Heat Visit White House and Hit Campaign Trail

The Miami Heat started their run for a second straight term as NBA champions officially at the start of the NBA season, but it seems like they are only now starting to gear up for a serious run.

Is it too late, with Wade going down? Some say yes.

The Heat have lost 3 of their last 4 games, and are working on forging a new identity, yet again, in-season to stockpile those wins.


It was an odd scene to witness the Heat at the White House, getting the championship treatment. President Bush talked about the Heat's "15 Strong" mantra and focused on the teamwork the Heat displayed and how the stars of this team overcame many obstacles and put the team ahead of all other agendae.

Strangely, that didn't seem to be the case for the Heat this season as they seemed to hand things over to Wade while the rest of the team showed themselves too bloated and fat on their single championship. Riley did suspend James Posey and Antoine Walker for not being in game shape -- in January. Now with Wade out, they are forced to pick up the pieces. Riley returned just in time -- to prove he wasn't just hanging around to grab another ring.

Wade rejoined the team for the first time in a while for this special occasion. It was like seeing Superman on crutches, or perhaps the Flash. Wade had his shoulder in a sling, which was hidden underneath his suit coat. This team, which depended on him so much, will have to earn its own way to the playoffs while Wade works on rehabbing his shoulder. Shaq is calling for everyone to step up now.

Maybe it is too late?

Then again, maybe not.

The team looked loose and had fun in its meeting at the White House. Shaq joked with the President, who tried to dribble the basketball in the team photo. Maybe getting this kind of reprieve and treatment will help this team reconnect with its championship identity and get them rolling.


Then again, maybe not.

The critics are tough and there is not a lot of support for the Heat to get back to where they were. The polls reflect it as well.

Just because their #1 running mate was dropped for the time being, doesn't mean they still can't get in to the playoffs. Once there, they can make some big noise.

And maybe get a chance to revisit the President next year.

Will Heat Sign Scottie Pippen Now?

A week ago, Pat Riley all but laughed off the notion of signing 41 year old, Ft. Lauderdale resident Scottie Pippen. How much has changed since.

With Dwyane Wade out for the foreseeable future, looking to be at least 4 weeks, will the Heat roll the dice on adding Pippen?

Pip has expressed interest in trying to help a team get deep into the playoffs. What is more, he has expressed very deep interest in playing for Miami. But with Dwyane Wade gone, would he still want to be a part of this team?

I think the answer is yes, and Pippen may be able to provide the Heat with something that they desperately need - a sense of will.

Wade is a huge part of this team, obviously, and is the difference between making this team a good team and a great team. Shaq makes the game easier for everyone, but he can't score 35 a game to bail out his teammates. Wade could, while Shaq maintained his presence and made it easier for the Flash.

Pippen will not be a scorer, let's get this straight. He will most likely simply be a veteran presence that will have his moments - fleeting, but important. What he will provide for the Heat is insurance at the PG position and even as a slasher on this team. His skill set won't be an upgrade over EJ or even Posey, but as a PG he could help the Heat go big and control the game defensively.

Let's face it, Gary Payton is useless. He doesn't score, he doesn't hit the wide open threes he's looking at, and he doesn't play the spectacular, lock-down defense he used to.

Ask yourself, is Pippen an upgrade over Payton? If the answer is yes, then there is certainly a need to sign him now - especially with Wade down and it is unknown how Jason Williams will respond to the current challenge with himself just getting back to full strength.

Riley won't play Quinn over Payton, and it would be debatable if that would be an upgrade at this point anyway. Pippen may be an option, and he wouldn't cost the Heat much more than a roster spot.

Wade Injured Shoulder; Heat Will Regroup

Yes, it is a black day for Heat fans. A very black day, but to quote a famous line from Tolkien, "Yet the sun still rises".

The Heat have their hands full, no doubt. They were all of a sudden together again, like a Beatles reunion, for the first time all season last night. Shaq, Wade, Williams was playing, Riley, everyone. Then, on an attempt to help-defend, Wade dislocates his shoulder by getting his arm caught on Shane Battier's arm, overextending his arm and pulling the joint. At least, that is the observation of what happened.

Wade was x-rayed in Houston, but had to stay behind while the rest of his teammates moved on up to Dallas to take on the Mavericks tonight. Now, we are being told, the Heat are going to be cautious and send Wade back to Miami for further care.

