for a mid-80s Bulls fringe reserve big man, he could really block a shot or two.
4) It was Noche Latino Night at the Heat's house. Or Latino Noche Night. I can't remember which way it goes. Free arepas for everyone! And the Heat's uniforms said "El Heat" on the front! And to all our Latin readers, we wish you a warm Buenos Aires!
5) Ben Gordon, scorching for the Bulls, deserves a mention, especially because he played at UConn, which is the next best thing to actually being from Connecticut. Brought us the 2004 National Championship, so he will always be considered part of the Dos family. As a bonus, he's from Mount Vernon, New York, Tony Fiorentino's hometown. 8 out of 11 threes for Ben on his way to 43 points of his own. 5 triples in the fourth quarter, including the last fifteen for the Bulls in regulation. Love that Ben Gordon.
6) I don't know how many Dos readers read, like, books, but it was an impossibly cool night at Florida Atlantic University before the game digging around in the Rare Books collection, and in the Jaffe Center for Book Arts. In the former saw a first edition Stephen Crane Maggie: a Girl of the Streets, which is an utter classic. Spare, grim, common, grey, concise, desperate, American. The Jaffe Center is a wing of the FAU library which contains one of the world's foremost collection of creative books, books which themselves are art: handmade, crafted, wildly imaginative, colorful, foldouts, foldins, popups, popsideways, fabrics, wood, refractioning, retracting - anything you can imagine. The director of the center is a guy named John Cutrone, who also owns his own book-creating label named Convivio Books in downtown Lake Worth. Amazingly awesome dude. For anyone interested in books at all, or for anyone with even a minimal level of joie de vivre, the Jaffe Center is definitely worth checking out, as is Convivio. At least have a look at their websites: http://www.library.fau.edu/depts/spc/JaffeCenter/jaffeabout.htm + http://www.conviviobookworks.com/.
1) "Guys, it's a tie game, 15 seconds to go in the second overtime. Let's come out of this timeout, run the clock down, and take the last shot. Whatever you do, don't let Dwyane Wade steal the ball from you, steam upcourt, and make a running three pointer to win the game at the buzzer. Okay? Bring it in - one, two, three, Bulls!"
2) You have to kidding me: DWade - 15 of 21 for 48 points, 5 for 6 threes!, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 blocks, one steal and running three pointer at the buzzer to win in double overtime. 15-21 for 48 points? What? What has gotten in to this kid? As the winning three went through the net, Wade ran to the scorers table, climbed up, and declared "this is my house." Heat play-by-player Eric Reid stood underneath him, pumping his fists, yelling, and waving in vain for a high five from Wade, before quickly composing himself, turning to partner Tony Fiorentino, and giving him a "come on, let's calm down and keep it professional," palms down gesture. Tony had never moved.
3) Earlier in the game, when talking about shotblocking, Reid, an impressive repository of NBA knowledge, referenced mid-80s Bulls fringe reserve big man Jawan Oldham, pointing out that "you certainly remember him, Tony!" After a long pause, it turned out Tony did not remember him: "I mean, the name seems kind of familiar, but I don't know, Eric." Oh. Well, for a mid-80s Bulls fringe reserve big man, he could really block a shot or two.
4) It was Noche Latino Night at the Heat's house. Or Latino Noche Night. I can't remember which way it goes. Free arepas for everyone! And the Heat's uniforms said "El Heat" on the front! And to all our Latin readers, we wish you a warm Buenos Aires!
5) Ben Gordon, scorching for the Bulls, deserves a mention, especially because he played at UConn, which is the next best thing to actually being from Connecticut. Brought us the 2004 National Championship, so he will always be considered part of the Dos family. As a bonus, he's from Mount Vernon, New York, Tony Fiorentino's hometown. 8 out of 11 threes for Ben on his way to 43 points of his own. 5 triples in the fourth quarter, including the last fifteen for the Bulls in regulation. Love that Ben Gordon.
