6 Thoughts
1) "I don't care if we lose; I don't care if we win - I just want to go to bed." - Me, two and a half hours ago. So tired. Long game.
2) The nine game winning streak is over. It happens. Miami came out on the second night of a back-to-back sluggish, got down double digits early, and stayed down double digits virtually all game. KJ James, with one of the more incredible basketball performances you will ever see - for the second night in a row - somehow led an insane charge to inch Miami back into the lead late, but a few late bad plays by Dwyane Wade sunk Miami: fouling Devin Harris on a three point attempt; missing two bad shots late; missing a free throw late; and fouling Devin Harris on an and-one for Utah's game-winning margin. Udonis Haslem got an open 15 footer from the elbow - his spot - to win it, but missed, and Utah won the biggest game they will play all year. All credit to them - they played hard and well all night.
3) Oh my heavens: KJ James, like everyone else, started slow, but played an unbelievable last 20 minutes, and scored 17 in the fourth quarter, including back-to-back long jump shots on the Heat's next-to-last and next-to-next-to-last possessions, the second one when he lost the ball on the way up, somehow regained it in the air, and threw in a 21 footer. For the second straight night, his numbers were absurd: made 16-24 shots for 35 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, had 6 assists, blocked 3 shots, and for the second straight night, didn't commit a turnover despite constantly having the ball in his hands! The level he is playing at is beyond words - you might live a long, long time and never again see someone play this well for an entire season. There isn't really anything to say about it. Just watch it.
4) Like I said, everyone on Miami started slowly and Miami got down 18 early. Oh - I mean everyone EXCEPT SHANE BATTIER WHO MADE HIS FIRST 6 TRIPLES, BLOCKED 4 SHOTS, AND WAS THE ONLY THING THAT PREVENTED MIAMI FROM BEING BEHIND BY 100 POINTS AT HALFTIME! That's what I meant to say! Man, he must be tired from all that long-distance shooting! Get the full-body compression suit ready for the flight to LA - he's gonna need it!
5) Utah: 50 rebounds. Miami: 32 rebounds. Oops. Utah had 23 offensive rebounds alone. Chris Bosh, still out with a death in his family. We could have used a statue in there tonight! A statue would have been an upgrade over what we got on the boards!
6) Went out to dinner with M.Minutos before the game tonight. Hanging out on Lake Avenue in Lake Worth, kind of a funky, eclectic little town, lots of cool casual restaurants and bars. We ate at Havana Hideaway - I will neither confirm nor deny that I had a glass of strawberry-mint sangria. Anyways, afterwards we walked around town and in front of one shop, a dude had placed a big puppet show set - you know, like a big wooden hinged stage that he can kneel down behind and put the show on in the window, like Kukla, Fran, and Ollie, or whatever that show was. It was very elaborate - large, and brightly painted, with wood carvings all over it, etc. The show was just about to start when we were walking by. Of course, M.Minutos didn't want to stop - she doesn't need additional entertainment, she lives with me! But, obviously, I made her stop, because who doesn't want to see an elaborate homemade puppet show on Lake Avenue on a Friday night - that's a no-brainer. So the show starts, and it's basically like the dude holding up really weird looking puppets, one in each hand, and they lip-synced old show tunes. Like, the first song was "There's No Business Like Show Business." Clearly, this was a great show - there was no way I was leaving quickly, this was so right up my alley. Moments later, my greatest dream was realized: "When am I going to get to see a bizarre looking frog puppet lip sync the old movie version of the song "Old Man River?" I LOVE "OLD MAN RIVER!' THAT IS MY FAVORITE SONG EVER!!! As the opening strains of the intro came tweeting out of the dude's boombox, M.Minutos froze in horror. "Oh my God," she whispered, "This is my worst nightmare..." She knew what was coming, she knows I LOVE that song! I sang every word along with the frog puppet as the crowd looked on with what I like to think was genuine admiration! M.Minutos: so, so proud! "Not only is this happening," she lamented, "but now you are going to be singing this song for six straight weeks. Again." And guess what? I will be! Old Man River: he just keeps on rolling, and rolling, and ROLLING!!! So, so good! When this dude takes it up another notch in the last minute of the song, with the full chorus and orchestra? Chills. So, so good!
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We play the Lakers on Sunday - Dwyane Wade broke Kobe Bryant's nose, in the All-Star Game! Should be a good one. If you need me before then, I'll be sleeping, I can promise you that! Zzzzzz.....
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