Translation - a few weeks of Wadeless Heat. He is going to be down with a sling around his shoulder, and the basic timetable (for the rest of us mortals) is at least 2 weeks. His shoulder has to be immobilized and he will be on some kind of pain reliever. After a week or so, they will test the shoulder to see what kind of range of motion he has.

Yet, this is not hopeless. Maybe people have forgotten about the rest of this Heat team. There are a few hall-of-famers-to-be rounding out this thing: namely, Shaquille O'Neal.

Pat Riley now seems prophetic for calling out Shaq yesterday and saying that he needs to step it up. And now, that is fact - if the Heat are going to make a run here, they will have to do it without their catalyst, Wade, but Shaq is still the heart of this team. He creates spacing and makes the game so much easier for his teammates.

We saw a little bit of that last night in Houston - Shaq was much more active around the hoop and grabbing rebounds. Heck, he missed a dunk, but would still come down with the rebound and finish what he started. His massive head was under the hoop all night, and not even Dikembe Mutombo could stop him. In fact, Shaq got hit with a tech for using Mutumbo's patented, signature finger waive after he dunked all over Mt. Mutumbo.

That is the Shaq the Heat are going to need tonight. The Shaq that calls out Eric Dampier for what he is. The Shaq that totally dominates the pace of a game. The Shaq of old instead of just an old Shaq.

He has the legs for it, he hasn't played in too many games this season and is noticeably stronger, fit and ready at the time of year where most of his peers are slowing down.

The Heat will re-group tonight against the Mavericks. This game has too much at stake for it - it is the place where the Heat captured their Finals victory last season. In essence, it is their second home. It's the Heat's house.

Let's not forget that Eddie Jones is only a few seasons removed from playing a pivotal role on the Heat's Eastern Conference contending team (that lost to the Pistons). He will be ready. And Riley can rely on him and will have to tonight and for the interim. He may emerge as the starting shooting guard, playing off a healthy Jason Williams.

Another key figure is going to be the play of Jason Kapono. The guy has demonstrated all season that his shooting touch is no fluke, and with that quick release he can score often and in a hurry. Riley should have the Kap'n do his best Richard Hamilton impression - running off multiple screens and popping off shots to confuse and confound the Mavericks defenders.

Any team going up against the Heat has to account for Shaq's post presence and Wade's ability to create and penetrate. Things change, but they can be made to work. Instead of Wade, insert Jason Williams, who looked pretty good in last night's loss to the Rockets. James Posey will continue to be a spot shooter, slasher and physical defender. Antoine Walker could be the x-factor, his shooting is streaky, but if he is on he will space the floor and also have the ability to create mismatches.

There are plenty of weapons for the Heat to play around with while Wade is down. In fact, this might be a blessing in that the Heat will now be forced to forge its identity without Wade and gain the confidence necessary to overcome any obstacle in which the playoffs will surely test.

And the playoffs are by no means out of reach. The Heat play in the East and can look to make a dramatic move up in the standings by eating up the Eastern teams that have been lucking out due to the Heat's injury plagued season - and now, those teams are showing wear of their own. Washington has Antawn Jamison down, and they suffer from the incoherent babble of Gilber Arenas on a nightly basis. The Magic have had their problems, although Dwight Howard looks to pick up for Orlando where Shaq left off a few moons ago. Charlotte and Atlanta are just not ready. Don't even get me started with the Atlantic division, although the Raptors look like a legit playoff team, their youth and inexperience can be exposed on any night. The Central will display the toughest teams with Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago and even Indiana making their pushes.

But the Heat sit at the 8th and final spot. They could struggle and bounce around, or they can move up. This team is too good not to move up.

Keeping the Horse Before the Cart

Pat Riley has returned to the Heat and already is getting comfy in his seat at the helm of the ship. After all, he did build the ship.

He's already calling out Shaq, whom Riley sees as the crucial piece in the championship machine that is the Miami Heat.

"He's got to take the next step forward...He's had enough games," Riley said. "He's in good enough shape where he's not hurting."

Now, I have to admit, when I first saw this I was going to trash Riley who has been out for a month. What right does he have to come back in here and start calling guys out?

Well, he has every right. He is the reason this team is as good as it is, and he is the reason that this team will move forward towards a second, repeat, championship.

