If you don't find the delicious irony in Spo using the same strategy that was used against him the last 3 games in this one, while he HAS a Center to match up...then I don't know what you find "deliciously ironic".
My point wasn't even about Whiteside per se. We went small to match Washington, Charlotte and Indy and got blown out because our small lineups aren't as good as most other teams. We play pretty good defense but we just don't have the shooting. For whatever delicious irony there was we would've lost if Wade's terrible shots hadn't gone in. Right now I don't see a formula for real sustained success. Wade will miss time at some point. Bosh probably will too.
Our small ball lineups are among the best in all of the sport. Go check them on NBA.com. It's all there. Wade's terrible shots? A layup and a mid range jumper he has made thousands of times in his career? THOSE are terrible shots? I see the formula for sustained success. It's called the #2 Defense in the league. Go check where top defenses usually end up in the NBA each season. You are crying with a loaf of bread under your arm.
I am all for getting rid of the standings. Go look at a teams profile...to assess who they are. it's what I care about...and the only thing anybody should care about as well. You want a top 4 seed in each conference...that is the goal. Their profile so far says they are a LOCK for a top 4 seed. Remember, there is not a few years of this data..Basketball Reference now has all these ratings going back to 1962. It used to be you only had a sample that started at 1994. Now you have one that goes back to 1962. I trust these trends. They are fine.
HEAT on a b2b, Phins in prime time. What a day. Guys like Teague give us problems. Gotta slow him down and make him uncomfortable. He torched us last time iirc. Spurs just held this Hawks team to 78 points (25 in the first half!)...in Atlanta. Let's keep em cold.
Of course but I still have concerns moving forward with our shooting. Difference between Heat and Fins. I'm pretty sure the Heat will straighten out these issues (or at least try) where the Fins would put their heads in the sand
That's putting it mildly. You're Chicken Little at this point. Shooting is an issue. But we knew that going into the season, and the Heat are still a top four team in the East. Is this roster going to win a championship? Nope. But it wasn't built to. That comes after 2016.
Dropped seven points at power rankings which doesnt mean much other than theyre keeping us under the radar
Recalling Jarnell Stokes from Skyforce. That was quick. He played 7 games and averaged like 18 points and 9 rebounds. I wonder if this has something to do with what Section is talking about with respect to commitment to small ball lineups. Stokes is a 6'9" and 260-270 lbs guy that could be used as a small ball option at the four spot in place of Justise Winslow. [video=youtube;om5-axlVHd8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om5-axlVHd8[/video]
Heat supposedly offering Whiteside, Winslow, and cap relief trying to get Cousins from Sacramento. Coming from Sheridan Hoops or whatever so take it with a grain of salt.
Saw it. Sheridan also peddling a Whiteside for Dwight Howard rumor. I think it's all nonsense. Especially for Howard. He has the same issues as Whiteside and is older. Cousins I get. You have cost certainty for 2 more years at less than Whiteside's max. Cousins has shown a more consistent outside shot so he creates a little more space But he's a complete head case. People complain about Whiteside but Cousins brings his own cavalcade of crazy.
Sheridan has NO sources inside the Heat. NONE. So that is probably Sacramento putting out that feeler. If they did that trade....the NBA would be pretty pissed off. Commish might even veto it. Heat get the best player in the trade, plus open cap space for 16' to add another MAX, while the essential piece is an expiring contract and a rookie base salary guy.
Issue is that their best small ball lineup has Winslow in it. They are "committed" to playing small ball to close and in inflection points during a game...but Whiteside still has 25 mpg carved out no matter what.
Also, even though I love him, I don't know how much trade value Hassan actually has without Bird Rights
It'd be a steal for the Heat - have Cousins on the team and under contract at a lower rate than you'd have to pay Whiteside. Plus don't have to do gymnastics to try to re-sign Whiteside and chase Durant. And as good as Whiteside and Winslow could be - odds they're ever as good as Cousins aren't great and by the time Winslow reaches his peak Bosh/Dragic/Wade will all probably be declining. Home run deal if the Heat pull it off. Which means they will haha.
Yeah the disgruntled superstar is usually the guy Riley targets. We've got no picks though. Boston has that Brooklyn Nets Ben Simmons lottery ticket that probably trumps our Whiteside/Winslow package
As much as I'd hate to lose Winslow and Boogie's attitude scares me, that would put the Heat in a fantastic position. That could eventually lead to a lineup of Dragic, Wade, Durant/DeRozan, Bosh, Cousins. That is pretty insane. I don't buy it, though. And I have ZERO interest in trading Whiteside for Howard.
