No need for alarm yet, the main area the Heat need to improve on is the turnovers. They are averaging close to 20 a game, and those mistakes drive a coach crazy no matter what time of the year it is. Anyone know why Dorrell Wright didn't play tonight against the Pistons? I know he had his best game the other night against the Magic, so I was looking forward to see what he could do against Detroit's defense. I haven't watched any Heat preseason games, but I keep noticing some poor stats for James Posey. Is he fitting in or is he lost and going unnoticed when he's in the game?
I did not read this whole thread, but will say this, preseason means nothing. The 76ers I think it was last year or the year before that where 7-1 in the preseason yet they finished the regular season only a couple of games above .500 . The Spurs almost always have a losing record during the preseason, but everyone knows they will perform well during the regular season. The preseason is a public inter team training camp. Guys trying to make rosters, or rookies get a majority of the time while starters play themselves into shape. To say the Heat will or will not win this season based on their preseason record, that is a laughable statement. I will say it right now the Heat are loaded with talent, but their problem is right now they are not a team, they will succeed don’t get me wrong, but they are not a team. They are talented players playing on one franchise. The Pistons and Spurs are teams the Heat as of now is not. Getting back to my original point. The Heat will win this season no matter what, they have to much talent not to. Barring any season ending injuries to O'Neal or Wade they will probably be the favorites in the minds of many fans to win the title this season. To me the day that the Heat get use to playing with each other will be a scary day for anyone in the league. The only teams I believe that will be able to compete with them are the Spurs, and Pistons that is my completely honest opinion. One person on the Heat right now everyone is sleeping on is Wright. I think that after spending his entire rookie season on the bench virtually he will be ready to contribute to this championship caliber team when his number is called.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Upset about being run through a series of baseline screens, guard Dwyane Wade hinted he would like to get back to last season's offense, when he controlled the ball in the halfcourt and played off Shaquille O'Neal's low-post game. That approach, however, thrived because of the ability of the Joneses to space the floor with their 3-point accuracy. "We've got to find out what we've really got to do for the season," Wade said. "Of course you're going to get frustrated as a coach and as a player, because you want things to work so fast. But to be good, you know it's not going to work overnight." O'Neal's answer is to rev up a running game that produced only six fast-break points against the Pistons. "I think right now we're a little bit too robotic," he said. "Whoever gets the ball should push it."</div> This was a quote from the Posey article. The Heat are trying to run their offense differently than last season because of the lack of perimeter shooting. This is a big explanation why they are struggling so far to put up points. Once they get the new offense down or revert back to last year's they'll be fine.
Best Kept Secret, your post isnt even worth replying to because I have said many times that THE PRESEASON RECORD DOESNT MATTER. The way they play does. Dont post before you actually read the whole topic. Wizards were a suprise last year and I dont expect them to do that great this year. The Magic are and were better than them last year and this year. They had a better record because of the Magic injury plague. This year we will do a lot better with a better coach, more depth, more experience, more chemistry etc. Dont think the Heat are a given for the division just because of Shaq and Wade. Shaq had a good season last year with no injuries. This year he probably will get more. He is also getting old. ALL of the great centers have declined once they reached a certain age. Shaq is just about there. You guys probably will win the division but it isnt a given. It depends on the Heat's chemistry how they will finish. They will make the playoffs no matter what though.
I'm not too sure if I am correct, but to my knowledge Shaq has been on of the most durable players ever. Every season for 13 years he has put up at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. Not even Wilt could do that in a less competitive age. Shaq will be a ok this year. Next year I think we will notice a big decline probably. This is Miamis year to win a title.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting OrlandoMagicFan:</div><div class="quote_post">Best Kept Secret, your post isnt even worth replying to because I have said many times that THE PRESEASON RECORD DOESNT MATTER. The way they play does. Dont post before you actually read the whole topic.</div> Was a replying to you? I was stating my opinion on the matter. I stated I did not even read this entire thread just so people would know if I was restating something that was already said that was why. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Dont think the Heat are a given for the division just because of Shaq and Wade. Shaq had a good season last year with no injuries. This year he probably will get more. He is also getting old. ALL of the great centers have declined once they reached a certain age. Shaq is just about there. You guys probably will win the division but it isnt a given. It depends on the Heat's chemistry how they will finish. They will make the playoffs no matter what though.</div> That right there makes no sense, Shaq is getting old? News flash Shaq has been old for a couple years now. However, he has regained his work ethic ever since arriving in Miami, and has been losing fat and adding muscle, which is why his health has held up. This season he is coming into it in even better shape than last year, so there is no reason to think he will get injured. He added 15 pounds of muscle, and lowered his body fat percentage those two things will further help prevent him from injuries. Also the Heat have a lot of depth this year I am a Magic fan, but no one in that division has a shot at the Heat. They are on a completely other level. Even if Shaq where to miss some games here and there as long as it is not several months they will be ok.