Dan LeBatard, of the Miami Herald, wrote an article asking the question why Riley gets to return when he wants to. Maybe with the recent Tim Hardaway sound bite, LeBatard thinks he knows a thing or two about basketball - well, he "don't".

At least, he is missing the point.

Le Batard is right that Shaq respects Riley and will stay in shape for Riley - and that is precisely the reason why Riley can do whatever he wants for this team. Dan seems to understand that. But he misses a crucial point - this isn't about selfish needs or anything like that, it is simply about motivation.

You can say whatever you like about Riley's in-season disappearing act but you would be wrong. First of all, his stats - wins and losses - did not compile under Rothstein's name, but rather under Riley's. So, if the Heat bombed while Riley was out, it would still be Riley's good name being tarnished only it wouldn't have been through his efforts. Selfish?

No, just a part of his masterplan, perhaps.

What Riley did was demonstrate to his team what they had been demonstrating all season long - just quit and turn it on when you felt like it. The Heat were bloated, Riley has stated as much and even pointing the accusatory finger at himself. What happened when the Heat realized that Riley was gone and may be gone for the remainder of the season? They stepped it up - no matter what their motivation was, all of a sudden they actually had motivation.

Still see it as selfish?

Riley understands his team better than any fan or media member - beat writer or not - could ever. He understands them so deeply that he knows how to spot danger possibly even before it appears. Riley also understands that Shaq is the key to this team's success. Wade is going to come to play every night, it is who he is, but more importantly, he is young and still very hungry. Shaq has proven everything he needs to prove - so, how do you motivate him?

By making him a part of the action and raising the stakes.

Let's not forget, the two wins right up before the break were impressive. The Heat ran away from their competition both times in the 4th quarter. The most impressive part of that was the fact that they did that against the Spurs and even more impressive was that they went small and won without Shaq on the floor.

Impressive to everyone except Shaq, who reportedly jetted out of the locker room and avoided talking to the media. His frustration was visible, not being involved in the team's success when it mattered and being treated with kid gloves. Riley, understandably, will not allow that any further.

Pay close attention to what Riley says:

"I think the more Shaquille gets in shape, the more he feels comfortable with a lot of touches, the more he can get his head under the rim, I think we'll be as formidable as we were last year."

Now, notice what comes first - Shaq's physical fitness. Everything is predicated on that and Riley is probably the only coach in the entire world that can get Shaq to work on his conditioning. That, my friends, is keeping the horse before the cart. Because this cart, or this bandwagon, is only going to go as far as Shaq can tow it.

It was painful watching the Heat at times when Shaq did return. The offense was noticably slower and bogged down by his play at center. And the rest of the team was used to playing without him, and playing a more up-tempo style while running the ball.

So, how would you get Shaq to commit to getting into the flow of the game? How would you tell him that he is actually slowing the Heat down like an anchor?

You enlist Pat Riley whose mastery of understanding the professional athlete's ego and his ability to handle star players will get you exactly where you need to be. Riley isn't going out and saying Shaq is slowing us down, he is a shell of himself - for that would be ignorant anyway (and undoubtedly, you will hear such noise from other sources). He chalks it up to something Shaq couldn't control, his knee injury, and thus protects him from public blame.

Make no mistake, Shaq is crucial for the Heat's hopes. The window for championships depends upon him. This is Wade's team and he can greatly affect the outcome of any game - probably moreso than any player in the NBA. But it is Shaq's presence that enhances Wade's ability.

Riley couldn't have returned at a more crucial time, and with a more crucial message.

Wade and Kapono Lead a Hot Night in Vegas

Dwyane Wade entered the Skills competition to defend his title from last season. The competition was thick; Nash, Lebron James, Chris Paul and Kobe. Nonetheless, the Flash was flawless and demonstrated himself not only to be a potent offensive weapon, but to be a machine of the utmost precision.

In the final round, he put the pressure on Kobe by executing a flawless run in only 26.3 seconds. Kobe started off good, but failed to make the crisp pass necessary and instead spent the whole rack correcting his mistake. It seemed the whole shrank for Kobe, and Wade won as Kobe finished with a disappointing time of 42 seconds.

Hoisting the trophy on high, it seems that this could be another notch in Wade's belt and it comes at the expense of Kobe Bryant. Let the comparisons continue.

