Livingston Tickles Heat's Imagination

Shapecity · Oct 9, 2008

Point guard Shaun Livingston was back on the court Wednesday for the Heat, and that had coach Erik Spoelstra again caught up in the possibilities.

"He's got such a great gift and feel for passing," Spoelstra said of the 6-foot-7 playmaker. "And what's unique is he's got the size and length, so he's able to see over the top of the defense, and passes that we haven't been able to complete or even see the last week, he's been doing both.

"He has that length to be able to get the ball delivered right underneath the hoop for easy baskets."

Getting Livingston on the court for more than a cameo — such as the one at Wednesday's practice in Paris — is the next step.
Livingston, 23, the former Clippers first-round draft choice, has been sidelined since a devastating knee injury in February 2007. He joined the Heat last week, in time for this weeklong European trip that features exhibitions against the Nets today in Paris and Sunday in London.

While Spoelstra has yet to mention game action for Livingston, the coach said he hopes to have him available for this morning's shootaround.

Spoelstra less than pleased
Spoelstra said Wednesday's practice had the look of a team that was out of its element.

"It was slow at first," he said. "It could have been the jet leg; it could have been our minds were still in Miami, or maybe they're in France somewhere else. But the first hour was slow, sluggish and we weren't sharp. Then they picked it up in the second half, able to get some things accomplished."

Spoelstra stressed practice must remain the priority.

"This is a business trip and we have a lot of other things," he said. "This is a great opportunity for us to see a new country and for us to bond and to do some things off the court.

"But we cannot forget that the most important thing is what we do between the four lines and preparing for the season."

Haslem sits
Power forward Udonis Haslem again found himself a spectator at practice, as he rehabilitates his sprained left foot.

"Right now, we're going day-on, day-off," Spoelstra said. "Hopefully, pretty soon, we can go two days on, one day off. And then he'll be playing five-on-five soon enough."

Haslem said it has been a trying experience.

"I'm here and I'm with the guys, but I still don't feel like I'm a part of everything right now," he said.

"I can do certain things. I can run, I can jump, but it's just certain movements and certain cuts that still give me a little problem. We're going to work on it and chip away at those movements that we need to get down."
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Source: Sun-Sentinel

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Livingston Tickles Heat's Imagination

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Livingston Tickles Heat's Imagination

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