He got the LeBron thing right because he doesn't have Heat sources. Heat sources would have told him LeBron was coming back.
and we since know where he got it from. But to be honest...a Cup Cake shop actually had it first. Yeah, you read that right.
It appears that Sheridan is making things up again. [video=twitter;677166912183341056]https://twitter.com/SteveBHoop/status/677166912183341056[/video] Also, Ethan is taking a shot at him: http://blogs.herald.com/miami_heat/...se-to-the-hassan-whiteside-trade-rumors-.html
I would have hated the trade. Winslow and Whiteside for Cousins.. No thanks.. whiteside and filler for Cousins on a three team trade, sure. But no thanks to moving Winslow, theres no guarantee durant is coming here, winslow could be as good as Leonard which if Durant isnt here thats still damn good to settle with.
Brooklyn seems significantly better than they were 5-6 weeks ago. Whiteside vs Lopez is kinda cool. But anyways...finish them.
Wade is phenomenal. What a performance. Loved what Whiteside and Winslow did tonight too. Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but... Past few days people been talking about Hassan's 4th Q mins, whether he's a max guy, etc. Winslow's been slumping, back behind Deng and Green. Trade rumors swirling...and they both come out and ball tonight. That's some HEAT basketball, man. Block out that outside noise and just ****ing play. HEAT players taking pride in competing. I ****ing love it.
Melo 1 assist from a triple double, 15 rebounds! Also added a steal and a block. Dude has quietly became a much better all around contributor, could it be because Affalo and Porz take SOME of the scoring load off of him on occasion?? Porz adds 7 blocks aswell. Once NY gets Cousins things will get interesting in a weak EC.
I say that whenever the Heat plays a New York team on their own court, they come out to Kendrick Lamar's control verse.
By comparison, they absolutely are. Save Cleveland how many EC teams do you REALLY think could beat a team out of the WC in a 7 game series?
Kind of a loaded question because that team out of the WC is going to be Golden State, and since nobody would argue against the idea that Golden State are the best team in the league you're able to portray the EC as weak. Similarly, if we're assuming for example that the Spurs got out of the WC (and therefore beat Golden State) then suddenly the Spurs are the most dangerous team in the league because they just beat the most dangerous team in the league. Reality is the Heat beat the Thunder, the Bulls and Pacers both beat the Clippers, the Mavs and Grizzlies are barely over .500, and 3 of the 5 losses the Spurs took were to EC teams.
That's kind of a loaded question. Talent wise the top 3 teams are in no order GSW, SAS and Cleveland. I fully expect 2 of 3 to be in the finals. Any other matchup imo would be a MAJOR upset barring a power move by a team like Miami, Chicago, OKC to fill roles on those rosters that are not currently filled but need to be in order for me to consider them in that class with those 3 teams.
I would call the spurs a favorite over GSW in a playoff series but that's just me. That roster has more playoff experience then anyone. You know what they call losing before the NBA finals? Rest. Also tough to use the spurs as an example because of the way they distribute minutes in regular season games. Pop, does not care about playing his guys 35 minutes a night to win a regular season game vs Milwaukee or Indiana. He cares about getting in to the playoffs, almost regardless of seeding because his guys have been there, done that so many times they're probably immune to a lot of things.
A "Team" out of the West? As in..any team? Truth be told...No Team in the East can beat Golden State or San Antonio..but the rest? The East has the rest of the best teams.
I think you are overestimating the lack of importance of fall/winter NBA games, especially for a veteran team like SAS who would need all of 5 games to beat any of those teams they lost to. Reg season basketball at this point is trivial to a handful of playoff regulars.
After those two it has to go Cle then OKC, then maybe your Heat are in the next couple due to experience as much as anything. I can't get behind the Bulls as hyped up as they always are, a shorthanded Cle team handled them with ease.
That's fair...but my point is that the West is not that "stacked" anymore. You got two juggernauts...and then a series of teams that are good but playing worse by the day, and looking more and more vulnerable. (Thunder, Clips, Rockets, Grizz, Mavs) But I do agree with your top 4.....Miami is in a fight with Indiana, the Clips, Bulls, for that 5th spot.
