6 Thoughts
1) This is what it has come to, this is how popular it all is now - the Heat are now televising their preseason, intersquad scrimmages. That is bizarre; yet, I got more emails about this game than some playoff games last year. People. Are. Fired. Up. This season is going to be crazy -- we are jamming 66 games into a season two months shorter than a regular season. The Heat is going to play games three nights in a row, which never happens in an NBA season. They are going to play four games in five nights, multiple times. Five games in seven nights. Games, games, games! And, all this with a training camp a good three weeks shorter than normal. Ten nights from now, it starts for real in Orlando. So let's get ready to do it, let's get our nerdy-basketball-blog writing kinks out, let's put in some reps...Ladies and Gentleman, Welcome to The Shane Battier Show!!!
2) As I said, the season is two months shorter this year, thanks to the lockout. But it is going to feel longer. Why? Well, for one, the schedule is going to be jam-packed with games -- to compensate, we'll probably do some shorter game posts, maybe have some guest writers, and maybe take a night or two off. But the biggest reason the season is going to feel longer? Because new Miami Heat forward Shane Battier is never, ever, going to stop talking. He talked at length to our boy, sideline reporter extraordinaire, Jason Jackson on the pre-game show. He talked at length to Chris Bosh on the bench during the game (probably went like this: "Blah, blah, blah, blahaha." "Blah?" "Yes - blah, blah, blobbyblob, blah.") He talked at length to steady Eric Reid and The Coach, Tony Fiorentino, after the game. And he isn't just doing "basketball talk" - he listens to the question, thinks about it, then gives a well-reasoned response in multiple-paragraph form. He really, really, really had a lot to say...for someone who didn't even dress for the game, because he is out with a mild quadriceps strain, which he felt twinge during practice yesterday, but now he feels fine, but is being cautious with it, but will return to practice on Saturday...You know how I know all this? BECAUSE SHANE BATTIER SAID SO!!! Look - all we want you to say is that you are excited to be here, and you are looking forward to the season. GOODNESS GRACIOUS, SHANE BATTIER!!! This is going to be a long, long season!
3) Speaking of injuries, a surprisingly charming Eddy Curry, who is trying out for the team on a minimum contract after missing the better part of the last three years because he was woefully overweight, has missed most of training camp with a hip flexor problem. That can happen when you blow yourself up to four hundred pounds by eating a steady diet of Now and Laters (I didn't make that up). He assured Jax that he was being "precautious" with the injury, making sure he was feeling prehealthy before going back out on the prefloor. Jax also asked him what it was about the Heat organization that made him want to come down here to try out for the team. I'm guessing one major factor was that they asked him. Also, empanadas.
4) Worst moment of the game: Midway through the first quarter when Dwyane Wade drove the lane, went up for a shot, and took an extremely hard foul from the ageless Juwan Howard, back for his eightieth year in the NBA. Juwan was taking the short term view of the season -- I knock this Wade guy out, my team definitely has a chance to win this scrimmage. Then, on about the next six trips down the court, Howard went all "Iso-Juwan" on offense, with (very) mixed results. Juwan rarely plays, but when he does, M.Minutos (welcome back M.Minutos!) likes to point out that he has no sense of self, ability, time, score, teammates, or anything else that would help you to make good decisions on a basketball court. On the positive side of the ledger - still looks absolutely terrific. Staying young, Big Fella!
5) Okay, one basketball note, everyone is going to be talking about it, so we might as well address it. Everyone already is talking about it. Rookie point guard, Norris Cole, drafted late in the first round, looked good. Let's all reign it in a little, though -- guys drafted late in the first round rarely amount to anything. That's just fact. And Norris Cole is a smallish point guard. Worse, he doesn't possess elite athleticism - he's more of a "B" athlete. And his jump shot is flawed -- has a weird, step-in catapult release. Those three things together generally spell disaster for an NBA career. And, yet, there was a little something about him...He's old for a rookie because he spent four years in college, and it showed - he looked mature, he had his head up when he dribbled, he found creases in the defense and kicked out to open shooters, and he made runners. He looked committed to pushing the ball up the court, as well - always a positive. You don't have to be a great athlete to push the ball up the court and create open shots in transition - Andre Miller is one of the best fast-break point guards in basketball, and he can't outrun me. Look, Norris Cole can't ever be a star - he's not a good enough athlete. But can he be serviceable? I don't know. But he looked sharp tonight. I can guarantee you there is already an outcry for him to supplant Emcee Chalmers as the starter. That's absurd (and it is also a low, low bar); but, let's keep our eye on him.
5.5) Midway through the third quarter, Cole eyed a wide open three, but turned it down, passing the ball away. "Yeah, his jump shot is awkward, and he doesn't want to shoot threes," I told M.Minutos. Next time down the court, an open three presented itself and he knocked it down without hesitation. Two trips later, same thing. Improved confidence from the rookie? No - all me. Reverse jinx in midseason form, just two and half quarters into a preseason scrimmage! The lockout didn't hurt me at all, I have not lost a step!!!
6) To that po-lice who gave me a speeding ticket in Pompano Beach last week? One, I lied to you, I am not sorry at all that I was speeding. Two, I'm not paying the ticket, you right-wing, fascist errand-boy. Three, you did kind of have a nice motorcyle, that was kind of cool. Happy Holidays, Robodouche!
There is an exhibition game Saturday night against Orlando. I find it hard to believe that I will watch it and then write about it, but you never know. More likely to have a definitive season preview some time next week. If you need me before then, I'm revising my Christmas list to move the noise-cancelling headphones to the very top -- it is going to take all the technology our greatest audio minds have to offer to drown out this Shane Battier! See you later!
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