The Days of Old?

The New York Knicks roll into town tonight to face the struggling Miami Heat. And Heat fans, as well as Knick fans - most of whom are 'trapped' in South Florida these days - can't help but think about the old days of those Heat and Knicks rivlaries. The ones that left us with images of flying elbows and stifling, physical defenses. Of Jeff Van Gundy clinging to Alonzo's ankle - who now plays for the other Van Gundy. Or Thunder Dan sticking the three from downtown Miami. Or Allan Houston tipping in a game winner with a fraction of a second left to break everyone's heart in South Florida.

Now Larry Brown has taken over in New York City. The last time Brown and the Heat met was in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. You may remember, there were diatribes exchanged in the media from Stan Van Gundy and Brown. It only heightened the games as both went back in forth speculating about the tactics of the other team's coach. As fans, we can only hope that this continues and helps to renew the rivalry of these two franchises - even though the only player left from those days is Alonzo Mourning.

But Van Gundy has come to the defense of Larry Brown recently, questioning Stephon Marbury's dissatisfaction with the new system that is being implemented in New York. So, perhaps the poison from this rivalry is gone forever. Not to mention the key ingredient, Pat Riley, is up in the sky boxes these days and far from view of the fans and the media.

To boot, the two teams are no longer in the same division, but instead head up seperate divisions since the realignment. One can only hope that something sets off this rivalry of old, but at the same time we are reminded that these two teams are so far apart that there is no need for a rivalry either.

Too bad, as fans, we always look for these kinds of matchups. Instead, we will have to look to Indiana or Detroit for this kind of heated exchange. But who knows, maybe in a few years, we will see, once again, a Heat and Knicks rivalry.

Heat still adjusting

Here we are 10 games into the season. A loss to the Raptors - previously the team with the worst record in the NBA - might send some into shock. Or make the bandwagon sputter a little bit.

Truth be told, this is a good thing for the Heat.

Coming into yesterday's game, the Heat had won 4 straight and just beat Philadelphia at home. They moved into first place atop the Southeastern division at 6-3. Things were looking good. Too good. No Shaq? No problem. JWill goes down with a knee bruise? Oh, we'll just make a minor change to the roster - welcome aboard Mr. Fitch, see you around Mr. Walsh - and things will be fine.

Not quite.

30 points in the 2nd quarter for the Raptors? 40 more in the 4th quarter?

The Heat are far from fine - and this is good. Dwyane Wade is playing like he is supposed to - trying to carry the load for the missing Diesel. He also seems to have enough humility to know what Kobe did not, that he cannot carry this team deep into the playoffs without the Big Sprain.

The supporting cast of this Heat team, the Paytons and Walkers of the bunch in particular, know this as well. So everyone is on the same page - win as much as you can right now and even still expect to win, but realize that this team is far from complete at this point. From the roster to the play on the court, there are still some elements missing.

Losing to the Raptors was good in that it will grant the Heat the proper perspective it needs to remain focused on its goal. They need Shaq. They need Jason Williams. And they need to listen more closely to Stan Van Gundy and the rest of the coaching staff. This team isn't ready.

At least, not yet.

Flame Head Coach Jeff Malone on NBATV

This was my first time hearing Coach Malone speaking to NBA TV. Jeff Malone still sounds like the veteran player on the bench who gives his all, but he has the ability to communicate the essential messages that a head coach needs to send to a young player in need of direction. He has a calming and supportive tone in his voice and an instructive ability to go along with it.

When people ask why young players should be in the D-League over playng abroad for more money, you can point to Jeff Malone as one of those folks who has been to the mountain, climbed to the peak, and made it back down to lead those daring enough back up again.

The Flame and Malone are joining for their first year together, and even if they lose every single game, every player knows they will have a good man leading them out every game with an keen instinct for the game and the abilities to share that instinct with those willing to learn.

I know Malone wants to win, but with the coaching abilities he has, his main problem may be keeping talent at the D-League level long enough to form the chemistry and plain old feel for the game that team units form in the minor leagues of baseball and hockey. I'm sure Jeff won't be too upset to see some of his Flame become this year's big D-League surprise. Hopefully it will be one of our Baby HEAT players.

Fitch signs with Heat, Walsh waived

In an effort to cut down on the W's on the roster, the Heat signed Gerald Fitch - the former Kentucky PG - and waived Matt Walsh, another SEC grown player. Fitch is expected to give the Heat some more depth at guard while Jason Williams recovers from a bruised knee which he suffered against Chris Andersen of the NOK Hornets.

Fitch, 6'3" 188, harvested a 39.6 career 3pt% while at Kentucky. He was first team all-SEC in his senior season in 2003-2004 and finished his career as UK's 22nd all time points scorer. Seen as an undersized 2 guard that can defend and stick the three. He saw some time with the Heat in training camp and impressed coaches, but there just wasn't room at the time for Fitch to stick with the team.

Now, with Williams' injury, Fitch's skills are more needed than Walsh's, who doesn't seem to have the ball-handling skills to play point guard or even shooting guard at this point. This also leaves Walsh's future in doubt, at least with the Heat. Walsh signed a guranteed deal with the Heat to make the roster for the season. Will he return? It may depend on how well Fitch plays.

Don't believe the hype

Media turns up heat on the Heat

The Heat win a game against the New Jersey Nets the other night, in Miami while faced with key injuries, and all the media could talk about was Walker vs. Williams. Oh, and Gary vs. Stan Van Gundy.

It is no secret that many pundits covering the NBA and looking at the Miami Heat have questioned the moves Pat Riley and Randy Pfund have put together for the upcoming season. Well, most of these critics fail to even cite Randy Pfund as a part of this organization, forgetting that Riley is the president while Pfund is de facto the GM. But that is besides the point - accuracy is not stressed.