6) I don't know how many Dos readers read, like, books, but it was an impossibly cool night at Florida Atlantic University before the game digging around in the Rare Books collection, and in the Jaffe Center for Book Arts. In the former saw a first edition Stephen Crane Maggie: a Girl of the Streets, which is an utter classic. Spare, grim, common, grey, concise, desperate, American. The Jaffe Center is a wing of the FAU library which contains one of the world's foremost collection of creative books, books which themselves are art: handmade, crafted, wildly imaginative, colorful, foldouts, foldins, popups, popsideways, fabrics, wood, refractioning, retracting - anything you can imagine. The director of the center is a guy named John Cutrone, who also owns his own book-creating label named Convivio Books in downtown Lake Worth. Amazingly awesome dude. For anyone interested in books at all, or for anyone with even a minimal level of joie de vivre, the Jaffe Center is definitely worth checking out, as is Convivio. At least have a look at their websites: http://www.library.fau.edu/depts/spc/JaffeCenter/jaffeabout.htm + http://www.conviviobookworks.com/.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Cavs 99 Heat 89
6 Thoughts
1) It was destined to be a loss: second night of a back-to-back, on the road in Cleveland where the Cavs are now 28-1. Worse, the Cavs were embarrassed in Boston on Friday by a Kevin Garnett-less Celtics. Heat got down 20 almost before the opening tip. To their credit, they hung around all night, and even got it down to six a couple of times in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough. It was never going to be enough.
2) Unlike the thriller between these two teams this past Monday, this was a lower energy affair. LeBron had the most pedestrian triple-double of his career, if a triple double is ever pedestrian: 14 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds. Wade had 25 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds, but he wasn't at his best, either. They can't combine for 83 points every time they play.
3) Wade got ejected with 50 seconds to go. Drove the lane, crashed into Varejo, threw up a wild shot, didn't get a call, complained, and was ejected. Coach Spo picked a technical for good measure. In fairness to the referee, it looked like Varejo went straight up and didn't deserve a foul. In fairness to Wade, the other 6,000 times he has hurtled into a big man in his career, there has been a foul called. Wade expects every call. All great players expect every call: Wade, Kobe, LeBron, Duncan, Chris Paul - they're all whiners. You know who doesn't complain? Spurs forward Matt Bonner. The Red Rocket. You know, this guy: http://www.hoopsvibe.com/IMG/matt_bonner-arton20875-240x240.jpg
4) Well, I have had enough of Mo Williams for the week. Following up his 30 point effort in Miami on Monday, he dropped 29 more tonight. Made six of seven threes. Two offseasons ago he used a free agent offer from Miami to help leverage up his current eight million dollar a year contract (which he received from his then-employer Milwaukee). He's been killing us ever since. Seems a little ungrateful.
5) Mike Beasley can score on anybody. 9-14 for 19 more in only 25 minutes. 5 rebounds, and one knee bruise when Mario Chalmers fell on top of him trying to get over a screen. Beasley scored on Varejo, he scored on Joe Smith, he scored on Ilgauskas. The Heat is trying to make the playoffs, and they are trying to teach Beasley to be a productive all around player. They are very strict with him, demanding he play defense, and rebound, and he has made strides. Just once, though, I 'd like to see them turn him loose, see how many he could score in a night if he had free reign. Had he played all year for a losing team, 30 plus minutes a night, without a DWade - like most rookies - he'd be averaging somewhere between 19-22 points a game. He isn't an athlete, but his ability to make shots from anywhere on the court is phenomenal. He also has the ability that the best scorers have - to still his upper body and balance up to complete a shot, even when his lower body is out of kilter. Maybe he is too mellow, maybe he will never develop in to an all-around great player. But the talent for scoring is very, very high.
6) Want to write about the show Millionaire Matchmaker, but I'm too tired. We'll do that sometime during the upcoming week. For the moment let's just stipulate that it is the greatest new television programming since The Mike Huckabee Show...Three home games this week: Monday (Chicago), Wednesday (Boston), Saturday (Utah), quick turnaround for a Sunday afternoon affair in Philly. That's a tough week - really, really need to get the Bulls game. Anyone thinking Miami is a shoe-in for the playoffs hasn't checked the remaining schedule - it's brutal, and it started tonight...