As that debate will undoubtedly rage on, Jason Kapono made some noise of his own. A late invite to the NBA shootaround for the three point contest, Kapono was only seen as a favorite by the fans that know his game - yep, us Heat fans. (Yours truly actually picked him to win, even though I buried Kapono at the beginning of the season!).

Kapono shot a blazing 70% from downtown to shock and awe his final competition of Dirk Nowitski and Gilbert "Agent Zero Brains" Arenas. Kapono started the final round first and hit 24 points, tying the record set by Mark Price. Dirk melted under the pressure and Arenas started cold and could never catch up.

This win for Kapono continues to build on his amazing season, and also adds credibility to his ability as league marksman. He may now become even more the marked man as a result by opposing teams.

Still, the Heat presence was well-felt, as both competitors represented the Heat in ultimate fashion and winning their respective competitions. Not bad. Let's see if Wade can grab that MVP trophy tomorrow night...or maybe even Shaq.

Hardaway's Comments Warrant Further Study

The NBA has banished Tim Hardaway from the All Star Weekend for his anti-gay comments made recently on the radio. With the NBA dealing with the buzz created over the announcement of John Amaechi being gay, they have decided to distance themselves from Hardaway's comments, which critics cite as the tip of the iceberg where NBA players' sentiments may truly be.

"His views are not consistent with ours," Stern said.

Sounds more like policy-making than anything else.

Critics and gay right activists assert that a larger, silent majority of NBA athletes harbor similar views about gay teammates as Tim Hardaway.

The real question then would be only starting to be asked. What is the actual sentiment of the NBA player over gay athletes?

"I don't need Tim's comments to realize there's a problem," Amaechi said. "People said that I should just shut up and go away — now they have to rethink that."

Lebron James recently stated it was about trust in the lockerroom, and not about whether or not the player is gay. It seems trust would be the codeword in question, as what difference would it make what a guy's sexual preference is in regards to trustworthiness?

Still, the real trouble here could be intolerance of views - including Tim Hardaway's stance against homosexuality.

Hardaway appropriately labeled himself as homophobic - which is simply the fear of gay people. Not the hatred of gays, even though he did say that he hated homosexuals. If that hatred was expressed, it has yet to reveal itself where Hardaway is concerned.

But why shouldn't we also hear Hardaway's point of view? Why shouldn't we follow up and examine his thoughts and why he actually thinks that way? This would enable us to get to the root cause of the problem. Maybe his basis is religious, based on interpretation of his religious doctrine? Or maybe, it is simply based on ignorance? Or perhaps, based on an identity - on the ego-driven identity that is fueled by competition and the identity of what exactly constitutes manliness?

The problem here isn't Tim Hardaway, at least whereas society is concerned. The problem is that there are members of our society that do share a similar view and interestingly, we would rather turn a deaf ear to it or just shut them up. If we are truly going to progress as a society, we have to be able to elicit discussion of opposing points of view and also entertain those opposing points of view.

To entertain a thought is simply to examine it, to shine a light on it and ask the question "why?". It doesn't mean you have to believe it.

We should be uncomfortable talking about these things. Discomfort calls for change, calls for us to pay attention but in our instantly-gratified society, we are all to comfortable with running away from tough issues, running away from anything that is real or challenging.

Here, we just want Tim Hardaway to shut up and go away. Sweep him and his views, as if he and he alone owns them, under the rug. In his apology, he said he was very sorry, deeply sorry in fact, but it seemed more in regards to the negative reaction that he has recieved and has brought upon his family. He also said he was not allowed to comment any further - by whom? And why? The damage has already been done.

Or has it? Is there more?

Our society is hypocritical. We are supposed to support the freedom of speech and the expression of thought. That doesn't mean that we have to support hatred, but we at least have to acknowledge its existence and if we are to change it, we must at least entertain the discussion in order to examine it truthfully.

Otherwise, how is real progress made?

Tim Hardaway: I Hate Gays

We live in a world that is constantly in-touch with one another. In an instant, you can find out what is happening on the complete opposite side of the earth. You can then mine that data, be it video, audio, or someone's blog, and digest it and get a feel for what life is like far away from where you are.

We live in an instant gratification age, where everything is sped up and moving at the speed of light. Sometimes, at the speed of thought - and that is what got Tim Hardaway in trouble.

Let me give you an example - you can watch Michael Richard's blowup as a stand-up comic.