The major concern has been about chemistry, or the meshing of personalities such as Walker, Williams, and Payton on this team with Shaq and Wade. Also of intrigue is the Riley/Stan Van Gundy relationship and whether or not Riley is trying to sharpen an axe to relieve SVG of his coaching duties.

Look - this is what the media does. They sensationalize in order to provoke discussion. We here at Miami Heatwave consider ourselves fans, but enlightened ones at that. There is no conspiracy here for Riley to take over the head coaching duties while creating a well-crafted bomb just to demote himself. But the intrigue and the speculation offers too much and proves too tantalizing.

So it spins and spins, continuously out of control.

The Miami Heat must understand that this isn't about them. This isn't about their team. This is about a few members of the national media elbowing for attention. They have nothing else to focus on other than themselves, instead of letting the story tell itself. They are not reporters, but narrators.

This became most apparent to me while away from the internet (and this beloved site) and having to get my Heat fix through the straw of ESPN. The national ignorance of this team was all too evident.

What I saw prompted me to make a phone call to my brother to ask what was going on. ESPN kept showing a 'highlight' of Walker barking at Williams for apparently not cutting through the paint to relieve Walker of the impending double team. Walker turns it over, Nets fast break, Williams plays phantom defense and it looks bad. On the next possession, when Walker gets a chance, he starts barking at Williams - on his own free throw attempts. The Heat ended up getting a delay of game tech, too.

It is a well-known fact that guys don't get along all the time. Especially millionaires who disagree about how they are going to do things. And even more so when you factor in the fact that this was a home game against a tough Eastern opponent who are looking to measure up against the elite Heat. This is a reality in the NBA and even for the Miami Heat. In '03-'04, Rafer Alston and Caron Butler almost came to blows - and that team was supposed to have the chemistry on par with the cast of "Friends". Even last season's team that won 59 games sputtered at times, with Shaq suggesting that his teammates (EJ and DJ) were playing soft and needed to start hitting their 3's.

But Shaq is no stranger to this situation: Shaq and Kobe had their spats, but still managed to somehow win a couple of championships.

And don't even get me started about Gary Payton's comments about his own offensive philosophy. Stan Van Gundy is the coach, GP knows that. The Heat also know that the Glove is outspoken. Always has been. SVG is the kind of personality that will make light of it and move on.

But not the national media - that seems wont to see this team fail. We like underdogs, not empires. We like to see things started from scratch, not bought and paid for. This is all understandable, but also keep in mind that this is all hype. In fact, this can be easily illustrated by the fact that ESPN was running this supposed Heat 'collapse' story on the eve of their next NBA telecast - on Wed. November 9th which featured the Heat vs. the Pacers.

Nothing sells like controversy. Nothing titillates like drama.

So like Flavor Flav and Chuck D once told us, 'don't believe the hype'. As Heat fans, we got to look past the smoke and see the fire. This team will have its struggles - the media will try and blow them all out of proportion.

Don't believe the hype.

Let this team grow, first.

Sprewell DENIED

The internet rumor, started by Probasketballnews.com, of Latrell Sprewell signing with the Miami Heat has been 'vehemently' denied by Heat front office personnel. Both the Miami Herald and the Sun-Sentinel have reported this as well.

So it looks like Spree's family will continue to starve and the Heat are not feeling the least bit charitable.

Good.

Because signing Sprewell would have been a mistake basketball-wise and would have certainly made for an even more volatile situation in the clubhouse. In the meantime, the injury to Shaq may have squashed any possibility of this happening because now the Heat need Michael Doleac more than ever, in order to backup Zo - once Doleac makes it back from a preseason injury. In the meantime, Heat fans will get a good look at Earl Barron - the summer league wonder that impressed the Heat brass with his interior toughness and scoring.

The Heat face the Milwaukee Bucks tonight at 8:00pm on Sun Sports. You can also follow the game over at the Miami Heatzone in our Gameday forum.

5 with the Florida Flame

The Florida Flame enter their first season as the destination for Baby HEAT players. The team, which plays its games at the Germain Arena in Estero, Florida, outside of Fort Myers, Florida, has the right to host HEAT players who have less than 2 years of experience. The Flame will also host players from the Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Boston Celtics, all under the loving control of first year Flame Head Coach Jeff Malone.

Earlier this Friday afternoon, Mr. Tim Becwar, of the Florida Flame, was kind enough to join MiamiHeatWave.com in a Flame Q&A session.

1. What makes the Flame different from previous SWFLA Basketball teams?

"This is the best [basketball] talent outside of the NBA."

2. What have the Flame been up to in the community?

The NBA, WNBA, NBDL, and the Florida Flame all back the "Read to Achieve" literacy initiative and hope to aid local charities in Southwest Florida. We are locally owned and operated.

3. The Germain Arena is a great place for almost any event, but will Flame games be affordable?

Games will be affordable to attend. Tickets will start at $9 a game for an End Zone Bowl seat.

4. What will the games feel like to attend?

Games will be family-friendly, entertaining, and a great value. All within an easy and familiar drive from anywhere in Southwest Florida.

5. Where can fans tune into to follow the Flame on the road or those times they cannot make it out to Germain Arena?

At this time we are working on a radio package, we hope to announce it soon, but we cannot at this time.

Shaq update: Miss 2 to 4 weeks

The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson is reporting that Shaq's MRI revealed no damage but did show the center suffered a sprained ankle. He will be missing anywhere from 6 to 13 games.

For the Herald article, click on this link.

For discussion, go to Miami Heatzone. For example, do you think it was a dirty ploy by Ron Artest?

