6 Thoughts
1) Okay - first playoff team of the season Miami has played, and another win. As former Heat point guard Tim Hardaway used to say, this game was "nip and tuck." A reader pointed out that we didn't mention Tim had his uniform retired before the first game this season. Once again, I was shocked by the size of the actual uniform retired - it's a good 8 feet tall. I always assumed retired jerseys were normal-sized...
2) Battle tonight was between Chicago's superior length and athleticism, and Miami's more imposing physicality. Miami didn't have a true matchup for long Chicago small forward Luol Deng, who scored 26, but got double-doubles out of both Michael Beasley (10 and 11), and Udonis Haslem (19 and 11). UD continues to look unbelievably spry off Miami's bench.
3) Good night for two role players. Backup point guard Carlos Arroyo, from Puerto Rico and Florida International University, carried Miami for a significant second half stretch, finishing with 12 points in 16 minutes on 5 of 7 shooting. Also, Heat announcer Eric Reid pointed out that Carlos' jersey is now available at the Miami Heat team store. Starting small forward Quentin Richardson, who struggled to contain Deng, and had just one basket in Miami's first two games, knocked down the biggest shot of the game, a huge 3 off a Wade drive and kick with about a minute to go. During the ensuing timeout, Q danced around the court like he had won the Superbowl - act like you've made a shot before, Big Fella.
4) Someone wrote in to ask what the aforementioned Eric Reid, and his sidekick Tony Fiorentino have been up to in the first two games. Well, the usual: Eric's been analytical, efficient, and glad to be back in action. Did I mention he has only missed one Heat games in 22 plus years? Tony has been, as per usual, echoing my every comment, much to M.Minutos' distress. But tonight, an added element: a first quarter technical snafu led to Eric Reid's mic being shut off, and Tony's sounding like he was filing a satellite report from the field in Kabul. However, they didn't realize it, so there were long stretches of silence while Eric silently described the action - all we would hear was the follow-up spectral voice of Tony chiming in "you're right, Eric, this Bulls team is very active," which, after a while became creepy, because we couldn't hear Eric. Reid, every inch the professional, is sure to be fuming about the technical mix up: "We have one job to do, guys, and that is to bring the excitement of the Heat to South Florida - Goddammit, pick it up!"
5) White sneakers at home this year, instead of the usual black. The Heat look quicker. And Quentin Richardson needs the help.
6) Okay, someone else wrote in to ask what Halloween is like at Casa Dos. I am very, very glad you asked - that's a great question. First of all, completely having nothing to do with Halloween, I woke up on Saturday plagued by the sneaking suspicion that I just don't give a fuck. In a apathetic mood all day. O. and P. Minutos each had a friend coming over to trick-or-treat - which was my responsibility - while the moms hung out at Casa, passed out candy, and drank peach-mango wine coolers. The first mom who arrived noticed I was wearing a knit ski cap on an 85% degree day, leading to the following exchange:
"Why are you wearing that hat?"
"Because I just don't give a fuck."
"But you are still going to take the boys out trick-or-treating, right?"
"Sure, why not."
"Great!"
So I loaded up one of M.Minutos' giant aluminum traveling coffee cups with peach-mango wine cooler just to, you know, take the edge off a little, and took the kids out trick-or-treating. Only unpleasant incident occured when one of the boys' guests began kicking a door he felt was not opened quickly enough, elicting a lecture from the home's occupant, and a-full-quart-of-peach-mango-cooler shoulder shrug from me. Hey, he's not even my kid...Overall, I feel the night was a great success - Happy Halloween everybody!
