Heat must embrace the dark side

As the Heat and Bulls wound up game 3 last night, James Posey went on a frenzy. He pushed Tyson Chandler a little harder than normal while tracking down a rebound, but also laid into Kirk Hinrich in the very next play.

According to Stu Jackson, who is the NBA's disciplinarian, he was 'sizing up' Hinrich when he shouldered the point guard down to the floor.

Posey got ejected immediately and left the game.

The Heat then proceeded to implode with a technical from Haslem. More fouls ensued.

And I liked every second of it. Why?

Sure, it pretty much cost the Heat the game at that point. It also cost the Heat one of their best three point threats and perimeter defenders for who knows how long, probably the series. But what it did do is push this team closer to embracing its ultimate identity.

If this team is going to be a champion, it must get a little nastier, a lot meaner. It can't be the jolly giant that seems to be Shaq these days. It needs to be a fierce competitor, more along the lines of a Wookie - who you will let win or it will tear your arms from your sockets.

The Heat not only need to dominate opponents, but intimidate and instill fear. Zo does that at the center position by redirecting shots taken in the paint with his timely blocks. Haslem looks the part, with the corn rows dangling from behind his head - like something from Mad Max. Wade shaved his head completely bald to, admittedly, not be so 'pretty'.

Good guys wear white, bad guys wear black. Don the black. Embrace it. Give in to the Dark Side and become more powerful than you could ever imagine. Pat Riley needs to let his team feel this identity grow and take hold of it. They need to come out with swords drawn, eyes glaring, flaming nostrils.

This is the playoffs. Win or go home. Someone stole your car, your house, has held your family hostage. Take no prisoners. It is about doing whatever it takes to succeed - climbing over the carcasses of those who came before you at the mouth of the Hydra.

Riley likes to point to the story of Cortez and his ambition in Mexico, where he had his boats burned so that his men knew there was no way out. The mission was their life. Or like Patton said, the object of war is not dying for your country, but making the other poor bastard die for his.

Fall down 7 times, get up 8? Not unless you are going to knock down someone else each time you get up.

That is what this team needs to learn. That is the identity this team needs to grab hold of and embrace. In order to win, the Heat have to get a little crazy, feel a little bloodlust. They need to smell the blood in the water and go for the kill.

Time to embrace the dark side.

Heat lack killer instinct

The Heat are up 2-0 and I am going to be guilty of something Pat Riley is calling the media out for - for judging this team too harshly.

But I have been a big proponent of this squad and the moves Riley the GM made this past offseason, so I think I have a little wiggle-room on this: I don't think the Heat are playing intense enough to get past the second round, let alone win a rematch with the Detroit Pistons - if it comes to pass.

In tonight's game 2 with the Bulls, the Heat had reached 100 points with 9:19 left in the 4th quarter. It got to 102-87 with 7:51 left and then the lead was widdled down to 102-91 with 4:41 left in the 4th. At one point, it got within 4 points as the Heat allowed the Bulls to get back into the game.

The problem with the Heat was not offense - they were scoring at ease. In fact, they may have gotten a little slack with the game, thinking once they reached 100 points their job was done. At the end of the game, both teams were scoring with, what seems to be, ease. The Heat shot 52% while the Bulls shot 53% for the game.

The key was the difference between the 3rd and 4th quarters. It was night and day. In the 3rd, the Heat scored 27 points to the Bulls 19 to end 95-76 in favor of the Heat. James Posey had hit 3 three pointers and contributions were coming from everyone on the floor. The Heat clamped down on D, everyone attacked the rim. Everyone played aggressive defense.

Then the 4th happened.

The Heat hit 100 points and everything seemed to be in place for a blow out, but the Heat got complacent. They started to shoot threes and play soft on defense. They no longer attacked the rim and gave far too many open shots to Kirk Hinrich, who decided to take over the game. The Bulls shot 14-21 (66%) in the 4th, Hinrich alone was 7-9 (77%) from the floor.

This is NOT the way you win championships. This is not the way you make it easier on your hobbling team, either. Ideally, the Heat should have continued to attack in the 4th quarter, and sat their starters down and let their bench take over and ride out the big lead for the win. Demoralize your opponents as you go to Chicago for Game 3. You don't want your opponent feeling like time ran out otherwise the result would have been different. The Bulls are a young and hungry team and they won't quit playing. Scott Skiles is an excellent strategist in terms of creating matchups and demands that his players dont quit. And they won't.

The Heat can learn something from the Bulls - they can learn what it will take to win a championship. They have to put the Bulls away early and keep them put away, not just misplaced.

If the Heat don't realize this, they will have this series dragged out and on longer than it needs to be. Not even Wade's newly shorned head can gleam a path through the impending jungle.