----------------
1) It was destined to be a loss: second night of a back-to-back, on the road in Cleveland where the Cavs are now 28-1. Worse, the Cavs were embarrassed in Boston on Friday by a Kevin Garnett-less Celtics. Heat got down 20 almost before the opening tip. To their credit, they hung around all night, and even got it down to six a couple of times in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough. It was never going to be enough.
2) Unlike the thriller between these two teams this past Monday, this was a lower energy affair. LeBron had the most pedestrian triple-double of his career, if a triple double is ever pedestrian: 14 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds. Wade had 25 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds, but he wasn't at his best, either. They can't combine for 83 points every time they play.
3) Wade got ejected with 50 seconds to go. Drove the lane, crashed into Varejo, threw up a wild shot, didn't get a call, complained, and was ejected. Coach Spo picked a technical for good measure. In fairness to the referee, it looked like Varejo went straight up and didn't deserve a foul. In fairness to Wade, the other 6,000 times he has hurtled into a big man in his career, there has been a foul called. Wade expects every call. All great players expect every call: Wade, Kobe, LeBron, Duncan, Chris Paul - they're all whiners. You know who doesn't complain? Spurs forward Matt Bonner. The Red Rocket. You know, this guy: http://www.hoopsvibe.com/IMG/matt_bonner-arton20875-240x240.jpg
4) Well, I have had enough of Mo Williams for the week. Following up his 30 point effort in Miami on Monday, he dropped 29 more tonight. Made six of seven threes. Two offseasons ago he used a free agent offer from Miami to help leverage up his current eight million dollar a year contract (which he received from his then-employer Milwaukee). He's been killing us ever since. Seems a little ungrateful.
5) Mike Beasley can score on anybody. 9-14 for 19 more in only 25 minutes. 5 rebounds, and one knee bruise when Mario Chalmers fell on top of him trying to get over a screen. Beasley scored on Varejo, he scored on Joe Smith, he scored on Ilgauskas. The Heat is trying to make the playoffs, and they are trying to teach Beasley to be a productive all around player. They are very strict with him, demanding he play defense, and rebound, and he has made strides. Just once, though, I 'd like to see them turn him loose, see how many he could score in a night if he had free reign. Had he played all year for a losing team, 30 plus minutes a night, without a DWade - like most rookies - he'd be averaging somewhere between 19-22 points a game. He isn't an athlete, but his ability to make shots from anywhere on the court is phenomenal. He also has the ability that the best scorers have - to still his upper body and balance up to complete a shot, even when his lower body is out of kilter. Maybe he is too mellow, maybe he will never develop in to an all-around great player. But the talent for scoring is very, very high.
6) Want to write about the show Millionaire Matchmaker, but I'm too tired. We'll do that sometime during the upcoming week. For the moment let's just stipulate that it is the greatest new television programming since The Mike Huckabee Show...Three home games this week: Monday (Chicago), Wednesday (Boston), Saturday (Utah), quick turnaround for a Sunday afternoon affair in Philly. That's a tough week - really, really need to get the Bulls game. Anyone thinking Miami is a shoe-in for the playoffs hasn't checked the remaining schedule - it's brutal, and it started tonight...
----------------
Friday, March 6, 2009
Heat 108 Raptors 102
6 Thoughts
1) Getting it done on the road against a bad team. 21 games to go, and only 8 more home games - winning on the road against inferior teams is essential, especially with a road game Saturday night in Cleveland that is a likely loss. Now 33-28. Creeping ever closer to the 40 wins that it should take to get in the playoffs, but a brutal remaining schedule makes it less than a sure thing...
2) Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Layup. Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Dwyane Wade was unconscious. That is as hot as he can get with the jumper. It is as hot as anyone can get with the jumper. Scored 42 more points on 17-23 from the field, mostly jump shots. Two of the misses were shot clock, dribble out heaves in the last 40 seconds when the game was over. Over the last nine games he is averaging 36.5 points, 10 assists, and has shot over 50% in every game. The last four are 46, 41, 35, 42. It is the best stretch of his career - save the '06 Finals, where only the magnitude of the situation made it better. You watch basketball your whole life - and there is always something else that can amaze you. This stretch is amazing.