His mind-blowing tirade attacking a few jerks in the audience wouldn't be news in of itself save for the fact that he chose to attack them based on the color of their skin. Kramer was angry, and he was letting it be known - and everyone passed judgement on him.

Yet, here we are in another compromising situation - and strangely, it was just a matter of time. John Amaechi came out last week, stating that the former NBA forward himself was gay. This isn't even a marquee player, mind you, but it generated so much buzz over the story, that Amaechi is almost on celebrity status, doing the talk show circuit thing.

That should be a story in of itself - not the fact that Amaechi is gay, but the fact that the American public is so shocked and awed by it. In the year 2007.

What is more stunning is Hardaway's response to the question about playing on a team with gay players. Listen HERE.

Perhaps because we are so quickly inter-connected these days, we just caught Tim Hardaway at a bad moment. Maybe he wasn't thinking clearly about the possibly ramifications of his statement - that surely a media frenzy would be on the horizon. Or maybe that is precisely the point - Hardaway, an old dog loved for his telling-it-straight personality all of a sudden felt the need to use that old reflex, not realizing that times have changed.

The culture of the NBA, moreover that of the professional athlete, is intolerant of homosexuality, as it paints a femine and almost negative picture in the minds of the alpha male, ultra competitive individual whose sole ambition is dominance and performance. If we need a reminder, at least where homosexuality is concerned, we need only to turn to John Rocker, whose comments as a Brave had the entire city of New York in an uproar.

Appropriately, the NBA has served as a barometer for social change, for obvious reasons. This time, however, the color barrier seems to be pushed to the background and the new class up for equality, sexual preference, comes to the front for observation. To pass judgement on Hardaway is to pass rash judgement on ourselves. For in our midst, there are many that feel exactly the same way as Tim Hardaway does. That should not be a shock.

What should be a shock is the medium on which that statement was made, and strangely there is something refreshing about hearing someone speak their mind freely, even if we don't (or shouldn't) agree with it. In this time of political correctness, it is stunning that Tim Hardaway would venture such an attempt. Yet he has. And we are left to see what comes of it.

Strange it just happened to fall on Valentine's Day.

Is Wade the Best Player in the Game?

Ok, I know it may seem as a new low for me, but I cannot help but ask this question - and strangely, I have felt the answer for four years now. Simply put, yes, he is.

There is no player right now dominating the game, or even playing anywhere near the same level as Wade. No one.

He has raised his game ever since the season started. His scoring has gone up in each month: from 25 in October to 27 in November and December, to 30 points per contest in January, and now up to 31 for the month of February. His shooting percentage is at 49.5 on the season - daunting numbers which have Wade approaching Jordan territory. He is getting to the free throw line over 11 times a game; that shows how aggressive he plays and how futile defenses are against him.

You could match him up against anyone, and he will own you. Just ask the Spurs and now the Trailblazers.

After losing a game with an embarrassing performance against the Cavs, the Heat and Wade have stepped up. They took on the Spurs at home in a national telecast, and impressed upon everyone who watched what this team is capable of - they took a tight game and blew it open to a 15 point lead down the stretch to close it out. It was done with a smaller lineup, featuring Wade as the playmaker. All Wade did was go without a field goal in the first quarter, and then turn a sub-par game into an exhibition as he dropped 18 points in the fourth quarter against the Spurs. With Bruce Bowen guarding him.

But how does Wade follow up that game? With another amazing clutch performance against the Trailblazers.

Now, I know what you're saying, it's the Trailblazers. Sure, but they have talent and came to play - the game was tight entering the 4th quarter at 73-70. Just like in the Spurs game, Wade took over to snatch the game back from possible defeat; this time, he scored 16 points in the final quarter.

Yet, it isn't just pouring points in, but when the scores come. He scored three straight baskets in about a minute and a half of time to build up the Heat's lead and put a stamp on the game - ending up with 35 points for the game.

What is even more amazing is that none of this may have ever have happened - Wade took a big tumble with 9:36 left as he went up for a layup and came down on his shoulder. In visible pain, he was escorted by team doctor Ron Culp to the lockerroom, which has become an all-too familiar sight for Heat fans. Silence fell upon the crowd - could this really be happening just as the Heat were starting to win and get things back? And Riley was on his way back to the bench?

Wade emerged later from the lockerroom to re-enter the game and then dominate the Blazers. "I probably looked at the tunnel about seven times," Rothstein said. And when he returned, he went 7-11 from the field.

