Heat Just a Wade Away from Turning Things Around

0-5 is not time to panic. Unless of course it is a playoff series in which case it would be beyond the time to panic. The Heat have not had an easy schedule but they have been competitive. There are reasons to be encouraged:

1) Ricky Davis is adjusting. The guy is an exciting, athletic player that can be a difference maker on both ends of the floor for Miami. He could easily be that 3rd scoring option the Heat desperately need and he is showing signs of that - getting 20+ points against the Suns most recently.

2) Jason Williams looks better. He also dropped 20+ on the Suns and looks terrific moving the ball in traffic and pushing the offense. Getting used to playing with different personnel will help and with Wade set to return soon JWill's play will only get better. Will he stay healthy? This is his final contract year...

3) Shaq is starting to look good again. His first two games he was virtually non-existent offensively - as far as scoring is concerned. Of late, he too is starting to score more. Looking less sluggish, he is also showing that he can still take over a game for stretches.

4) Anfernee Hardaway is as good as advertised. Coming off the bench he has played excellent defense, provided timely and efficient scoring, and showing heady play. He could be Posey's replacement. Penny is worth much more - somewhere Abraham Lincoln is smiling.

5) Wade is coming back. Sooner rather than later.

See the difference in the margin of win or loss in the Heat's first five games has been a play or two. Even against a team like San Antonio on the road, the Heat played them tight throughout but couldn't hang in the whole game trying to adjust as a team to new personnel and a strong opponent. If Wade, healthy and ready to go, was in that game there would have been a big difference on the offensive side of the floor. That could have resulted in a win.

Put a healthy Wade in the lineup against the Pistons, the Suns, the Bobcats and you might see a win in those games as well.

What we are seeing is a microcosm of last season - the Heat without Wade is a good team, not a great team. They have to find a way to compete and win - but with Wade they could make up the difference and turn things around.

Heat fans, keep this in perspective. It is still early. A healthy Wade, set to return, could be the difference.

MiamiHeatwave.com Still Down

Just an update - I should have MiamiHeatwave.com back up and running this week. My hosting company has been horrible in regards to customer service - it has been practically non-existent. I recommend anyone who is considering building a website, at this time, avoid Invision Power Services, as they have treated me most unfairly in this situation.

Anyway, that aside, we still have the data for the site and if necessary, we will use another hosting service to get the site back up and running once again.

Hang in there...in the meantime, keep reading the blog and posting your comments! Go Heat!!!

MiamiHeatwave.com is NOT DEAD

For those of you wondering what is going on, here is the gist of it.

My site has been accused of phishing. This has not happened with my knowledge as I alone run the site. Now, if someone hacked into the backend and did something to create a phishing section of my site - that is another story.

Right now, another company has accused my site of phishing and my host is not available with tech support or account support at this time. Because I cannot fix the problem myself, with the account being suspended, I cannot see what the problem is or how to rectify it.

Once I get to the bottom of this, things will be fixed and MiamiHeatwave.com will be back up and running shortly.

The company accusing me of phishing, however, will not be treated lightly for their misplaced accusations. I was never given any chance to fix this problem and was certainly never contacted directly.

Yet, rest assured, MiamiHeatwave.com will be back in the next 24 hours or so.

Daequan Cook is the Future

Daequan Cook had 17 points in his Heat debut, but that was hardly the headline. It was how quickly he scored and how precise his stroke was.

The kid from OSU was not setting the nets on fire at any time this preseason. He was noted for his age, and usually with his talent his lack of production was excused. Yet, it seemed somewhat off.

I pegged this kid to be another Ray Allen-type scorer - a real quick shot, athletic and explosive and can find his spot anywhere on the floor. He has great awareness of how to move without the ball and find a way to score. The problem is, execution.

The other thing this kid has is an enormous ego and confidence to play full time at this level. Both assets are palpable, and needed to push someone to be a very good or great player in this league.

Concerns abound. Will he find himself shooting like this another night in the NBA this season? Heck, will he even find himself coming off the bench anytime during this season with Riley dishing out PT to whomever he feels comfortable with? Let's hope so because Cook is the future.

Not in the way Dwyane Wade is. Wade is the face of this franchise - he is actually making Shaq matter at this point of his career. Cook, however, could be an excellent complementary player that can help this franchise not just win championships, but help the team transition into a future without Shaq. Right now, the Heat is limited on its outside shooting - and they can afford to be because of the space Shaq creates.

A backcourt of Wade and Cook might be an interesting thing to watch develop, too. Wade usually gets the ball in crunchtime and if Cook can play confidently and show he can play defense, his ability to play without the ball would complement Wade's game and make him even more dangerous as he can choose where he wants to make a play on the floor.

Let's face it, Riley is only coaching to win another championship. That said, Cook is probably far from his mind - even more so than Dorell Wright, of course. But it is tantalizing to think about Cook's abilities in this offense, his skill set as a complementary score, only underlines his future promise to this team. Was last night against Indy a preview or an aberration? Time will tell.

Opening Night in Miami

Some reactions on Opening Night in Miami for the Heat's 20th NBA season.

Has it really been 20 years? I was 10 when the Heat came to town...funny how time flies. Especially when you want a second championship.

Ricky Davis looked ok in his debut. He has to learn the intricacies of Riley's offense, but basically when this team is hoping to play in the 80s, there is a longer learning curve. But does anyone else feel that this team looks a lot more athletic with Dorell, Davis and Smush on the floor?

Detroit just has our number. Even Smush couldn't finish a dunk tonight, the Heat were just off. I mean Tayshaun Prince had 33 points tonight. In fact, he is typing this blog for me from the AAA on my computer and I live in Aventura. Just saying, the guy has freakishly long arms. Arms like stilts.

Zo looked majestic. Too bad this is his "last" season in the NBA, he still looks like a full time starter out ther eon the floor - manning the paint and contesting every shot.

Dorell Wright is intent on being the best kept secret in the NBA. Or at least Riley is intent on keeping it that way.

We had an Alexander Johnson sighting. I expect big things from him. Really.

But I also expect better from this Miami team. No Wade, no win, but we got Indy up next.