3) Homecoming for Jermaine O'Neal and Jamario Moon. Jermaino was somewhat less than great, 8 points and 8 rebounds, although he was his usual solid defensive presence. Didn't play down the stretch - banged his bad knee in the first half and felt sore in the second half. Jamario was quiet, only 5 points and 5 boards. He, too, made his usual plus contribution on the defensive end. At a minimum, both guys are professional and efficient basketball players who make the correct plays more often than not. It is one thing to make physical errors - the presence of these two has made Miami a smarter basketball team.
4) Speaking of smart basketball players, it was nice to see old friend Shawn Marion, the man for whom O'Neal and Moon were acquired. Shawn played exactly like he did down here - grabbed a few rebounds, played hard, finished a couple of scrambles inside with buckets, took approximately 3-5 ridiculously ill-conceived, unmakeable shots. The mental aspect of the game is not exactly Shawn's forte. I am ready to say it: Jamario Moon is a better basketball player than Shawn Marion right now. Moon passes a minimum standard of jump shooting for an NBA small forward, which Marion falls well below, and defends at the same level as Marion. His rebounding is slightly less impressive. However, the negative plays that Marion "creates" by overdribbling, and forcing odd-angle runners, and Moon's relative efficiency, make Moon the more valuable player. Even without Jermaine O'Neal, even without the cap benefit of dumping Marcus Banks' salary, a straight up Shawn Marion for Jamario Moon deal would have improved the Heat.
5) Mike Beasley, efficient night, and one monstrous block at the rim of Toronto star Chris Bosh, the man he will be traded for at the deadline next year...
6) Quite a debate in the Dos offices today. Who would win a battle to the death, Montecore, the tiger who attacked Roy, of Siegfield and Roy, or Travis, the chimpanzee who recently attacked his owner who had raised him since he was a baby? Most of the early money came in on Montecore, but I contend that there is at least a chance that Travis gets up in to a tree, waits until Montecore falls asleep, then climbs down and slits his nemesis' throat with a knife. Opposable thumbs...
1) Getting it done on the road against a bad team. 21 games to go, and only 8 more home games - winning on the road against inferior teams is essential, especially with a road game Saturday night in Cleveland that is a likely loss. Now 33-28. Creeping ever closer to the 40 wins that it should take to get in the playoffs, but a brutal remaining schedule makes it less than a sure thing...
2) Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Layup. Jumper. Jumper. Jumper. Dwyane Wade was unconscious. That is as hot as he can get with the jumper. It is as hot as anyone can get with the jumper. Scored 42 more points on 17-23 from the field, mostly jump shots. Two of the misses were shot clock, dribble out heaves in the last 40 seconds when the game was over. Over the last nine games he is averaging 36.5 points, 10 assists, and has shot over 50% in every game. The last four are 46, 41, 35, 42. It is the best stretch of his career - save the '06 Finals, where only the magnitude of the situation made it better. You watch basketball your whole life - and there is always something else that can amaze you. This stretch is amazing.
3) Homecoming for Jermaine O'Neal and Jamario Moon. Jermaino was somewhat less than great, 8 points and 8 rebounds, although he was his usual solid defensive presence. Didn't play down the stretch - banged his bad knee in the first half and felt sore in the second half. Jamario was quiet, only 5 points and 5 boards. He, too, made his usual plus contribution on the defensive end. At a minimum, both guys are professional and efficient basketball players who make the correct plays more often than not. It is one thing to make physical errors - the presence of these two has made Miami a smarter basketball team.