Riley is right, this team is judged too harshly. This team is up 2-0 and heading to Chicago for the coup de grace on the series and their young opponents. Let's hope for no more attrition though and instead, see if this team can respond and not only come out with intensity, but sustain it until after the final bell rings.

HEAT Playoffs TV Schedule

4/22 Sun Sports/ESPN

4/24 Sun Sports/TNT

4/27 Sun Sports/TNT

4/30 ABC

TBA* Sun Sports/TBD

TBA* Sun Sports/TBD

TBA* TBD

*If necessary

NOTE: All National Broadcasters will air games in HD. HEAT Spanish Radio feed on Sun Sports via SAP. ABC and ABC HD are WPLG-10 in South Florida, WPBF-25 in the Palm Beaches and the Treasure Coast, and WZVN-26 in Southwest Florida.

SUN SPORTS
ROUND 1: HEAT local television broadcast partner Sun Sports will broadcast all playoff games made available for local team broadcast, along with a 30 minute pre-game show and extended post-game coverage. Eric Reid will handle play-by-play duties, with Tony Fiorentino providing color commentary. Jason Jackson will reprise his role as sideline reporter.

ROUND 2: Once again, HEAT local television broadcast partner Sun Sports will broadcast all playoff games made available for local team broadcast, along with a 30-minute pre-game show and extended post-game coverage. For playoff games that are not broadcast locally on Sun Sports, Sun Sports will broadcast one hour pre-game show along with one hour of post-game coverage and commentary.

ROUND 3 / NBA Finals: Sun Sports will broadcast a one hour pre-game show along with one hour of post-game coverage for every game played in Round 3 and the NBA Finals.

ENGLISH RADIO

HEAT Radio 610 WIOD will carry all HEAT playoff games and will have expanded HEAT playoff coverage featuring HEAT play-by-play announcer Mike Inglis, color commentator John Crotty and host Jorge Sedano.

SPANISH RADIO

All HEAT playoff games can be heard en espanol on Radio Mambi WAQI 710 AM. Jose Paneda will handle the play-by-play duties, with Joe Pujala serving as host / color commentator.

Running with the Bulls

And so it begins...

The Miami Heat will kick off their highly anticipated postseason by hosting the Chicago Bulls for the first round. Being inhospitable will be key for the Heat, as they have home court advantage and will look to fine tune their attack against the tough, young Bulls.

With one of the best defenses in the NBA, leading the league in FG% allowed (42.7%), this will be no easy task for the Heat. Recovering from the recent injuries of Alonzo Mourning, Jason Williams and James Posey, the Heat are charged with not only getting their starting unit up to speed, but also with getting the anchor on their bench firmly entrenched into playoff mode. The fire is definetly there with Zo, and the experience, too, but will his timing be there? Will his familiarity with the offense be sufficient enough to help this Heat team dispense the Bulls quickly?

In truth, it won't matter.

Zo's contribution to this team will be his defensive presence and energy. He has been able to single-handedly, at times, whip up the Heat and rally them to victory when his teammates got stale. His shot blocking and challenges around the basket make the 2nd unit of the Heat one of the toughest to score on.

And what about Posey and Williams? Williams' chronic knee tendonitis flares up and is too painful to overcome in back to back contests. Thankfully, the playoffs don't have back to backs - and this will aid Jason who has been resting and rehabbing since the beginning of April.

Posey, before going down with injury, was the Heat's starting SF and main perimeter defender. On offense, his only task was to take what was given to him - and he did. His three point shot fell from the sky at a career high 40.3% this season (in his last three games, the first he has played in since Mar. 29, he is 3/9 from three point range).

But it is the Bulls that have given the Heat some fits this season. The Heat are 2-1 against the Bulls this season, but the two wins were by a total of 4 points. Jason Williams missed the Dec. 13th game, and only Shandon Anderson missed the Mar. 18th contest - so the Heat were basically at full strength.

Dwyane Wade was also frustrated in both of those wins, shooting 6-17 in the first game and 1-8 with 10 turnovers in the second win.

So, the stage is set. The Bulls will be coming to Miami and hoping that with their strong perimeter defense and excellent guard play, they can expose a weakness in the Heat and steal the series.

Finally, the real season can begin. All the whispers of underachieving can be silenced - for now. The big gamble of Pat Riley will either come to fruition or will bankrupt him in this postseason. Win or go home. For the Heat, the long strange trip really begins here and now.

Heat playoff picture determined tonight

The Heat have already locked up the #2 seed on April 14th against the 76ers (while I was in attendance) - which means that they will have home court advantage guranteed for the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Who the Heat will play, still remains to be seen.

Right now, the 4 candidates are the Washington Wizards (41-40), the Chicago Bulls (40-41), the Milwaukee Bucks (40-42) and the Indiana Pacers (40-41).