Stunning plays that seems to feature highlight reels every night. Scary moments where a near serious injury seems to be avoided by sheer will alone. Clutch performances that steal wins from teams - either during the regular season or in the playoffs. Wade is dominating the game in the way that would make even Steve Nash blush. It is a realistic statement, not beyond logic or even in the realm of fantasy, to say that Dwyane Wade is the best player in the NBA.

Even Joel Pryzbilla is taking notice - and you know you are doing something right when Pryzbilla notices: "He showed why he is one of the best players in the league. He just took over. They showed why they are the world champs."

How repetitive is that starting to sound?

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Injury Bug Squashed? Wait Until After the All Star Break

Some fans will say, "wait til next year" to voice their optimism after a disappointing season. In fact, some have done it so often, it is almost a reflex, right Cubs fans? It's like breathing - involuntary.

Well, it was starting to look that way for Heat fans, too early of course. And there might not have been much to look forward to next year anyway. As it turns out, it may come sooner - "Wait until after the All Star Break."

The injury bug for the Heat has been Godzilla-like ravaging the triple A and the Heat roster at every chance it got. All Ron Culp could do was order air strikes and masses of soldiers toting guns, but to no avail as this colossal bug was able to knock down Heat players like cardboard buildings. It even got Mothra, I mean Pat Riley.

Yet, this too shall pass. It can't rain all the time. No, I am not being Anthony Robbins here, just stating the obviousness of the situation - and it appears to be getting better at just the right time.

Jason Williams, out with an abdominal tear (you mean, it's not his swelling knee or clubbed-foot?), is looking like a go post the big show in Vegas. Ron Rothstein said, "He'll be out until after the break, and then we'll have to see what happens. The consensus was we'll give it a little bit more time, moderate his workouts, and bring him along a little more slowly, and hopefully after the break he'll be ready to go."

As JWill55 is concerned, its show and go.

As for Rothstein, his days are apparently numbered as his replacement will be coming soon. You may remember him, Pat Riley? Yeah, apparently he is going to come back to the team's bench for the third time in the last three years. Seems all that conspiratorial nonsense about him stepping down, only coaching for a ring was wrong. Or is that right? I guess it depends on how you look at it, come to think of it!

In all seriousness, reports are that Riley will announce his return Wednesday at a conference, as the Heat start their All Star Break (which will run through Feb. 21st). Rothstein maintains that Riley has kept in close communication with the team but has not attended any practices just yet. That will all change.

As does everything else. The Heat, currently 4 games in back of Washington, is getting healthy while both the Magic and the Wizards - currently above the Heat in the standings - are dealing with injury. If you listen quietly, you can hear the collective gasp coming out of Washington and Orlando about their predicaments. Sounds kind of like Jason Terry screaming at his team "here comes Wade!!".

You just wait until after the All Star Break.

Fire Up the Bandwagon

The Heat are back. That's right, the Heat are back.

If anyone with a neuron watched the game this afternoon, a clashing of two potential juggernauts (3 Finals MVPs on the floor at the same time - Wade, Shaq and Duncan!), then they witnessed the return of the Miami Heat. Finally.

Shaq played a lively 24 minutes, and is still returning from his knee injury. You couldn't tell. The Diesel dropped 16 and ravaged the Spurs frontcourt at will. Oberto, Elson, Duncan, it didn't matter. Shaq had at least 3 rim-rocking dunks today; the rims are still shaking at this very moment.

Wade did his usual superhero imitation, only without the phone booth. He didn't score a field goal in the first quarter, but dropped 18 points (of his 26 total) in the 4th by himself. The Spurs had no answers except run at him and flop and pray for a foul.

"It was a great game until Dwyane Wade decided to take over," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "And then it was over."

Yet, this is not unusual. This is how the Heat are expected to win games, and especially at home. They dump off into the post for the Big Fella or clear out and let Wade take over. What is a little more interesting is who finished the game out and who was contributing to the win.

Ron Rothstein seemed to have enough. Shaq was in foul trouble, so he put Zo in at the start of the 4th. Then, Zo gets clocked for a few fast fouls (say that three times fast) and the Heat go small. On the floor is Wade, EJ, Posey, Walker and Haslem. All they do is end up running the Spurs out of the building on the heels of a 15 point lead.

