The MIA Heat Show Thread

[DaKCMan AP]

LA will be dethroned. The LAC Lake Show will be dead. So it's time to create a thread to follow the new dynasty.

Going on tour starting this October.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by WebGem

The Heat will still probably win it all. Bashing them right now is pretty dumb.

They certainly aren't the favorites. But the playoffs are the only time basketball matters, anyway. These losses are quite meaningless, other than possibly showing us a sign of things to come.

[WebGem]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

They certainly aren't the favorites. But the playoffs are the only time basketball matters, anyway. These losses are quite meaningless, other than possibly showing us a sign of things to come.

If by favorites you mean odds-wise, then yes they are. Them and LAL are both 3-1 right now and Boston is 4-1.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Like LeBron, he never carried his team to the title. Using your criteria, he can't be great.

Show me where I said James wasn't "great". Also, show me where I said you had to win a title to be great.

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I'm a bigger Kobe fan than anyone I know. I just recognize he has limitations as a basketball player and that LeBron is significantly better than him.

You're obviously not the biggest Kobe fan "you know", since there are many (and I mean MANY) Kobe fans who think that Kobe's the best since Jordan.

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

The Cavs with LeBron were one of the best teams in the NBA in recent years. Was that not dominance? Or does it only count when you win a title?

They had 2 seasons with more than 50 wins, made the finals once (getting swept in a year where they won only 50 games and the East was absolute crap) and the conference finals one other time. Beyond that, they were bounced 3 times in the second round. How is that dominance?

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

No, I'm just pointing out the incredible flaw in your argument. Jordan didn't win a championship for the first seven years of his career. If it was 1991, you would have had morons like you calling him a loser and downplaying his greatness because of it.

No, you're claiming a flaw where none exists. As for the moron, check your mirror. You'll find him there.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

Show me where I said James wasn't "great". Also, show me where I said you had to win a title to be great.

So LeBron James could be one of the players to ever play the game, even without winning a title, like Malone, then?

You're obviously not the biggest Kobe fan "you know", since there are many (and I mean MANY) Kobe fans who think that Kobe's the best since Jordan.

#1. You don't know who I know.
#2. I don't make friends with delusional people who will let their bias blind them to the truth.

They had 2 seasons with more than 50 wins, made the finals once (getting swept in a year where they won only 50 games and the East was absolute crap) and the conference finals one other time. Beyond that, they were bounced 3 times in the second round. How is that dominance?

To win over 60 games in the NBA in consecutive seasons is the definition of dominance. To do that with a bunch of role players and without a legit #2, makes it even more impressive.

No, you're claiming a flaw where none exists.

What do you mean it doesn't exist? MJ didn't win a title in his first 7 years, just like LeBron. Using your criteria, 20 years ago you would have been criticizing MJ for his team not winning a title just like you're bashing LeBron right now. Completely ridiculous, I know (as it was hardly MJ's fault his team never won a title...much like it was hardly LeBron's fault), but that's what you're saying.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by WebGem

If by favorites you mean odds-wise, then yes they are. Them and LAL are both 3-1 right now and Boston is 4-1.

They're not the favorites in my opinion. The Lakers are.

[KC_Connection]

BTW, I see LeBron and Wade absolutely dominated tonight. Looks like Bosh's inability to play any defense at all on Aldridge was the difference. Is there a softer player than him in the NBA?

[WebGem]

LOL #TheLastTimeTheHeatWon is trending on Twitter...

http://twitter.com/#!/search/%23lasttimetheheatwon

[-King-]

Wow! Great vid.

[WebGem]

[Dylan]

Chris Bosh sounds off following loss

March 9, 2011

MIAMI -- In the midst of their worst losing streak of the season and under significant pressure and scrutiny, the Miami Heat are starting to show some cracks.

Chris Bosh complained about his season-long role in the team's offense in the wake of the Heat's 105-96 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, the Heat's fifth straight defeat.

"It is common sense, we can talk about it, but I think it's evident," Bosh said. "I just have to get it where I'm effective. I'm a big man. I can shoot the ball but I'm a big man. So I have to get it where big guys get it. Then I feel I can start helping out this team more."

Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade hinted that Heat coach Erik Spoelstra may need to re-evaluate the rotation. The Heat's bench was outscored 41-8 by the Blazers after scoring just six total points in last Sunday's loss to the Chicago Bulls. The team's rotation changed recently with the addition of point guard Mike Bibby, who signed last week.

"Hopefully guys can be aggressive and contribute more," Wade said. "There are guys on the bench that can help us, no question about it. That is all on coach. We've had guys like Eddie [House] help us win games and James Jones, etc. He's going to have to decide whether or not people are on the floor."

Bosh's comments came after one of his worst games of the season, scoring just seven points on 3-of-11 shooting. He was outplayed down the stretch by Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 26 points.

At the center of Bosh's complaint was not getting more touches in the low post. As part of the Heat's offense this season, Bosh has operated out of the high post and taken mostly jump shots while being a screen-setter for teammates Wade and LeBron James. Bosh said he planned to raise the issue with teammates and Spoelstra.

"I've got to get back in my comfort zone, I haven't been in my comfort zone," Bosh said. "A lot of things are new for me. I just have to be more aggressive in demanding my [the ball] comfort zone, you know I'll take the fault for that... I'm effective down in the low post area, so that is where I need to start getting the ball. I need to be assertive in demanding it."