4) Speaking of smart basketball players, it was nice to see old friend Shawn Marion, the man for whom O'Neal and Moon were acquired. Shawn played exactly like he did down here - grabbed a few rebounds, played hard, finished a couple of scrambles inside with buckets, took approximately 3-5 ridiculously ill-conceived, unmakeable shots. The mental aspect of the game is not exactly Shawn's forte. I am ready to say it: Jamario Moon is a better basketball player than Shawn Marion right now. Moon passes a minimum standard of jump shooting for an NBA small forward, which Marion falls well below, and defends at the same level as Marion. His rebounding is slightly less impressive. However, the negative plays that Marion "creates" by overdribbling, and forcing odd-angle runners, and Moon's relative efficiency, make Moon the more valuable player. Even without Jermaine O'Neal, even without the cap benefit of dumping Marcus Banks' salary, a straight up Shawn Marion for Jamario Moon deal would have improved the Heat.
5) Mike Beasley, efficient night, and one monstrous block at the rim of Toronto star Chris Bosh, the man he will be traded for at the deadline next year...
6) Quite a debate in the Dos offices today. Who would win a battle to the death, Montecore, the tiger who attacked Roy, of Siegfield and Roy, or Travis, the chimpanzee who recently attacked his owner who had raised him since he was a baby? Most of the early money came in on Montecore, but I contend that there is at least a chance that Travis gets up in to a tree, waits until Montecore falls asleep, then climbs down and slits his nemesis' throat with a knife. Opposable thumbs...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Heat 135 Suns 129
6 Thoughts
1) Miami sweeps both games this year from Shaq and the Suns. It should have been easier - Miami got easy and open looks all night. But Phoenix stayed around by knocking down tough jumpers time after time. In the NBA, the skill level is so high that usually the team that creates the better shots wins - NBA players knock down open looks - but tonight Miami got far better shots, and yet Phoenix was able to stick around all evening before succumbing...Still, that's 32 wins with 22 games to go. 40 should do it...
2) Satisfying to beat Shaq twice this year. Burned his way out of town last year, trashing people left and right. Dwyane Wade, who put 43 on him in the win in Phoenix, dropped 35 more on him tonight, on only 21 shots. Added 16 assists for good measure. And 6 boards. And a game changing, come-from-behind-in-transition-and-block-your-wide-open-layup-while-I-am-drilling-you-in-to-the-basket-support-with-no-foul-called-because-I-am-Dwyane-Wade block on Grant Hill. Wade also made it clear in his pre-game comments that he had lost a little respect for the way the Big Guy quit on his team last year. "Shaq is Shaq - everyone loves him," said Wade, with a look on his face that made it clear that Shaq being Shaq has both pluses and minuses.
3) Shaq played a pretty good game himself, continuing a bounceback year, at least on the offensive end. Asserted himself in the lane and had 22 points and 8 rebounds. Got two fouls in the first five minutes and had to sit down, though, as Miami blistered out to an 11 point lead after one quarter - I have seen that movie before. It is fair to mention that it is very difficult to be a good defensive team with Shaq on the court - he doesn't even try to defend pick and rolls, which means the other team always has the option of taking an open 15 footer. And, under two minutes to go, on two critical possessions, Wade went middle, located Shaq, careened in to him, threw his arms in the air, and walked to the line and made four free throws. Free money. He's seen that movie before. In a related story, Tony Fiorentino pointed out in the first quarter that Miami was "attacking the basket before Shaq can get over to block the shot!" Before Shaq can get over to block the shot? When is that going to happen, 1996?
4) DCook and Mr. Beasley: smoking hot, on fire, dialed all the way up. Cook made 6 of 8 threes on his way to 27 points, and Beasley had 28 points and 9 rebounds in only 27 minutes. I mean, it helps that the other team isn't defending, but still...
5) A lot of people upset about the Sully Sullenberger post a couple of games ago. Got several emails about that. I didn't imply that he wasn't a hero - obviously, I am thrilled that he brought that plane down safely. If he did it - that's all I am saying. I didn't watch Lost yet tonight, but if this episode has a pilot who looks like Ted Turner's less smarmy younger brother, who lands a plane, and then goes to the Oscars, everyone is going to be feeling me.
6) Late night tonight - will be going through The Correspondence of Daniel O'Connell, vol. VII, 1841-1845 to see if the great Irish Liberator's views on the Poor Laws changed at all with the onset of famine-like conditions across Ireland during the early 1840s...Get it? That's a joke...Of course they didn't! You must have thought I went all octo-mom crazy on you there for a second...