"Great defense. It surprised me a little bit."

Tony Parker shouldn't have been surprised, all of a sudden he couldn't score anymore. Duncan's shot wasn't falling. Ginobili went cold. It shouldn't be a coincedence as two masters of perimeter defense, Eddie Jones and James Posey, were on the floor at the same time. Even ex-Heatian Bruce Bowen, who polished his skills under the tutelage of Keith Askins, had to be impressed. Rothstein was, "Eddie was huge. Capital H, capital U, capital G, capital E. He was terrific."

EJ did finish up with 12 points, one basket was Wade-like, as he attacked the basket and spun around backwards to flip the ball in the net. He was also 4-4, but the real key was his defense. This is the main thing the Heat needed to get going - better defensive efforts. And it is contagious - Posey was brilliant as both he and EJ worked tirelessly to stifle the Spurs offense. To the point where for a seven minute period, the Spurs did not score a field goal (9:15 to 2:07 left in the 4th).

In fact, that small lineup did so well, it didn't need to see Shaq return and he sat out for the remaining 15 minutes plus.

If you told anyone that today the Heat would be in the 4th quarter with both Shaq and Zo on the bench, they would have guessed either it was a complete blowout, the two were in foul trouble, or something very bad had happened.

How things change in a matter of days. The Heat went from a lackluster performance against pretenders the Cavs, to a toe-to-toe matchup with the first-class Spurs which resulted in a bit of a blowout for the Heat.

Only starting to get healthy, although lacking Jason Williams, the Heat are showing that the champs aren't the chumps everyone might have written them off to be.

Now, it is just up to the Heat to continue to work and get better. Meanwhile, I will dust off the bandwagon, fire up the engine, and start driving around just in case anyone wants to grab a seat.

Where's the Beef?

Wade did something shocking the other day, and for the most part it went unnoticed. He called out Dirk Nowitski.

This not only got ESPN to plaster it on the screen tonight while knee-deep in the sludge of Cleveland (as the Heat eventually where stifled by the Cavs and a less-than-gimpy LeBron) but it also drew the ire of big-mouthed owner Mark Cuban.

First of all, the sound bite from Wade:

"Dirk said that they gave us the championship last year," Wade said Thursday. "But he's the reason they lost the championship because he wasn't the leader he's supposed to be in the closing moments."

Kind of stunning coming from Wade, but anyone who followed the Heat and the Finals last season knows EXACTLY where he is coming from. Also remember, this guy is not exactly outspoken. He prefers to do his thing and not talk much.

Ironically, the big problem is with what Wade said. Mavs fans, and their classy owner Mark Cuban, have made it no secret that they dislike (to be polite) Wade and his "ability" to get to the charity stripe. They even point a ringless finger at Wade whenever he falls down and scream "fraud". Yet, this time Wade fires back and undercuts Dirk with a tongue-lashing in the media.

The real question is, is there not any truth to it? Nowitski did seem to melt in the spotlight of the Finals, but it gets overlooked mostly because of Wade's greatness in that series.

Exhibit A

In game 3, Nowitski did have 30 points on 9-20 shooting, but was 2-7 from 3 point range. He was also 10-12 from the free throw line while Wade had 42 points (13-18 from the free throw line, Markie mark). He grabbed his last rebound with 1:59 to go in the 3rd quarter. From then on, he would settle for being outside and shooting jumpshots.

Yet, it was his shooting touch that failed him, wasn't it? With 3 seconds to go in Game 3, the Heat were up by 2 but Dirk got put on the free throw line - on yes, a questionable call. What did Dirk do? He made the first and CHOKED on the second. 97-96, Heat.

Dirk makes the free throw, they TIE the game.

And guess who got that rebound? Wade. And guessed who immediately fouled him? Dirk.

Wade went on to make the first free throw and then miss the second, but it put them up by 2, 98-96. Call it a choke? You go ahead, but the fact is, the Heat would end up winning this game because of Wade's efforts.

One more thing - after the Mavs grabbed the rebound from Wade's missed free throw, they called a time out to set up a play for Dirk. Nowitski ended up turning the ball over in the final attempt to, guess who, Dwyane Wade.

