6 Thoughts
1) After stealing a win in Orlando Wednesday, the Heat gave one back tonight in Miami. Sometimes, over the course of 82 games, the other teams just plays harder than you play: Wizards had 16 offensive rebounds tonight, and won the overall battle of the boards 48-36. That was the game. We're exhausted - let's roll through it.
2) Any night young Wizards shooting guard Nick Young, averaging 4 points a game on the season, comes in and thoroughly outplays Heat superstar Dwyane Wade, scoring 22 points and holding Wade to 18 on 6-19 shooting, that's a problem for Miami. Wade took the majority of the night off - he's entitled - but couldn't gather himself for a strong finish, and didn't get enough help from his teammates.
3) Mike Beasley was okay, 14 points and 7 boards in 37 minutes. 8 of his points came in the first three minutes, though. Lacked impact. Wizards power forward Antawn Jamison, 24 points and 13 rebounds, is the perfect guy for Mike to emulate. Jamison is an undersized, marginally athletic power forward who relies on non-stop movement, an array of clever flip and scoop shots mixed in with an effective face up jumper, and a nose for the ball on the glass. Jamison has been successful in the league by utilizing his gifts: good hands and good shooting, and by understanding what constitutes a good shot. A good guy for Mike to study.
4) Interesting to watch Wizards star guard Gilbert Arenas, back this year after two years away for three knee surgeries, sit out the fourth quarter in favor of 5'5" dynamo Earl Boykins, who was incredibly effective and finished with 10 points and 9 assists in 21 minutes. Even more interesting, after a late Boykins lean-in jumper sealed the Heat's fate, leading to a Miami timeout, Arenas was the first Wizard off the bench to congratulate L'il Earl. Arenas, who always seems to be smiling, gets points for not sulking, and for cheering on his replacement.
5) Emcee Chalmers was aggressive again tonight, with 20 points on 8-15 shooting. It seems, though, that Mario only becomes aggressive when it becomes apparent that DWade is not inclined to be aggressive. It would nice to see Mario look to assert himself at all times, including when Wade is aggressive.
6) Thanksgiving wrap-up: brief dispute in the Dos International Headquarters today when the Captain revealed that not only does he not like cranberry sauce, he wouldn't even consider "soiling my turkey with it." Strong words. He took mild offense when someone - I don't want to say who - offered that his distaste for delicious cranberry sauce was "just dumb." That same person also threatened to eat lunch at the same time as The Captain every day for the next month, eating exclusively cranberry sauce to gross out The Captain, to which The Captain countered by threatening to eat Chinese food every day for lunch, to which the other person said he couldn't give a crud because who would eating Chinese food every day for a month hurt except the person doing the eating, since everyone knows Chinese food is disgusting. When The Captain pointed out that is exactly how he feels about cranberry sauce, the other person pointed out, "it's not the same at all, and that is still dumb." Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
