6 Thoughts
1) Coh-neck-tivity problems in Casa Dos, so we are keeping this short. The Heat got smoked. Now 24-26. Still a long February left, with a ton of road games. Miami has to hang in there as hard as they can, try to maintain contact with a playoff spot, and hope that getting off the road in March will help matters. Right now – it’s looking and feeling grim.
2) The Cavaliers were without their top three guards – Mo Williams, Redz West, and Daniel Gibson – although Daniel Gibson arrived late for the second half (wife giving birth). The Cavs didn’t even seem to miss a beat – all it means is LeBron handles the ball more, and he is better than any of those three guards at creating plays for others. Let’s be honest – he’s better at creating plays for others than anyone’s top three guards, probably. He is the most talented basketball player, ever. He is not as efficient yet as Michael Jordan became, but he’s more talented. I mean, he has to win a title this year, right? Has to.
3) Miami’s biggest problem right now is ball acquisition. They are a smallish team. But, worse, they are a slow team. Jermaine O’Neal – underathletic. Mike Beasley – underathletic. Quentin Richardson – underathletic. Rafer Alston – slightly underathletic. All four of those guys start. Miami can’t rebound, and they don’t win 50-50 loose balls. You can’t win games that way. You get fewer possessions and the margin of error shrinks to zero. That’s where they are at right now. What is the solution? I don't know - maybe more alcohol during games for me. More on that in a minute!
4) Another byproduct of being underathletic: 1) you don’t get to the rim; 2) the other team gets to the rim. Cleveland shot 36 free throws to 14 for Miami; LeBron shot 21 all by himself! I don’t think anyone on Miami was happy with the disparity – it did seem to be uneven in what constituted a foul on drives – but the referees really weren’t the deciding factor. The bigger issue is Miami’s inability to keep the ball out of the paint, and then once it gets in to the paint, to provide some quality resistance at the basket.
5) Okay, enough dull-ish, vague complaining – it’s just basketball. New game at Casa Dos: “Bar.” About 7:30 or so, dragged out the pitcher of mojitos…mojito?...mojitai?... and poured a healthy splash over a glass of ice…Okay, a little more than a splash…No garnish – the game is called “Bar,” not “Fancy Caribbean Resort Nightclub.” Sat on the barstool, leaned the elbows out on the kitchen island, glass of mojiti in hand, and fired up the iPod. Boys reading in their room before bed, M.Minutos working on her next bestselling smash-hit novel. Listened to a couple of the songs off the new Help for Haiti album – terrible. I don’t know how forgetting to bring electric guitars to the benefit concert is going to help anyone, anywhere. All it helped me do was to turn off the Help for Haiti album. Then went Drive By Truckers, “Road Cases” (the Dos Jam-of-the-Moment); Mariah Carey, “Honey “(remix with Mase and Diddy); Maroon 5, “Can’t Leave Home Without You” (or something). Refresh drink, then: Lenny Kravitz, “All I Ever Wanted;” Rufus Wainwright, “One Man Guy;” and Mark Mulcahy, “Hey Self-Defeater.” Closed up the bar, shuffled to the loo to, umm, ‘wash my hands,’ didn’t even have to drive home. Put the boys to bed with another episode of “Avatar: The Story – for ages 7 and under,” stretched out on the couch and passed out for twenty minutes. Woke up refreshed, and ready to watch Miami get killed, on Tivo. “Bar” – good game!
6) Wraps are a brutal food.
