6 Thoughts
1) One thing we are not going to do at this blog is make every game a referendum on the Wade-James-Bosh triumvirate, and the team as a whole...We are going to leave that for the 65 panicked emails I will get tomorrow about the game...It was a bad night in New Orleans, got down 10, stayed down 10 all night, clawed back to a one point lead in the last minutes or so, and didn't make a play or catch a break at the end. It happens. But one trend so far this season? Miami is just getting beat the hell up inside. That's disturbing...Let's Go!
2) Chris Bosh - I mean, he has to rebound. He is the starting power forward, and plays minutes at center, as well. He averaged over 10 rebounds a game last year. He is long, quick, and a good jumper. He came in averaging only 6.4 rebounds a game - that's not enough. Then tonight he somehow only "accumulated" 1 rebound in 34 minutes. Holy Jermaino! That's only 1 more rebound than L'il Wayne had tonight sitting courtside in a Cincinnati Reds cap and he just got out of prison this week, so you know he is rusty. Hornets center Emeka Okafor pummeled Bosh and Haslem, and everyone else, inside - 26 points and 13 rebounds. Troubling.
3) Chris Paul was brilliant. Only 13 points, but 19 assists, including the biggest play of the game, a drive-and-kick to Trevor Ariza for a triple to put NO up 4 with 14 seconds to go. Got through an entire game without punching anyone in the nuts, or otherwise taking a cheap shot.
4) Two observations about Miami's offense: 1) the halfcourt offense is 80% smoother when Wade runs it as opposed to LeBron, since Dwyane continually attacks and puts the ball in uncomfortable spaces for the defense; 2) the fastbreak flourishes best when LeBron takes the ball, thunders down court, smashes into someone, and then lays it into the basket. Let's all stick to our strengths until we have things smoothed out a little.
5) Some things you just can't learn about a guy until he is on your team. Two things about LeBron James: 1) He loves ending his tweets with a hearty "Let's Go!" For example: "Tuff loss 2nite in NO, my boy CP3 wuz gr8. Goin out 4 po-boys...Let's Go!" He'll change it up, too, depending on how badly he wants you to go, like, "Let's GO," or sometimes even "LET'S GO!" 2) No one - and I mean no one - has ever consistently got to the bench faster to sit down during timeouts than James. First noticed by M.Minutos halfway through the second game of the season. The instant the ball goes dead for a timeout, he immediately turns and motors for the bench - you can't deter him. Maybe - maybe - he gives some brief dap to a teammate who comes out to meet him, but he isn't slowing down to do it, and his eyes always stay riveted on the seat he is going to sit it. I don't know if he is really, really tired, or there is just a certain chair that he likes on the bench and he wants to get there first, or he needs the extra time over there to tweet to somebody to "Let's Go." But you watch - I don't know if he is going to lead the league in triple doubles this year, but he is definitely going to lead it in "least time on the court after dead balls." Let's Go!
6) How is everyone feeling about the election results from Tuesday? I feel great! First of all, many, many people have compared me to Florida Governor elect Rick Scott. And by “many, many people,” I mean, of course, The Captain. He points out that we are both lanky white dudes with shaved balding heads, a black sidekick, absolutely no moral compass, and a net worth of hundreds of millions of dollars. Oh, and we both hate the po-lice! I’m feeling like this could really jump start my political career…Also, love new presumptive House Speaker John Boehner. Boehner! Some people thought he might be voted out of office prematurely, but he held firm in his convictions and ended up drilling his opponent. What I love about him is not just the length of his service, but also the breadth of his experience. Some people think he can be a prick to work with at times, but I prefer to think of him as sticking it to big government. What a stimulating guy!
Back in Miami tomorrow night for Plumber's Nets. C u there - LET'S GOOOOO!
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