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.
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