Keeping Pace

The Heat lost to the Pacers, the final score lit up on the scoreboard was 105-102. But why do I feel pretty good after this loss? Hmm...let's see...

The Heat shot 3-16 from 3 point range or 18%. The Heat are not going to be a great three point shooting team, but no team in the NBA is that abyssmal...

James Posey, the team's starting SF and probably best perimeter defender, was injured as was Shandon Anderson and Micheal Doleac...

17 turnovers...

Fought their way back from a 14 point deficit...

The Pacers shot 48% from the field. That is not likely to happen very often with this team's defense...

Jason Williams was 1-8 from the field and couldn't get off the bench at the end of the game which won't be happening again...

The Heat, together for little over a whole month, went up against a team that has been together for the better part of 3 seasons...who is also playing with a huge chip on their shoulder AND is one of the more talented teams in the East...

Shaq twisted his ankle and didn't return for the final 6 minutes of the game...

So, basically, not a whole lot went right for the Heat, who struggled early on in the game - even missing layups - as they were just incohesive overall. They had their biggest star in Shaq go down, played terribly at some points and still had a chance to go into OT with a rimmed-out Dwyane Wade three point shot.

If I was the Pacers, I would be very scared. Because the biggest difference between the Heat's win against the Grizzlies and their loss to the Pacers is execution. Against a tough team like Memphis, the Heat can rely on their natural talent to steal a game. But against a playoff-hardened contender like Indiana, you must execute. They didn't, and they lost. Barely.

But once the Heat develop into a team and learn how to play with one another - no more misplaced passes to Shaq in the post, no overdribbling from Walker and better shot selection and comfort on the floor - this team is going to be frighteningly good. We saw how the Glove and Shaq picked apart the Pacer's interior defense. Speaking of, Gary said it best, he said that right now this team is thinking too much and not just playing the game. We saw excellent ball movement and how quickly the Heat broke down full court presses and moved the ball down court with deft passing - so we know good things are coming. It will take about 10-15 games.

On a side note, we also had to put up with a terrible announcing team in Reggie "Homer" Miller (or was that Cheryl? Couldn't tell the difference), Steve "I love the Spurs" Kerr and Marv "I bite women, but love the Knicks" Albert.

So yeah, it was a frustrating home debut for the players and for the fans. But let's have a laugh, because in truth, this team is only going to get better. And the Pacers and Pistons should be scared.

Sprewell Next?

There is a rumor that has seemed to have 'grown legs' that Latrell Sprewell is going to sign with the Miami Heat. Currently, Sprewell is a free agent and talks with Miami seem to have surfaced a couple of weeks ago as his agent told the Miami Heat that Sprewell was interested and available.

Looks like his family maybe starving after all.

What is also giving this rumor some substance is that the Heat are looking to move Doleac and reports have surfaced that it could be for just a 2nd round draft pick for the upcoming draft. Although that may seem to be well under value, making a move for Doleac for a non-player commodity makes sense in the event that the Heat are going to sign Sprewell.

The fact remains that the Heat do not have a backup SG for Dwyane Wade, or at least not a traditional one. Sprewell would provide just that and most likely would sign for the veteran minimum contract with that understanding of his role. Stay tuned...discuss further on the Miami Heatzone message boards.

Let the SF Controversy BEGIN!

Opening night for the Heat was started on the road as the Grizzlies proved to be gracious hosts. They put up a good fight, but eventually bowed to the talent-rich Heat.

But this latest model of the Miami Heat was not as polished as it should have been. There were still a few dents and scratches, but nonetheless, a win on opening night against a possible playoff team is always a good way to start things off. Even Stan Van Gundy, always the most cynical - as such is the position of a head coach - couldn't find a reason to complain. A question was asked about Antoine Walker's shot selection; Van Gundy flashed a smile and quipped that all shots are good when they are going in.

In all seriousness, the Heat is faced with a nice little dilemma. James Posey is going to be out for a few games with a sprained thumb, possibly as much as a few weeks. Scrambling for a solution, SVG started 'Toine at the 3 tonight - betting on more offense. The pundits have all stated that Walker would be better coming off the bench, and even at power forward, his natural position. Well, tonight - if only for one night - Walker proved them wrong.

He set a franchise record for most rebounds on opening night, grabbing 16 and beating Clarence Weatherspoon's old record of 15 (set back on opening night in '99). Walker did more than that though, he was vital to this team's success tonight. He played with great tenacity and energy - for 41 minutes, hit some key three point shots (where he was 4-7), and was overall efficient from the field (10-17) with 4 assists to only 1 turnover.

The key tonight was Walker's ability to create fastbreaks. Not since Lamar Odom, or even Jamal Mashburn, have the Heat had a player at SF that could grab a rebound and push out a fast break. Walker did just that tonight and offers that ability in the future for the Heat.

So tonight, after an ugly but impressive win, the Heat start off the season right. And everyone will start scratching their heads and wondering whether or not Antoine Walker just may be better suited for starting at SF for this team.

Let the controversy begin.

Running down a Dream: Miami Heat 2005-2006 Preview

Well, here it is, fresh out of the box with that new car smell. Yep, that is right, the Miami Heatwave Miami Heat 2k5-2k6 season preview. We must warn you, this season is going to be one of the most exciting in Heat history. So, be prepared and read on with full attention. There will be a test at the end and Pat Riley is going to conduct it himself.

Ok, that was a trick. So relax, and read on as the Heat get it on tonight and open the new season with the hopes of chasing down a title.

Season Review

Last year, the Heat lost to the Pistons in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals - at home in Miami. Banged up, the Heat could not stave off the Piston's attack as Detroit proved to be more resilient - and healthier - than the Heat and snatched back the Eastern crown from the upstarts.