I said I thought they would win the division...probably. Saying it is a given is ignorant. Nothing is ever totally given. Injuries and chemistry not working out can always happen. Miami still has chemistry issues. If/when they get that good I will say they will almost definately win the division. The heat could totally fall on their faces this year without chemistry. No matter what they will make the playoffs. Unless they get great chemistry I doubt they will get to the Finals let alone win the championship. They have a very deep team and a lot of talent. I dont hate the Heat, I am just realistic. Walker and Payton are cancers for teams. Both are good verterans but if they dont totally sacrifice themselves for the team effort then they are useless and just will cause more problems. I wouldve thought they would be in serious championship position if they kept their team from last year and just added depth and made improvements. Instead they totally changed it. Best of luck.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting OrlandoMagicFan:</div><div class="quote_post">Are you saying you cant play well and lose? Spurs have lost 4 games. I havent seen their games but I can tell you that they didnt play badlly from knowing them the past few seasons. There is a major difference between losing and not playing well. Take a game we all know(or i think we should know) College football this week. South California vs. Notre Dame. Notre Dame lost but I dont think anyone would say they didnt play well. You an play well and lose. The Heat arent playing well...so far. If the Heat fix teir problems and play bettter then they should play really good this year. But if you have problems in the preseason they will be present in the season unless they are resolved. That is just basic logic and intelligence. Heat have some problems with chemistry right now. If they dont deal with that then yes they wont play well this year. If they do fix it then they could win the east. It isnt the preseason that matters. It is how the teams play IN the preseason that matters.</div> LMAO Very funny You lose if you don't play good enough. Period When you lose a game, i don't care if it's by one point or by 30 points, you lose because you didn't play good ENOUGH. The other team played BETTER than you and when another team outplays yours, your team didn't play good enough or "well" So....The spurs lost 4 games playing well? You would honestly call that "playing well" when a team loses 4 in a row? I'll be honest and say that this preseason (whether they matter or not) games have been somewhat disappointing. So please don't call me biased. We'll talk again at the end of the season if the new Heat team did play good or bad. It's too early to blame or "freak out" on the Heat yet.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting OrlandoMagicFan:</div><div class="quote_post">Cocky fans like you are why I hate the Heat and have hated them this season and last season. Chemistry still hasnt been proven yet so dont say you are going to have a great season so early. Youguys played well against us tonight but I think right now we have about even teams playing in a game wise(we missed 3 starters against you, you guys missed shaq). You guys definately have more raw talent but not the chemistry yet. How the division ends depends on how the Heat develop their chemistry. If they have great chemistry then they win the division easily if they have okay-good chemistry it is up for grabs between the Magic and the Heat If they have bad chemistry Magic have a good chance but Heat could still win. I personally think Heat will win the division and I am not arguing that we will. I think you guys are the ones jealous. In 3 or 4 years we will be one of the elite teams in the east while you guys are crumbling after shaq retires. I just hate cocky fans like you who think its automatic that the Heat will win. It is not.</div> No man listen to OGmAXiFY and pay more attention to your team. We are jealous? Of what? What do your team have that we can at least be jealous of? Aging Shaq is much better than injury prone Hill. 8 out of 10 people will take Wade over Francis. Oh and Wade is YOUNGER. Your new big guy...I don't know...He gets dunked on by Kobe and goes crying to Francis...He may be good in the future but how old will Francis be then? Big dude, Francis, Hill == the Future???????????????? Oh in 3-4 years, if you guys keep getting lottery picks, I say your team has a chance to be good. I may be jealous then. RIght now, there's nothing.
Another thing is that Wade and O'Neal are either playing 20 minutes a game or sitting out and Toine and Haslem get most of the miinutes along with Payton. When the big guys start to play, then they click but they are sitting out to prevent injuries that nagged them in the post season.
hmm lots of posts to reply to. Whoever said that losing means you didnt play good or good enough is not always true. Teams can play better but still get a loss by being unlucky, ref calls etc. Spurs havent played their starters very much and probably havent been going at a very much of their power. Playmaker, Wade and O'neal are playing more than 20 minutes a game. Shaq is averaging 25/26 minutes in the games he has played and wade has been playing 30-33 minutes a game. Saying you guys were jealous was a little too far for me and I wasnt really thinking much when I was typing that but in 3-4 years we will be a really good team. We wont be getting lottery picks up until then also. We are a good team. Last season and this preseason this far we have been MAJORLY injury prone. If we didnt have injuries last year we were in the playoffs. WE are a good team this year and in my opinion 6th best in the east. Heat from the games I have seen are probably 2nd best RIGHT NOW. When they get more acquanted htey will probably be number one. I just want to say. Good game against the Magic. It isnt saying much killing us because we are missing Hill, Dooling and Kasun. Hill is an all-star and one of our better shooters, Dooling is our main bench player and is doing well this preseason, Kasun is our developing center who has been playing well. If we shot better in the first half it would be a different game but we have turned over the ball way too much and not gotton the rebounds we should have. You guys have been playing good. With this play I am not skeptical but if they go back oto how they played agaisnt other teams the Heat are in a bit of trouble. Incase yall were wondering. I am not a Heat hater. When Shaq leaves they will probably be my 2nd favorite team. I like Shaq but I am sick of the fans who like them just because shaq joined and the Heat automatically overnight turned into contenders. When it goes back to the real fans and not the bandwagoners I will root for the Heat. As always, good luck.
By the way(sorry for the double post) I made my sig at the beginning of last year. "big man" has a name different it is called howard.
I think the biggest mistake Pat Riley made was getting Antoine Walker He's a cancer and if Miami only had gotten Williams/Payton/Posey they would be much better i reccomend Miami to trade away Walker
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting PlaTsanity:</div><div class="quote_post">I think the biggest mistake Pat Riley made was getting Antoine Walker He's a cancer and if Miami only had gotten Williams/Payton/Posey they would be much better i reccomend Miami to trade away Walker</div> I agree, I dont think Walker is horrible and will totally ruin a team but he takes too many shots. Williams and Posey are perfect in the system but the Heat need to give most of their shots to Shaq and Wade instead of Shaq, Wade, and Toine.
I think the Miami Heat wont win as many games as they did last year. And they will fail to beat the Spurs in the NBA finals if they even get that far. I dont feel like Walker or Payton will really benefit the team that much if anything they will bring down the chem.