The Bucks are done, losing to the Wizards on Tuesday killed their chances of leapfrogging up to the #5 seed and a date with Lebron's Cavs. Was that a good move for the Bucks?

Yet, the Wizards, the Bulls and the Pacers all still have one game to play.

Since the Heat are the #2 seed, they will be paired off with the #7 seed - as of right now, that is Chicago.

There remains 8 total possibilities to be played out. The Wizards are at Detroit, the Bulls host the Raptors and the Pacers host the hot Magic. All three teams have something to play for - their seeding and their 1st round opponent. Their opponents tonight do not: Raptors and Magic play for pride (and I suspect the Magic will come to play because of their youth and Coach Hill) while the Pistons will most likely play their 'bench' and rest their starters (their reserves can finally shake off those seat marks on the back of their legs).

Here are the head to head records:
Bulls vs. Bucks 2-2 (favors Bucks)
Bulls vs. Wizards 3-1 (favors Bulls)
Bulls vs. Pacers 2-2 (favors Bulls)
Pacers vs. Bucks 2-2 (favors Bucks)
Pacers vs. Wizards 2-3 (favors Wizards)

Of all these scenarios, only the Bulls, Bucks and Pacers have the potential to end up with the same record of 40-42 while only the Bulls, Pacers and Wizards could end up with the same record of 41-41.

If the Wizards win at Detroit, they end up 42-40 and lock up their spot at #5, and that leaves the Pacers and Bulls (both 41-41) to round out the #6 and #7 spots, with the Bulls landing the Heat in the first round (based on head to head tiebreaker).

If the Wizards lose, they end up in a tie (record wise) with the Bulls and Pacers - who must win their games in order to post a 41-41 record. If the Wizards and Pacers tie, based on head to head, Wizards get the 5, Pacers the 6 and the Bulls #7 and the Heat.

If the Bulls and the Wizards tie (41-41), the Bulls get the 5, the Wizards the 6 and the Pacers get the #8 (40-42) while the Bucks get the #7 (since they have a tie-breaker over both the Bulls and Pacers).

If the Pacers and Wizards tie, the Pacers get #5 while the Wiz get the #6 and the Bucks get the seventh seed and the Bulls the #8.

Whew!! So, it depends on what the Wizards do first in order to set things straight and they seem to have the most control over their destiny at this point.

Of the remaining possibilities, 4 have the Heat facing the Bucks, 2 have the Heat taking on the Pacers, and one for the Wizards and one for the Bulls.

Aww heck, let's just sit back and let it be sorted out on its own!

Heat lose to Pistons and world ends?

Ok, so I expected the Heat to beat the Pistons last night and they didn't. Big deal.

I am a fan, of course I am going to expect the Heat to beat the Pistons. But one difference continues to glare at us Heat fans where the Pistons are concerned: they are completely healthy.

And, they are completely on board with what they are supposed to do.

Now, those chemistry supporters - you know, those writers out there that disdain talent in favor of chemistry - are absolutely wet in the pants over this. Because, it would seem, that chemistry trumps talent.

Yet, time and time again, this is not so.

Last night, all that happened was a Pistons team, which has had not a single significant injury all season nor a major change to the roster, continued to do what they have always done - play hard, physical defense, slow the game down and win.

That isn't to say the Pistons aren't talented. That would be insane. Their starting five is excellent and arguably all five have all-star caliber talents.

Yet, the Heat are not without talent either. They, too, have a starting 5 that has great ability. You could argue that James Posey and Udonis Haslem are not all-star caliber, but the Heat's bench with Zo, Gary Payton and Antoine Walker have all made the trip.

But Zo, Jason Williams and James Posey didn't suit up last night and that was significant for the Heat - and just as much so for the Pistons in terms of matchups.

The Heat relied on Dwyane Wade and Shaq to do their scoring - and they did. They combined for 57 of the Heat's 82 points (29 for Wade, 28 for the Daddy). The Pistons, on the other hand, had 5 players in double digits.

The Heat missed the services of Jason Williams at point guard, who makes the transition game much smoother as he gets the ball up the court faster and has been able to hit his shot very efficiently. James Posey gives the Heat another athletic perimeter player to defend and shoot the open three. Zo is the intense game changer that comes off the bench for Shaq - who suffered 2 fouls in the first quarter.

If the Pistons lost three players for the game last night - any three - it would have had a significant impact on their game. Imagine if they lost 2 starters and their main reserve off the bench - how much would that have impacted the Pistons?

So much so it wouldn't have been much of a test for the Heat and in fact, would have been an expected win.

So, why should it be any different for the Pistons?

Shaq vs. Stu Jackson

In what seems to be a rather disturbing development, Shaquille O'neal has seen yet another regular season foul upgraded - after the fact - to a flagrant foul.