The Heat were 59-23 last season, scoring 101.5 points per game and giving up 95. Despite the success, Riley was not content to stand pat (yes, pun intended) and allow the sourness to set in and right itself. Instead, he opted to roll the dice and make a big trade - the biggest in NBA history - that netted Jason Williams, James Posey and Antoine Walker as the main pieces.

But that was only part of a very busy offseason. Gary Payton and Jason Kapono signed on to round out the roster and help push the Heat closer towards a championship. Impressed with the play of Earl Barron in the Summer League, the Heat signed the ex-Memphis center who until recently was playing in Turkey. The Heat continued to add young talent to the roster with Matt Walsh, an undrafted guard from UF - yes, another Gator - being signed as well as the Heat's top pick Wayne Simien. After one of the most anticipated reunions in Heat history, Alonzo Mourning decided to stick around for another year and took the veteran minimum to play again for the Heat as did Shandon Anderson. Most impressive may have been what seemed to kick off the offseason - the re-signing of Shaq and Udonis Haslem. Both players took less money, much less, just to stay in Miami and continue to play for the Heat, proving to be both gracious to the Heat as well as serious about taking this team to a championship level.

Now with the pieces in place, let's take a look at each player and analyze what we can expect.

Player Preview Capsules

Starters

Jason Williams: He took 9.1 shots per game (13.2 per 40 minutes) last season and used 20.0 possessions per 40 minutes last season. His PER rating last season was 15.48 (26th among point guards). Williams had an effective field goal percentage (or eFG%, which adjusts for the value of 3-pointers) of 49.6% last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, which is below average. His true shooting percentage (takes into account the adjusted value of 3-pointers and free throws) was 52.2%, slightly above league average. He shot a poor 32% from 3-point range, but 50.6% from inside the arc. It's puzzling that more than half the shots he took last season were 3-pointers, even though he's an efficient shooter inside the arc and a poor shooter behind the arc. Williams' offensive rating (points produced per 100 possessions) was 107, as was his defensive rating. The offensive rating was slightly above average, but his defensive rating was slightly below average (the league rating for both stats was 106).

Williams' free throw percentage was an above average 79.2%, though he only took 2 free throws per 40 minutes. He had a good assists to bad pass ratio of 4.4 last season while averaging 8.1 assists per 40 minutes. Williams committed turnovers 10.7% of the time. 69% of his turnovers last season were due to his passing, while only 25% of his turnovers were a result of his ballhandling. The only Grizzlies players who shot significantly better with Williams on the court last season with consistent playing time together were Shane Battier and Brian Cardinal. Battier shot 47% with Spiderman on the court compared to 44% overall, while Cardinal shot 39% with Williams on the floor compared to 37% overall (Cardinal was still a bad player even with Williams on the court, just not as bad as usual). However, Stromile Swift actually shot 40% with him on the court compared to 45% overall.

Expectations: Williams' assists and usage rate should go down with Dwyane Wade playing with him in the backcourt. Don't expect him to penetrate too often, considering he got to the line at such a low rate last season. The team will certainly be running more fast breaks with Williams in the lineup, meaning less time for Shaq to get down the floor. This means Shaq's role at times will be simply rebounding the ball and making the outlet pass.

It's not a guarantee, but a possibility that his eFG% and true shooting percentage will go up because of the open looks created by Shaq forcing double teams and Wade driving to the lane and drawing defenders. The fact that the coaching staff has been working on his shot and trying to get him to stop shooting off-balance for the past 2 months certainly helps. His shooting won't improve the way Damon Jones' did last season, but 43% from the field and 35% behind the arc isn't out of the question. Spiderman's shots should slightly decrease to about 11-12 per 40 minutes (in other words, to 8-9 shots per game, assuming he gets 28 MPG). However, he needs to cut down his 3's in order to have a successful year shooting-wise next season. Spiderman's defense will be an upgrade to DJ's because he moves around the court so much on offense. This means the opposing point guard will have less energy to expend running the offense when Williams is playing on the defensive end. His PER should rise, and he will be an upgrade to DJ in virtually every area except shooting.

Dwyane Wade: He took 17.7 shots per 40 minutes last season and had a PER of 23.17, second among shooting guards. Wade produced 109 points per 100 possessions and allowd 103 points per 100 possessions, both above average numbers. He used 29.0 possessions per 40 minutes and stole the ball 1.6 times per 40 minutes. Wade even had 1.02 blocks per foul last season, an excellent number for a shooting guard. His eFG% last season of 48.3% was below average, but that was because he only took 45 threes all year (making only 13 of them). His true shooting percentage of 56.1% was well above average since he averaged 12.3 free throws per 48 minutes (10.3 per 40 minutes). Wade shot 76.6% from the line last season, around league average. He also averaged 6.5 rebounds per 40 minutes, excellent for a shooting guard.

Wade averaged 7 assists per 40 minutes last season despite a below average 3.7 assists to bad pass ratio. 41% of his 4.3 turnovers per 40 minutes were a result of his ballhandling, an area he needs to improve in next season. More comforting is the fact that only 45% of his turnovers were caused by bad passes. He also made the NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team last season. His impact wasn't so much that he made the teammates around him better - only Rasual Butler and Christian Laettner shot significantly better with Wade on the court (Butler shot 43% with Wade compared to 40% overall; Laettner shot 60% with Wade compared to 58% overall). His impact was that he shot well close up and got to the line at a strong rate.

Expectations: His 3point shooting most likely improved this offseason, though it remains to be seen how he utilizes it. Wade's summer training sessions with Tim Grover (strength coach to Michael Jordan) have improved his strength and subsequently his ability to take hits while allowing him to maintain his athleticism and explosiveness. This means he has a less likely chance of injuring himself during the season or during the playoffs, like he did in last year's Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons.