Exhibit B

Dirk Nowitski's 16 point performance in Game 4, an important rebound game for the Mavs who just lost a tough Game 3. Dirk was 2-14 from the field, 1-5 from downtown, but what made his night respectable were FREE THROWS where he was 11-13. Otherwise what is that, a 5 spot on the night for ol'Dirk? Das ist nicht gut, mein freund. (Pssst...Markie mark, Wade had 36 points on 13-23 shooting and 8-9 from the FT line...)

Exhibit C

Dirk follows up his 16 point performance with a sulking 20 point performance in Game 5. This is where the whining about free throws would reach the highest pitch - because playing defense couldn't possibly help. The Mavs had no answers, and that is the proper perspective to maintain, despite how Wade earned his 43 points (he was 11-28 from the field and 21-25 from the free throw line, matching the Mavs' night from the free throw) he got it done when it mattered. Nowitski did tie the game at 91-91 with only seconds to go in the 4th (49 seconds), but it was the first time he scored in over 6 minutes (last score was at 6:41 putting the Mavs up by 5, 79-74). Meanwhile, Wade scored 13 points in that span keeping his team in the game and setting up for the win in OT - where Nowitski committed a 'controversial' foul on Wade where DWade iced the game by making BOTH free throws.

What plagued Dirk was he wasn't physical when it mattered. He didn't get into the low post to set up teammates or scrap for rebounds. He was all too happy to sit out on the wing and shoot jumpers, leaving the dirty work to everyone else. The ball didn't flow through him, but rather to him. Wade, however, did it all.

But there is something really vital Mark Cuban is overlooking in his polemic against Dwyane Wade - simple English.

Wade has NEVER proclaimed himself to be the leader of this team. In fact, read THIS or even THIS to see evidence of it.

Dirk, on the other hand, has. And he was underwhelming when it mattered, in the Finals. He showed up in Game 6, but it was too late at that point - the Mavs were playing for nothing more than a fool's hope. That fool happened to be named Mark Cuban, of course. It was basically garbage time.

So, let Mark Cuban say what he wants to say. Let him whine and cry from his expensive private jets and let his blogs flow like cheap beer (where you can't post comments unless you are approved it seems...). Just enough to give you a headache.

Wade, thankfully, has enough sense to stay out of it. He said his piece in response to Nowitski's bitterness about his team losing to the Heat. Cuban will not let it go. And his continued whining about Wade's free throw attempts are laughable, especially in light of the FTAs Nowitski commands (see Game 4, Markie Mark).

And pathetically, the Mavs had their regular season game in Miami THIS season circled on the calendar; even going as far as self-imposing a curfew of 10pm because they wanted to beat the Heat sooooooo bad.

Yet, if Dirk was anything of the leader he claims to be, wouldn't he have spoken up in response to Wade's comments? Instead of hiding behind his mommy, Mark Cuban.

If he was, maybe both he and Cuban would have rings.

Quinn gets first ever NBA start

There was some good news amid the latest Jason Williams' injury and the Gary Payton suspension, at least for one Heat member - Chris Quinn made his first NBA start of his career.

The free agent guard made the Heat roster out of training camp because he was able to show that he can be an effective floor leader, displaying the same heady game he had while at Notre Dame. Known for his ballhandling and ability to run an offense efficiently, Quinn has been able to log minutes all season long due to the Heat's lack of depth at the point guard position.

Yet tonight, he was able to shine on his own.

Quinn scored 14 points on 4-8 shooting, 2-4 from three point range. He also logged a healthy 36 minutes - the last time a Heat point guard actually logged 30+ minutes? Tim Hardaway, against the Magic, in 1997. Ok, I was kidding about that last part, but it does seem like it has been a while.

Still, what Quinn was able to do was provide the Heat with an effective and efficient point guard. He didn't try to do too much; he had 5 rebounds and 5 assists over against 2 turnovers. He wasn't flashy; he hit his shots and handled his assignment.

"I think any time you get thrown into that situation you get a little nervous, but once you're out on the court, it's just basketball," Quinn said. "The only thing you can do is compete and play as hard as you can. It went great because we got a win. I think that's the most important thing."

That makes it 4 straight for the Heat, who also got a very good performance out of Shaq tonight against a tough, young frontcourt. Perhaps we will see more of Quinn, Lord knows we need someone to eat up the minutes at PG to get us through the season. Unless Riley is working on a trade in between rehabbing his knees and hip.

Not bad for the only guy whose last name begins with a "q" in the NBA.