6 Thoughts
1) Typical NBA Monday night type of grind, led by another retarded Wade performance, 41 points and 8 rebounds. Squeaked out a win against one of the more depressing teams in the NBA. As if the Bobcats' existence wasn't tough enough, what with relying on a 6'7" 310 pound power forward with bad knees, rapidly following drafting a lottery point guard by drafting another lottery point guard (so that neither guy is happy), and a shooting guard who looks like Michael Irvin - oh, and of course, Adam Morrison - this year they have brought in 69 year old agitator Larry Brown to drive them crazy. Still, for most of the game Brown showed his savvy by mostly playing both point guards -Raymond Felton and DJ Augustin - together. While this is a smallish backcourt, and somewhat offensively challenged, it served to control the ball and stop Miami from being able to turn them over, and made Miami play slow, which is not their forte.
2) With six minutes to go, though, down 6, M.C. Chalmers made three big defensive plays in rapid succession and changed the game. Stole an inbounds pass while he was guarding the inbounder, immediately stole another pass on the next defensive possession, and then moments later rode Raymond Felton in to a Udonis Haslem charge. Turned the momentum with his athleticism and anticipation. Also had a ridiculous first half dunk. The most pleasant of surprises this season - to find a point guard this effective in the middle of the second round is nice.
3) The other rookie, Mike Beasley, is struggling right now. Failed in his, seemingly, 100th straight attempt to draw a charge tonight - late, caught under the basket. Struggled to a 4-13 from the floor. Missed a couple of bunnies inside, and 3 free throws. Dribbled in to bad shots. I still think Miami needs to figure out how to get him the ball on the move a little more, rather than always asking him to create his own offense. That's not quite fair to him. Still, I think his body language on the court is unacceptable. Shuffles around as if exhausted - always - in between plays. That's not a crime - but when you miss a layup inside, when you could have finished with force - then it is fair to question your focus. Yes, he is a 19 year old kid playing against men, and asked to create shots and points, but I think his approach, in terms of his on court demeanor, needs to be more professional. He needs to play with more force and he can start by adjusting his energy level, in general. Made one terrific play at the beginning of the fourth quarter: took Jared Dudley off the dribble, and met by Okafor at the block, he found a wide open Chris Quinn at the top for a drilled 3. Few power forwards in the league can make that play - that is why The Spo needs to be tough on him.
4) Yakhouba Diawara! Thunder Yak! A week after being improbably compared by his college coach to former Heat stopper Thunder Dan Majerle, Thunder Yak actually played like Thunder Dan, playing the key minutes down the stretch on Bobcat leading scorer Jason Richardson, goading him in to several tough shots. Also nailed a corner 3, and with 20 seconds to go, stepped to the line 2-7 for the year and drilled both to put the Heat up 4. Big night for the Frenchmen whom Heat announcers Eric Reid and Tony Fiorentino have dubbed, also improbably - and completely lamely - The Rainbow Man. Why? "Because his 3's are like high arcing rainbows, Eric," cheered Tony after Yak's late fourth quarter triple. Except for rainbows usually have a pot of gold at the end; a Yak 3, usually just a hard crash in to a metal rim. Actually, to be fair, shooting a reasonable 35% on 3's. God bless the kid - he's French.
5) Early fourth quarter clash of the titans: meeting above the rim! - okay, at the rim - okay, below the rim, between Heat backup point guard Christopher Quinn and "Ammo," Adam Morrison. There is no player in the league whom Chris Quinn can finish over. Okay, there is one player in the league Chris Quinn can finish over. And the foul - three point play. No one is more embarrassing to white people than Adam Morrison - when they push a guy like him out there, or a J.J. Redick, in to the draft lottery, it makes us all look bad. We are sorry, black people, for the media claiming these guys can play. Most of us know that they can't. While Ammo shot it pretty well tonight - 5-8, which should push his season percentage somewhere just north of an ice cold 38% percent - and also somehow stumbled in to 6 rebounds, he is a defensive liability, no threat off the dribble, and a reluctant passer. And, a dear, dear friend.
6) Great to see rapper extraordinaire L'il Wayne at the game (along with Bow Wow). Sideline reporter Jason Jackson swooped in for the exclusive: "L'il - I heard you are a neighbor of Dwyane's, and that your real name is actually Dwayne, so I am guessing you are probably a big fan of his?" "Yes, I do," asserted L'il. Wait - what? What was the question again? It was mostly more riveting stuff from there...