Wade will get to the line at a similar rate to last season with his penetration. His usage rate and shots should stay about the same, as should his PER. If his 3point shooting improves greatly, his eFG% and true shooting percentage will improve as well to about 52 and 60%, respectively.

Wade's ballhandling and decision-making will improve this season with the help of an additional ballhandler in Williams to help him out. Gone will be the days when Wade was forced to expend energy bringing the ball up the court because Damon Jones struggled to do so. He should make either the 1st or 2nd All-Defense Team next season and cement his place as one of the top 3 shooting guards in the NBA.

James Posey: He had an absolutely horrible season last season because of nagging foot problems which caused him to miss 32 games. He had a PER of 10.48 (50th among small forwards) and averaged 10.3 shots per 40 minutes. Posey only used 15 possessions per 40 minutes. He shot 31% behind the arc and had an eFG% of 43.4%. Posey's true shooting percentage was a dismal 50%. He produced only 100 points per 100 possessions, though his defensive rating was an above average 103. Posey did average 1.4 steals per 40 minutes, but that was down from a career 1.8 steals per 40 minutes. He averaged 6.4 rebounds per 40 minutes, but only got to the foul line 3.3 times per 40 minutes.

Posey's 2003-04 numbers were much better. He had a PER of 18.8 and averaged 12.6 shots per 40 minutes. He used 17.2 possessions per 40 minutes. Posey shot 39% from 3point range with an eFG% of 55.1%. He had an excellent true shooting percentage of 61.4%. His offensive rating was 119 and his defensive rating was 101, both numbers above average (in fact, his offensive rating was excellent). Posey averaged 5.5 free throws and 2.3 steals per 40 minutes. He also averaged 6.6 boards per 40 minutes (though not much of a difference from his rebounds per 40 minutes in 2004-05). Because of his sprained thumb, he will miss the first few games of the season.

Expectations: Which Posey do you go with? The 2003-04 or 2004-05 version? Chances are he'll reach a medium between the two seasons and have an eFG% of about 49% and a true shooting percentage of 55-56%. Posey's usage rate should be about 16 possessions per 40 minutes. His steals should reflect his career numbers of 1.8 per 40 minutes and his 3point shooting should be at about 35-36% if he can take advantage of the open looks provided by Flash and Shaq.

Defensively, Posey is young, tall, and very athletic, which should help him have a good year taking the toughest perimeter assignment every night. Will he be as good as Eddie Jones was for us last season? Probably not. But he'll be close.

Udonis Haslem: He had a good year with the Heat last season, with a PER of 15.55 (better than league average, but 30th among power forwards) while taking 9.6 shots per 40 minutes. He produced 119 points per 100 possessions and allowed 102 points per 100 possessions, both numbers well above average. He had an eFG% of 54.1% and a true shooting percentage of 58.8%.

Haslem went to the free throw line only 3.4 times per 40 minutes, but hit 79.1% of his free throws. He only used 13.4 possessions per 40 minutes and missed all 4 of the threes he attempted last season. Haslem was the Heat's 2nd-best offensive rebounder last season, picking up 33% of the Heat's offensive rebounds when he was in the game. He was also the team's 2nd-best defensive rebounder, picking up 26% of Miami's defensive boards when he was in the game. Overall, Haslem averaged 10.9 boards per 40 minutes. Not bad for a player who went undrafted just 3 years ago.

Expectations: With reports surfacing that Haslem was working on adding a 3point shot to his repertoire over the summer, he will now be able to stretch defenses out to 3point range and improve the Heat's spacing (assuming he actually uses the shot during the games). If not, expect to see similar numbers from last season. High shooting percentage, excellent offensive rebounding and very good defensive rebounding, and good free throw shooting.

Don't forget that Haslem, as evidenced by his defensive rating of 102 last season (compared to the league average of 106), will provide very good defense on opposing power forwards despite the fact that he is only 6'8". He won't be blocking many shots next season, however.

Shaquille O'Neal: The most dominant center in the NBA put up his usual excellent numbers last season. His PER of 26.95 was the best among centers. He produced an offensive rating of 111 and a defensive rating of 100, both well above average. He had an eFG% of 60.1%, but a true shooting percentage of 58.3% (because he shot 46.1% from the foul line last season). However, he took 12.3 free throws for the Heat per 40 minutes, which helped the team get into the penalty quicker and have players like Wade get to the line more easily.

Shaq took 17.6 shots and used 27.4 possessions per 40 minutes. Shaq had 1.13 blocks for every foul he committed and averaged 2.67 blocks per 40 minutes. Most importantly, he only missed 9 games last season, the fewest he had missed since the 2000-01 season. O'Neal was the Heat's best offensive and defensive rebounder last season, picking up 40% of the Heat's offensive rebounds and 27% of its defensive rebounds when he was on the court. Overall, he averaged 12.2 rebounds per 40 minutes. He did average 3.3 turnovers per 40 minutes and that number needs to go down this season. The only player who shot significantly better with Shaq on the court was Shandon Anderson. He shot 50% with O'Neal on the court compared to 46% overall. Haslem actually shot 54% overall compared to 52% with Shaq on the court. Christian Laettner shot 58% overall compared to 56% with Shaq on the court. And Michael Doleac shot 45% overall compared to 40% with Shaq on the court. This means, like Wade, Shaq's impact on the other players will be more so getting to the line and getting the Heat into the penalty than creating open looks (though some players certainly will benefit from the open looks).