-------------
1) Miami sweeps both games this year from Shaq and the Suns. It should have been easier - Miami got easy and open looks all night. But Phoenix stayed around by knocking down tough jumpers time after time. In the NBA, the skill level is so high that usually the team that creates the better shots wins - NBA players knock down open looks - but tonight Miami got far better shots, and yet Phoenix was able to stick around all evening before succumbing...Still, that's 32 wins with 22 games to go. 40 should do it...
2) Satisfying to beat Shaq twice this year. Burned his way out of town last year, trashing people left and right. Dwyane Wade, who put 43 on him in the win in Phoenix, dropped 35 more on him tonight, on only 21 shots. Added 16 assists for good measure. And 6 boards. And a game changing, come-from-behind-in-transition-and-block-your-wide-open-layup-while-I-am-drilling-you-in-to-the-basket-support-with-no-foul-called-because-I-am-Dwyane-Wade block on Grant Hill. Wade also made it clear in his pre-game comments that he had lost a little respect for the way the Big Guy quit on his team last year. "Shaq is Shaq - everyone loves him," said Wade, with a look on his face that made it clear that Shaq being Shaq has both pluses and minuses.
3) Shaq played a pretty good game himself, continuing a bounceback year, at least on the offensive end. Asserted himself in the lane and had 22 points and 8 rebounds. Got two fouls in the first five minutes and had to sit down, though, as Miami blistered out to an 11 point lead after one quarter - I have seen that movie before. It is fair to mention that it is very difficult to be a good defensive team with Shaq on the court - he doesn't even try to defend pick and rolls, which means the other team always has the option of taking an open 15 footer. And, under two minutes to go, on two critical possessions, Wade went middle, located Shaq, careened in to him, threw his arms in the air, and walked to the line and made four free throws. Free money. He's seen that movie before. In a related story, Tony Fiorentino pointed out in the first quarter that Miami was "attacking the basket before Shaq can get over to block the shot!" Before Shaq can get over to block the shot? When is that going to happen, 1996?
4) DCook and Mr. Beasley: smoking hot, on fire, dialed all the way up. Cook made 6 of 8 threes on his way to 27 points, and Beasley had 28 points and 9 rebounds in only 27 minutes. I mean, it helps that the other team isn't defending, but still...
5) A lot of people upset about the Sully Sullenberger post a couple of games ago. Got several emails about that. I didn't imply that he wasn't a hero - obviously, I am thrilled that he brought that plane down safely. If he did it - that's all I am saying. I didn't watch Lost yet tonight, but if this episode has a pilot who looks like Ted Turner's less smarmy younger brother, who lands a plane, and then goes to the Oscars, everyone is going to be feeling me.
6) Late night tonight - will be going through The Correspondence of Daniel O'Connell, vol. VII, 1841-1845 to see if the great Irish Liberator's views on the Poor Laws changed at all with the onset of famine-like conditions across Ireland during the early 1840s...Get it? That's a joke...Of course they didn't! You must have thought I went all octo-mom crazy on you there for a second...
-------------
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Cavs 107 Heat 100
6 Thoughts
1) Fantastic game, although a disappointing loss. Miami led by 11 with just under 8 minutes to go before a 12-0 Cleveland run wiped out the lead in short order. Cleveland was just a little too big, and had a few too many answers. And LeBron. Look, I thought Jamario Moon played him about as well as he can be played, and he somehow had 42 points on 21 shots. Six of seven threes - that's not fair. Furthermore, he got fouled on two other threes, so essentially it was eight of nine. I still don't think anyone is beating them in the playoffs this year.
2) LeBron: 42 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
DWade: 41 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 7 steals, 1 block
One thing nobody thinks about enough: when you have LeBron or Wade on your team, you always get the other team's A+ effort every night. When, say, the Sixers come to town with Andre Iguoldala, maybe you get the occasional B-/C+ effort. It makes a difference. When Wade and LeBron play each other, well, you get epic lines like the ones above.