The NBA has specific rules on acquiring flagrant fouls - either 1 or 2 points is assessed for each flagrant foul, accrue 5 points or more over the course of a season and the player must serve a one game suspension.

Due to this policy and its levying against Shaq, the Diesel seems to think that Stu Jackson, NBA Vice President and the NBA official in charge of such oversights, has an agenda against him.

Now, this has been chronicled elsewhere in other articles as simply Shaq complaining about refereeing and the double standard in which they call the game. Players are not allowed to use a double-forearmed method for defending players in the post, but instead are allowed to place a hand on the offensive player. Yet, when Shaq turns into a player who is defending him - and he flops - Shaq is called for the foul.

Your textbook refereeing conspiracy theory you hear from every star player at a given time on any night.

Or is it?

It has been my observation that Shaq is one of the hardest players in the history of basketball to monitor from an official's standpoint. Is he initiating contact or reacting to it? Is it his natural strength and size that is creating spacing for him - legally - or is he simply abusing the system?

That said, there does seem to be a double standard in effect here.

Ask yourself, why is Stu Jackson - who I am sure has better things to do - reviewing Shaq's play with a microscope only to overturn normal fouls into flagrant fouls? In fact, these are fouls ruled by NBA referees as de facto fouls - why the need to upgrade them into flagrants?

What needs to be called into question here in the secrecy with which the NBA goes about this process. Bring it to light. Because operating in an ivory tower somewhere under a shadow only enhances Shaq's points about their being an agenda here. Who is demanding the NBA to look at these incidents and what is their motivation for them?

This latest issue must be illustrated here. After beating the Chicago Bulls 85-84 on March 18th, a foul by Shaq on Andres Nocioni was ruled a flagrant on March 22nd.

Four days later.

Sure, the NBA is a bureaucratic beast and subject to the inefficiencies and pitfalls of such an animal. But is it a coincidence that the Heat won that game, and won it by one point and then the foul was upgraded?

Again, who complained? What was the motivation in this instance? For getting it right?

In a closely contested contest like that one in Chicago, wouldn't the referees feel it necessary to call a flagrant foul in order to properly officiate the game? Because a flagrant foul would have served the Bulls' cause and certainly would have given them a better chance at pulling out a win, instead of suffering a tough loss.

If that is the case, then perhaps the NBA referees are not doing such a good job after all and Stu Jackson is merely correcting what his officials missed.

But that opens up a whole new box from which Pandora could escape (which, incidentally was a jar by the way...).

So, Shaq will lock horns with Stu Jackson. He will denounce Jackson as inept and threaten to take his job once he retires. Fines will ensue, a cease and desist mandate will be handed down from the NBA offices. In fact, ominously, the NBA is 'reviewing' the comments already. (Expect the ruling in 4 days time...)

There is much at stake here, believe it or not. The integrity of the executive office, the accuracy of the NBA's officials, and even the reputation of Shaquille O'neal. Is he merely another NBA star complaining about officiating? Or does he have a beef?

On the one hand, there does seem to be an agenda in hand as issuing the flagrant does not help any team - neither the Bulls nor the Heat.

Yet, on the other hand, Jackson demonstrates a mistrust in his own officials to call a game.

Either way, it doesn't look good.

Heat getting complacent?

I know that this is practically an impossibility, with Riley coaching this team, but the Heat seemed to be playing under-inspired of late.

Just a general observation - and sure, they haven't had Shaq for a spell here (hyper-extended left knee - which I want to suggest is not a coincedence coming AFTER another bout with the Pacers. Tell me the last two times Shaq has missed games and I will point to the last team he played in both those recent incidents was in fact the Pacers. America's Dirtiest Team? Probably another topic for another time...).

3-3 over their last six and an underwhelming performance against the highly inspired, overly confident and re-surging New Jersey Nets on Sunday was what made me worry. Vince Carter continued to dominate the Heat whenever he plays them. Why? I have no clue.

Sure, we don't have Zo right now. And yes, we didn't have Shaq for two of those games (a win over the Raptors and a loss to the Cavs). But still, you get the feeling this team has kind of hit a wall at this point and needs to get back on track. They were completely overmatched against New Jersey.

And now, the Bucks lay in wait for the Heat. The same Bucks who are in the playoff hunt and are looking to make a statement. At least this game will be in Miami, where the Heat can get a little home cooking (mmmm, arepas...) and can hopefully find their swerve again.

The Heat have arguably one of the best benches in the NBA. But without Zo, they don't seem to be faring as well. Simien has performed very admirably in Zo's stead, however. We'll see what kind of signal Miami sends to the rest of the NBA - who is watching NJ gain ground on that #2 seed.