Expectations: Look for Shaq's eFG% and true shooting percentage to stay about the same. It's a shame he misses so many free throws because if he didn't, his true shooting percentage would be astronomical. He will take a ton of free throws next season and miss the majority of them at a percentage of around 47.5%. But what is important is that those free throw attempts will allow Wade and at times Williams to create more free throws for themselves.

Shaq will always be a very good rebounder and defender because of his size and ability to clog the lane on D. His usage rate will stay the same, as will his shots per 40 minutes. But his minutes will be going down to the 30-32 minute range considering he's 33 and has an excellent backup center in Alonzo Mourning. However, what matters is that he will be just as efficient as he was last season. After receiving a 5-year, $100 million extension this past summer, Shaq will want to conserve his energy for the playoffs and the upcoming seasons.

Bench

Gary Payton: He had a good year last season, though his PER of 15.18, 28th among point guards and just above league average wouldn't seem to indicate it. Payton took 11.4 shots per 40 minutes and had an eFG% of 49.7%. He had a true shooting percentage of 53.7%. The "Glove" had an above average offensive rating of 111 and a below average defensive rating of 109. He only used 17.2 possessions per 40 minutes. He hit 76.1% of his free throw while getting to the line 3.2 times per 40 minutes.

Payton had an assists to bad pass ratio of 5.4, among the best in the NBA. He averaged 7.4 assists per 40 minutes. Payton only committed 2.3 turnovers per 40 minutes as well. Only 27% of the turnovers he committed last season were a result of his ballhandling, while 59% of his turnovers were a result of his passing. He had 1.2 steals per 40 minutes, down from his career rate of 2.2 steals per 40 minutes. Antoine Walker shot 47% with Payton on the floor compared to 44% overall as a Celtic last season. Al Jefferson shot 56% with Payton on the court compared to 52% overall. And Mark Blount shot 55% with Payton on the court compared to 53% overall. However, Walker McCarty shot 39% with Payton on the floor compared to 41% overall. Kendrick Perkins shot 47% overall and 43% with Payton on the court. Tony Allen also shot worse with Payton on the court (48% overall; 46% with Payton on the court).

Expectations: Payton will continue to be an efficient shooter next season and have a good true shooting percentage. His eFG% is questionable since he doesn't hit 3's very well (33% last season), but it will still be around 50%. He will continue to be an efficient passer, as evidenced by his high assists to bad pass ratio. He won't commit many turnovers and he will pick up a good number of assists per 40 minutes.

Payton's playing time will decrease since he will be backing up Jason Williams. However, since coach Stan Van Gundy plans to use Spiderman, Payton, and Flash together in a 3-guard set at times this season, he can "steal" some more minutes. Damon Jones was the better option to sign this offseason, but Payton is cheaper and still very effective. He will be the playmaker on offense.

Dorell Wright: Wright got virtually no playing time last season, playing in only 3 games (in two of those games, he played garbage time minutes). He had an eFG% of 27.3% and a true shooting percentage of 61.2%. He averaged 1.33 steals and 1.0 turnover in 9 minutes per game (5.9 steals and 4.4 turnovers per 40 minutes). Nothing can be taken from these numbers considering the very small sample size. In the 2005-06 preseason, Wright had an eFG% of 47.8% and a true shooting percentage of 50.6% in 7 games. He averaged 1.37 steals and 3.62 turnovers per 40 minutes. However, nothing can be taken from these numbers either since they came in only 7 games.

Expectations: Wright should spend the season playing in the NBDL, getting good playing time against good competition. He is only 19 years old so he probably will not be a major contributor on the team this season, barring major injury to one of the wings. If he is not sent to the NBDL, he will have to spend time on the day-to-day Inactive List and earn his playing time through practice. He worked out with Dwyane Wade this summer, so he is considerably bigger than he was last season. However, he still needs to gain weight. He lost a couple of his teeth this summer when he was elbowed by Laker Von Wafer in the Long Beach summer league, so at points in the season he will miss time due to surgeries.

Matt Walsh: He had an eFG% of 57.7% last season in his junior year at the University of Florida, improving upon his sophomore eFG% of 53.7%. Walsh had a true shooting percentage of 62.8%, improving upon his true shooting percentage as a sopohomore of 60.1%. Last year, he shot 82% from the free throw line and got to the line 5.1 times per 40 minutes. He also averaged 1.3 steals per 40 minutes.

Expectations: Walsh will probably spend the season in the NBDL or stay with the team, but be on the day-to-day Inactive List. If Anderson or Jason Kapono is injured at some point during the season, expect Walsh to take their place backing up Dwyane Wade and James Posey. One can make the case for Walsh getting playing time over Anderson and Kapono anyway, considering his shooting in college. But it remains to be seen whether that translates to the pros. For now, because of Posey's sprained thumb, Walsh will be in the regular rotation.

Shandon Anderson: He had a PER of only 8.93 last season, 57th among small forwards. But his strong defensive rating of 103 is what landed him a minimum deal and roster spot on the Heat this season. He had a poor eFG% of 46.3% and a true shooting percentage of only 51.8%, with an offensive rating of only 103. Anderson used only 11.0 possessions per 40 minutes. He did shoot 82% from the free throw line, but only took 2.3 free throws per 40 minutes. Anderson only averaged 1.4 steals per 40 minutes, but he is quick enough to stay with his man and put a hand up in his face.

Expectations: Anderson will be called upon by SVG at shooting guard, small forward, or even power forward when the team needs defense against teams like the Suns or Spurs. The team will have to live with his limited offensive production. He does have a career true shooting percentage of 53.7%, so it is possible that he improves this season to that range. At times last season, he worked very well scoring when cutting to the basket off feeds from Shaq. His perimeter game is virtually nonexistent at this stage in his career, so cutting to the hoop is how he will have to earn most of his points.