3) For the second straight game, Spoelstra went bananas. Midway through the fourth quarter, after the Heat had seen their 11 point lead cut to 6, Chalmers came up over halfcourt yelling at the official for a timeout. He was approximately a foot and a half from the guy. Somehow the ref didn't hear him. LeBron James, closing on Chalmers, gave him a little bump towards the sidelines, Chalmers, with nowhere to go and falling out of bounds, hurled the ball 50 feet downcourt where it, miraculously, hit off the backboard. With half of Miami's team congregated by the bench for the timeout that was never granted, Cleveland quickly rushed the ball back downcourt and Mo Williams made an open three to cut the lead to 3. As the ball went through the net, Coach Spo was 15 feet on to the court arguing with referee Leroy Richardson who, in fairness, was not the ref who neglected to call the timeout or the LeBron bump. It happens - it certainly didn't decide the game. But it shows how important every game is to Miami, trying to scratch out wins and get in to the playoffs - even the normally composed Spoelstra is showing the tension.
4) Mo Williams, that's the guy who is going to allow Cleveland to win the title. He gives LeBron a sidekick, a guy who can create baskets on his own. He hit innumerable big shots tonight and backed LeBron's 42 with 30 of his own. Good enough to be the second best player on a championship team (as long as the best player is LeBron).
5) Heat color commentator Tony Fiorentino continued his campaign for Dwyane Wade as MVP. It is a season long quest for Tony who is stubbornly unaccepting of the unofficial NBA rule that says you have to be on at least a 50 win team to win an NBA MVP award. It's just the way it is - you don't have to like it. The visit from LeBron - the presumptive MVP - to Miami encouraged Tony to relate a conversation he had with Knicks head coach, and Wade and LeBron's Olympic assistant coach, Mike D'Antoni before Saturday night's Knick game. "Eric, I said to him is it a fair assessment that if Dwyane Wade was not on the Olympic team that Spain would have the gold medal right now, and he said to me, 'yes, that is a fair assessment.'" Not sure if that is going to stand up in a court of law, but there you have it..."Yeah, so then some crazy guy with a bushy moustache somehow gets down on the court before the game asking me if I thought we would have beaten Spain without Wade on team." "What did you tell him?" "I just agreed with him - I didn't know what he was going to do..."
6) Finally - caught the premier of the creative and outstanding new romantic cop dramedy on ABC called Castle. Nick Castle is a wildly successful writer of crime novels, and some girl - I didn't catch her name - is a no-nonsense, by-the-book cop. Somehow they get thrown together and have to coexist throughout one hour of television every week. He is charismatic, but immature, so he irritates her, even though she finds him attractive. She is beautiful and smart, but takes herself a little too seriously. I mean, c'mon - a female cop? That's a little out there...Anyways, in the first episode they are trying to solve a crime or something, and then one evening he goes out on a date with a young, blond bimbo. There is a slightly uncomfortable scene where the two women meet, and the cop kind of gives the airhead the proverbial cold shoulder. The next day, they have the predictable tv conversation where the cop makes a sarcastic comment about his date, and then Castle is like, "why do you care who I date," and she says, "I really don't." Then he gets up as if to walk away from her, except at the last second he wheels back around and hits her with a right cross on the temple, sending her flying out of her chair to the floor, where she lies, dazed. He stands over her and says, "do you care now, you snarky bitch?" Later in the episode, she tries to bring charges against him, but the D.A., played by Robert Urich, is kind of an "old boys network" type of guy, and dismisses her claim as "ridiculous," even though she has a lump the size of a grapefruit protruding out of her head. Good show - I predict a long and successful run.
1) Fantastic game, although a disappointing loss. Miami led by 11 with just under 8 minutes to go before a 12-0 Cleveland run wiped out the lead in short order. Cleveland was just a little too big, and had a few too many answers. And LeBron. Look, I thought Jamario Moon played him about as well as he can be played, and he somehow had 42 points on 21 shots. Six of seven threes - that's not fair. Furthermore, he got fouled on two other threes, so essentially it was eight of nine. I still don't think anyone is beating them in the playoffs this year.