Bosh has seen his scoring average dip about six points a game this season as he'a getting about three fewer shots per game than he did with the Toronto Raptors. His shots, however, are quite different.

According to Synergy Sports, 50 percent of Bosh's shots have been jumpers this season. Last year, only 31 percent of his shots were jumpers.

Going public with his frustration may have been a carryover from Sunday, when Bosh scored 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting but only got one shot in the fourth quarter. Then against the Blazers, Bosh was guarded routinely by the smaller Gerald Wallace in the first half but the Heat did not call plays for him or look for him in the post.

"I'm saying what I need to do as a player, a closed mouth doesn't get fed," Bosh said. "I'm uncomfortable now so you might as well do something else. If there's a disagreement or something, that's fine, we can talk about it. If they don't want that, that's OK, but I just feel that I have to be my normal self. I'm not there right now. I haven't been there many times this season."

During the preseason, Bosh seemed to be on board with the new niche the Heat were carving out for him that didn't include as much time in the low post.

"I never really like to bump against people that are a lot, lot bigger than me," Bosh said in October. "I'm not the biggest guy in the world. Coach is going to put him in that position sometimes. He's not going to hang me out to dry. He's going to put me in there when we have an advantage."

Wade, who combined with James to score 69 of the Heat's 96 points in the loss, said he'll attempt to address Bosh's concerns.

"I think throughout this year we've all had spells where we wanted the ball more," Wade said.

"That is what we're used to. Whenever one of our teammates comes to us and says 'I can help us more in this situation' we'll do our best to make it happen. It's the time of the year when I know I'll be very aggressive and I know LeBron will be very aggressive. We have to figure out ways to help Chris to be more aggressive and understand this moment. It is our duty and our job to make sure at this time of year, when Chris hasn't been in too many of these situations, that Chris is more productive. He can be more productive for us."

Brian Windhorst covers the NBA for ESPN.com.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/trueho...ory?id=6196012

['Hamas' Jenkins]

That team needs to try and trade Wade to Orlando for Howard.

[Swanman]

This is what happens when you surround two great players and one pretty good but insanely soft player with garbage. Hopefully there will be no more comparisons with the Celtics Big 3 of a few years ago, because Rondo>>>>>>>>>>>>Chalmers and Celtics toughness>>>>>>>>>>>>Heat toughness.

At this point I don't know if the Heat get out of the first round, especially if they slip into the 4/5 series.

[Mr. Laz]

Has the show been cancelled yet?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

We have had this discussion several times and you believed the Cavs had enough around Lebron to win. If that was true they don't lose 26 in a row the majority by double digits.

They are a horrible team and Lebron knew that so he left.

And I watch the Cavs played a lot. They play hard but just don't have enough talent to compete.

They had a team built to win around a superstar.

That's what people ignore when they're talking about that Cavs team - it was very well designed to win around LeBron James. Much like the 76ers under Larry Brown were very well designed to win around Iverson.

Like the Heat are now learning, you don't just assemble high-end parts in this league (then you end up with a Jaguar...looks good, doesn't run for shit). The Cavs got blistered because they didn't 'put a team around LeBron' but the fact is they absolutely did. They didn't have a bunch of household names, but they had a bunch of guys that fit very well with LeBron.

The had a handful of legitimate sharpshooters; guys that play well in the space created by LeBron. They had a couple of good energy guys and grunt players as well. With Jamison, they found a reliable secondary scorer.

The problem is that if you don't have LeBron, those guys have to move into roles they aren't any good at. The foundation, in essence, collapsed. You can build the nicest high-rise in the world, but when the sand you've placed it on gives way, that sucker's coming down. That's what happened in Cleveland. It was a roman archway of sorts - when the center stone gave out, the whole thing fell apart. Not because the other stones were worthless, but because their center pivot was gone.


The records speak for themselves - that team was better built for LeBron James than the Heat is. It's a team built around a superstar and it was a team that would've absolutely been a championship team had LeBron been able to step up at key moments here and there throughout his career. They'd have most assuredly won a championship had LeBron put as much time into improving his game as he did becoming a 'global icon'.

Has anyone given me a reason for him not having a turnaround jumper yet? How 'bout a legitimate low-post game? Nah, didn't think so.

Those Cavs weren't conventionally 'talented', but they were absolutely perfect for the kind of game James plays. The fact that the Heat will have a worse record this year than the Cavs of last year speaks directly to that point.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

If they win, the season's struggles will make it all the sweeter. Their problem is matchups. They are very weak at point and center, and teams like Orlando, Boston and Chicago can exploit that.

It's one of the reasons Celtics fans still want to know what the hell Ainge was thinking when he traded Perkins.

By the same token, the Celtics matched up very poorly against the Heat on the wings. Pierce was going to spend the whole series chasing LeBron around and it would've been a serious problem.

If the Heat don't have a center, why allocate resources towards a 'defensive stopper'? It's not as though the Heat are suddenly going to pound the Celtics down low - they just don't have that guy. So with their donut and center and Perkins being a primarily defensive weapon, he becomes fairly superfluous against the Heat.

So moving him for Green, a solid perimeter defender against SFs and solid bench scorer, makes a lot of sense.

What that move told me was that Ainge believes the Mavericks will be his true competition out of the West, not the Lakers. That move helps them a lot against the Heat, Spurs and Mavs. It hurts them against the Magic, Lakers, Bulls and Knicks.

It's a risk based on matchups, but not an indefensible one.