Jason Kapono: He didn’t have a great year last season with the Charlotte Bobcats, with a PER of only 11.8 (43rd among small forwards). He did shoot 41.2% from 3-point range, though he had an eFG% of only 46.1%. His true shooting percentage wasn't any better, at only 48.6%. His offensive rating was 101 and his defensive rating was 111, both numbers well below average. He shot 82% from the line, but only took 2.3 attempts per 40 minutes. He used 20.5 possessions per 40 minutes. It'd be great if all of the shots he took were 3's since he's so effective behind the arc, but instead 71% of his shots last season were inside the arc, where he only shot 40%. Casey Jacobsen would have been the better option to sign considering his 55.5% true shooting percentage last season, assuming he had interest in signing with the Heat. Jacobsen is now in Spain with pro team Tau Ceramica.

Expectations: Kapono will be relied upon to back up Dwyane Wade and James Posey at the shooting guard and small forward positions. If he took all his shots behind the arc and made 35% of them, he would have an excellent year considering that would equate to an eFG% of 52.5% (and an even higher true shooting percentage). Since that probably won't happen, Kapono must improve his shooting inside the arc. He is a liability on defense, as evidenced by his very poor defensive rating, so at times he will have to give way to the Heat's defensive specialist off the bench in Anderson.

Antoine Walker: He had a poor 2004-05 campaign with a PER of 15.41 (only 30th among power forwards and below that of Haslem, the player he'll be backing up but still above the league average of 15.00, however). His offensive rating was a very poor 95 and his defensive rating was a below average 108. Walker's 3point shooting percentage was only 32%. His eFG% was horrible, at only 46.2%. Walker's true shooting percentage was a dismal 47.8%. He took 5 free throws per 40 minutes and only made 53.9% of them.

Walker used 25.3 possessions and committed 3.4 turnovers per 40 minutes. In short, he was a very inefficient player. Walker did take down 27% of his teams' defensive rebounds when he was in the game, but only took down 20% of his teams' offensive rebounds. Overall, he averaged 9.4 rebounds per 48 minutes. Since the team is already stacked with defensive rebounders, Walker needs to improve his offensive rebounding.

Expectations: Walker was not a very good player last season, and his shooting must improve this season in order for him to be effective. That means fewer 3pointers and more penetration. His game can resemble that of Lamar Odom's at times, but he spends too much time setting up on the perimeter and taking low-percentage shots. Expect his defensive boards to go down with the presence of Zo and even Wayne Simien at times (if the Heat decides to go big).

If Walker takes more high-percentage shots and hits his free throws, the Heat should win the title next season. If not, the team will lose to the Spurs or possibly even the Pacers and Pistons in the playoffs. Amazing that a team's fortunes are riding on whether or not an inefficient player suddenly becomes more efficient.

Wayne Simien: He had an eFG% of 55.8% last season in his senior year at the University of Kansas, improving upon his eFG% as a junior of 53.5%. His true shooting percentage of 62.5% was also better than his true shooting percentage of 61.0% as a junior. He averaged 12.8 rebounds per 40 minutes, but missed time due to a shoulder injury. 29% of his rebounds were on the offensive boards (3.8 per 40 minutes). SVG has said that Simien is the most fundamental big man he has ever seen coming out of college. He can knock down the mid-range jumper but isn't much of a shot blocker.

Expectations: Expect to see him on the day-to-day Inactive List or possibly even the NBDL this season. He may get some minutes if SVG wants to go big and play Walker at small forward and Simien at power forward, but the Heat has too much depth in the frontcourt to give Simien extended minutes. Simien will have to make his mark during practice. If he does play, the Heat need him to be a presence on the offensive boards.

Michael Doleac: He had a poor year last season, with a PER of only 9.68, 59th among centers. Doleac had an eFG% of only 44.7% and a true shooting percentage of only 46.0%. He went to the line only 1.4 times per 48 minutes, and only hit 61% of his free throws. Doleac's offensive rating was a poor 100, though his defensive rating was a strong 103. He only used 13.7 possessions per 40 minutes. Doleac took down 24% of the Heat's offensive rebounds and 24% of their defensive rebounds when he was on the court. This makes him a liability because he is an average defensive rebounder and a below average offensive rebounder. Doleac did average 8.8 boards per 40 minutes, but isn't much of a shot blocker despite his height.

Expectations: Look for Doleac to be the 3rd-string center behind Shaq and Zo. He may even lose playing time to 7-0 rookie Earl Barron, signed by the Heat this past summer. The Hawks were reportedly interested in Doleac and could be willing to offer a 2nd round pick for him. If the Heat feel secure with Barron as the 3rd-stringer, they have to make this deal, especially considering as of right now they have no picks for the 2006 draft.

Earl Barron: He had an eFG% of 49.9% last season in the NBDL for the Huntsville Flight. Barron's true shooting percentage for the Flight was an above average 56.1%. He shot 81% from the foul line and took 5.7 free throws per 40 minutes. He averaged 8.8 rebounds per 48 minutes but most importantly, 42% of his rebounds were offensive boards (3.7 offensive boards per 40 minutes). He wasn't much of a shot blocker (0.97 blocks per 40 minutes) despite his height, but he didn't turn the ball over much either (2.1 turnovers per 40 minutes).

Expectations: He made the team in training camp and if his NBDL numbers translate to the pros, he will make Doleac expendable to a team like the Hawks. For now, Barron will be the 3rd-string center to Shaq and Zo (Doleac is still recovering from a calf injury). When Doleac returns, Barron should spend time again in the NBDL for the Florida Flame. If any of the Heat's big men get injured, he will be called up to the pros. Miami needs Barron to shoot well, get to the line, not turn the ball over, and pick up offensive rebounds for a team whose major weakness is offensive rebounding.