2) LeBron: 42 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
DWade: 41 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 7 steals, 1 block
One thing nobody thinks about enough: when you have LeBron or Wade on your team, you always get the other team's A+ effort every night. When, say, the Sixers come to town with Andre Iguoldala, maybe you get the occasional B-/C+ effort. It makes a difference. When Wade and LeBron play each other, well, you get epic lines like the ones above.
3) For the second straight game, Spoelstra went bananas. Midway through the fourth quarter, after the Heat had seen their 11 point lead cut to 6, Chalmers came up over halfcourt yelling at the official for a timeout. He was approximately a foot and a half from the guy. Somehow the ref didn't hear him. LeBron James, closing on Chalmers, gave him a little bump towards the sidelines, Chalmers, with nowhere to go and falling out of bounds, hurled the ball 50 feet downcourt where it, miraculously, hit off the backboard. With half of Miami's team congregated by the bench for the timeout that was never granted, Cleveland quickly rushed the ball back downcourt and Mo Williams made an open three to cut the lead to 3. As the ball went through the net, Coach Spo was 15 feet on to the court arguing with referee Leroy Richardson who, in fairness, was not the ref who neglected to call the timeout or the LeBron bump. It happens - it certainly didn't decide the game. But it shows how important every game is to Miami, trying to scratch out wins and get in to the playoffs - even the normally composed Spoelstra is showing the tension.
4) Mo Williams, that's the guy who is going to allow Cleveland to win the title. He gives LeBron a sidekick, a guy who can create baskets on his own. He hit innumerable big shots tonight and backed LeBron's 42 with 30 of his own. Good enough to be the second best player on a championship team (as long as the best player is LeBron).
5) Heat color commentator Tony Fiorentino continued his campaign for Dwyane Wade as MVP. It is a season long quest for Tony who is stubbornly unaccepting of the unofficial NBA rule that says you have to be on at least a 50 win team to win an NBA MVP award. It's just the way it is - you don't have to like it. The visit from LeBron - the presumptive MVP - to Miami encouraged Tony to relate a conversation he had with Knicks head coach, and Wade and LeBron's Olympic assistant coach, Mike D'Antoni before Saturday night's Knick game. "Eric, I said to him is it a fair assessment that if Dwyane Wade was not on the Olympic team that Spain would have the gold medal right now, and he said to me, 'yes, that is a fair assessment.'" Not sure if that is going to stand up in a court of law, but there you have it..."Yeah, so then some crazy guy with a bushy moustache somehow gets down on the court before the game asking me if I thought we would have beaten Spain without Wade on team." "What did you tell him?" "I just agreed with him - I didn't know what he was going to do..."
6) Finally - caught the premier of the creative and outstanding new romantic cop dramedy on ABC called Castle. Nick Castle is a wildly successful writer of crime novels, and some girl - I didn't catch her name - is a no-nonsense, by-the-book cop. Somehow they get thrown together and have to coexist throughout one hour of television every week. He is charismatic, but immature, so he irritates her, even though she finds him attractive. She is beautiful and smart, but takes herself a little too seriously. I mean, c'mon - a female cop? That's a little out there...Anyways, in the first episode they are trying to solve a crime or something, and then one evening he goes out on a date with a young, blond bimbo. There is a slightly uncomfortable scene where the two women meet, and the cop kind of gives the airhead the proverbial cold shoulder. The next day, they have the predictable tv conversation where the cop makes a sarcastic comment about his date, and then Castle is like, "why do you care who I date," and she says, "I really don't." Then he gets up as if to walk away from her, except at the last second he wheels back around and hits her with a right cross on the temple, sending her flying out of her chair to the floor, where she lies, dazed. He stands over her and says, "do you care now, you snarky bitch?" Later in the episode, she tries to bring charges against him, but the D.A., played by Robert Urich, is kind of an "old boys network" type of guy, and dismisses her claim as "ridiculous," even though she has a lump the size of a grapefruit protruding out of her head. Good show - I predict a long and successful run.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)