Alonzo Mourning: He only played 37 games last season, but still put up good numbers. He had a PER of 15.33, 25th among centers. In that span he had an eFG% of 47.2% and a true shooting percentage of 51.5%. He shot 58.2% from the line on 8 free throws per 40 minutes. He used 19.5 possessions per 40 minutes and had a very good defensive rating of 98. However, his offensive rating was only 98, indicating that he still needed time to adjust offensively coming off a kidney transplant. He averaged 27% of his teams' offensive rebounds and 28% of his teams' defensive rebounds when he was on the court and averaged 11.3 boards per 40 minutes. Zo also averaged 4.2 blocks per 40 minutes. He needs to cut down on his turnovers, as shown by his 3.2 turnovers per 40 minutes.

In his career, Zo has had an eFG% of 52.4% and a true shooting percentage of 58.1%. He has used 24.1 possessions per 40 minutes and has had a PER of 21.7. Zo has shot 70% from the line on 9.3 free throws per 40 minutes. He has averaged 11.2 boards per 40 minutes. Zo has also averaged 3.5 blocks and 3.5 turnovers per 40 minutes.

Expectations: Zo will be needed for his defensive rebounding and blocks next season. His usage rate will go down, but his shooting percentage will go up with a full preseason to learn the team's plays and make adjustments. As a result, his PER and offensive rating will go up to the 17.00 and 107-108 range, respectively.

Zo will be called upon for 15-20 minutes every game to give Shaq a breather and even play alongside him at power forward at times. Considering the Heat had one of the worst offensive rebounding percentages in the NBA last season, Zo will have to take over the offensive boards off the bench, since Walker is more of a defensive rebounder and Simien will only get limited minutes.

Player capsules written by TheBigAristotle92
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With the given personnel and the challenges that lay ahead for the Heat, there should be expected a bumpy start to the season. After all, there are 8 new players to this year's team - which is close to last year's roster turnover which saw only 6 players return from the previous season. Stan Van Gundy has his work cut out for him, but with players like Shaq and Zo setting the tone, the roster should fall into line.

So, let's wish the boys good luck for the upcoming season. It is going to be filled with much drama and fun. Expect to see old rivalries renewed - like the Knicks, under coach Larry Brown who was exchanging jabs in the media only several months ago as a coach of the Pistons with Stan Van Gundy. And there is the Pacers, who are getting Ron Artest back. Factor in that the Heat have a bigger target on their backs this year and there is plenty to watch out for.

Good luck and go Heat.

5 Burning Questions for 2005-2006

Tonight the Heat kick off another NBA season - but arguably its most anticipated season to date. After the arrival of Shaq last season, that seems to be a very hard feat to top. Nonetheless, here we are.

What I would like to do here is list 5 questions that we will need to keep in the back of our minds as the season progresses. So, here we go:

5) Will Dorrell Wright or any other young player be able to contribute to this year's team success? Wright is in year 2 of his NBA career and outside of practice, doesn't have much experience to show for his time thus far. He missed the Summer League with an injury, but came on pretty strong in preseason. Still, he is very young and may need time to develop. Despite the talent upgrade this team went through, there maybe not enough depth at certain positions without having to rely on some of the young talent the Heat have. This means Wayne Simien, Earl Barron, Matt Walsh and Wright may all have to step up their education in order to help out this Heat team at some point during the season.

4) Will the new guys adjust? The question isn't really whether or not there is enough shots to go around, or enough touches, but whether the players on this team will buy into a reduced role while at the same time challenging themselves to become more efficient players. All of this for the sake of a championship and winning.

3) Will the Heat have enough 3 point accuracy? After losing Damon Jones, the Heat have had to scramble to replace his .432 three point FG% as well as the .372 clip of Eddie Jones. Jason Kapono can hit the three, but that is about it. Jason Williams and Gary Payton are not strong three point shooters historically, and Dwyane Wade very rarely attempts the trifecta. Defenders may cheat down and double up on the interior and force the Heat to shoot.

2) Will Dwyane Wade be able to adapt and continue to grow his game? Michael Jordan experienced it early in his career and it looks like Dwyane Wade is now faced with a similar challenge - the growth and maturation of his game. Dwyane Wade started to develop an outside shot last season under the tutelage of Erik Spoelstra, Heat assistant coach. Even gaining some confidence with a buzzer beater in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. Yet now, with the new cast, Wade will be asked to move without the ball more. While this means less wear and tear as he is not asked to handle the ball as much, it could also serve as a growing pain to Wade's game as he tends to rely on having the ball in his hands to make plays. We could see either an evolution of Dwyane Wade's game or possibly see his shortcomings in a higher relief.

1) Will there be a parade down Biscayne? Riley said he dreamed about it, envisioned it when he first came to Miami about 10 years ago. After landing Shaq and the uber-development of Dwyane Wade, and pulling off the biggest trade in NBA history, the Heat seem to have all the ingredients necessary to make the impossible a reality. Don't worry about the Riley-to-coach story, although that is something to definetly keep an eye on, there seems to be little evidence to warrant Riley taking over. If anything, Stan Van Gundy has demonstrated himself to be one of the most dynamic coaches in the modern-NBA - going from the Lamar Odom, Dwyane Wade and Caron Butler fun-and-gun playoff team to the Eastern powerhouse of last season. The coaching staff and the core players are tempered by the excitement and expectation of a playoff hunt and that could go a long way towards hoisting the trophy. If the Heat are to grasp the title, it will have definetly been earned.

Burn baby, burn.