07Oct

Vague and Tenebrous Tweets by Almario Vernard Chalmers: Did Chalmers get benched today?

By Joe

This is a running blog post of all the entertaining stuff Mario Chalmers writes on Twitter and/or Instagram…

This is a great thing, this new blog-post idea, because I can pretty much speculate about whatever I want because Mario Chalmers is so enjoyably vague and tenebrous when he communicates with … his fans? … his teammates? … his coaches? … his family? … himself? I’m not quite sure, but does it matter? That’s also part of the fun, obviously. Who the heck is Mario Chalmers talking to and what on Earth is he talking about?

Monday, Oct. 6, 2014

Is Mario Chalmers benched?

I raise this question based on purely anecdotal evidence, if you even want to call it that. After a long day of practice, in which the team ran over its scheduled stopping time by at least an hour, Chalmers posted this to Instagram:

“After the day of negativity I had it’s good to b around some positive energy…”

Why would Chalmers be depressed? Well, being demoted to second-string point guard is enough to put anyone from Miami in a bad mood. (Of course, so is being in stuck in traffic on Biscayne Boulevard waiting on that damn …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat

07Oct

Josh McRoberts might not be fully healthy for the #Heat season opener, which is kind of a problem.

By Joe

Last week we asked the all-important question “Is it time to start worrying about the Heat’s projected starting power forward?” and the answer appears to be yes. Yes, it is time to worry.

On Monday, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra indicated that Josh McRoberts might not be cleared medically in time for the start of the regular season. The Heat opens the season on Oct. 29 with a home game against the Washington Wizards. McRoberts is recovering from offseason surgery on is left great toe.

“It’s too early to tell, but he’s doing a lot,” Spoelstra said. “I anticipate he’ll increase his workload significantly in the next week to 10 days.

The Heat plays the Orlando Magic at AmericanAirlines Arena on Tuesday before flying to Brazil for a preseason game against LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers. McRoberts certainly isn’t expected to play in either game unless, of course, Spoelstra is being completely evasive, which sometimes he is wont to do.

But, for the purposes of this blog post, let’s assume McRoberts is out for at least the next 10 days, which means at best he’ll be back for the Heat’s preseason home game against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 17. That …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat

05Oct

Here are three things to think about after tonight’s loss by the #Heat

By Joe

STUFF I’M THINKING ABOUT

1. Could rookie forward James Ennis average more than 10 points per game as a rookie?

If that actually happened, everyone in the Heat’s scouting department should get raises. An unexpected offensive infusion this season from someone like Ennis would certainly help compensate for the loss of LeBron James. Ennis led the Heat with 17 points tonight in Miami’s 98-86 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. Ennis, who played in Perth, Australia, last year, is an athletic wing who has put in the work developing his outside shot since graduating from Long Beach State. The Heat is hoping for big things from Ennis as a back-up to Luol Deng, and he delivered in his first NBA preseason game.

2. Birdman and Josh McRoberts didn’t play. Is it time to start worrying?

Probably not, but it’s not a positive sign that Chris Andersen finished last season with an injury and he’s nursing another injury after the first week of training camp. Soreness and aches and pains are common in the preseason, of course, but for someone who relies so much on athleticism, it’s at least worth noting. Josh McRoberts is being held out …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat

02Oct

Stuff I saw at the Heat scrimmage and other things from training camp like the depth chart and also some craft beer

By Joe

So, let’s start this blog post by first making note that, while I was setting up my laptop and munching on some carrots courtside on Wednesday night before the Heat’s scrimmage, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra walked up for some small talk and asked, “What could you possibly write about this scrimmage or take away from it?” or something like that.

And then I wrote this: MY STORY IN TODAY’S PAPER ABOUT THE HEAT’S SCRIMMAGE

Spoelstra also asked me if I was on a gluten-free diet because I was eating carrots and almonds, and I assured him that, no, I prefer gluten over all other protein composites because, well, obviously and also and such and such and so on.

Well, turns out, there were things worth observing from the scrimmage — important things, actually. As in, who didn’t play.

Chris Andersen didn’t compete in the scrimmage and neither did Josh McRoberts. Andersen has a sore calf muscle, and of course you would have known this immediately last night if you follow me on Twitter. McRoberts still hasn’t been fully cleared by the Heat’s training staff after having …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat

01Oct

Is a South Beach bling king from Ohio partly to blame for ending the LeBron James Era in Miami?

By Joe

A South Beach bling king from Ohio might be partly to blame for the Heatles break up, and for not only LeBron James going back to Cleveland, but also Mike Miller and James Jones joining the Cavaliers as well.

Haider Zafar of Ohio, who allegedly conned Miller, Jones and Rashard Lewis out of millions in 2013, is expected to plead guilty to multiple wire fraud charges, according to court documents filed on Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio. The Heat amnestied Miller in 2013, but not before a Heat employee introduced Miller, Jones and Lewis to Zafar, who then swindled them to the tune of $7.5 million, according to a grand jury indictment.

So what does this have to do with LeBron going back to Cleveland? Well, let’s just say the whole mess didn’t help Miami’s chances of keeping last year’s team together.

It’s well known at this point that the Heat angered LeBron by amnestying Miller not long after Miller helped the Heat repeat as NBA champions in 2013. Miller said early this week in Cleveland that LeBron thought the move “was an unnecessary change.” That’s Miller being nice, of course. Really what probably made LeBron most angry is that the Heat amnestied one …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat

01Oct

Udonis Haslem signs on to be an executive producer of an inspiring film about a South Florida youth basketball coach with ALS

By Joe

Heat power forward Udonis Haslem has signed on to be an executive producer of an inspiring film about a South Florida youth basketball coach with ALS.

The film “Who is Lou Gehrig?” is being directed by Gil Green, who is well known in the music video business and also directs commercials and the Heat’s player introduction videos. Green’s lifelong friend, Jeff Fogel, has ALS, but continues to coach girls’ youth basketball at the North Miami JCC. The movie will focus on Fogel’s powerful imagination, which he uses as a coaching tool.

“He doesn’t make it about himself and he doesn’t crawl into a shell and give into his circumstances and limit himself,” Haslem said of Fogel. “He continues to use his mind and use his heart to contribute to others and give back. For me, that’s just like the ultimate, because I’ve known people who have had diseases and illnesses and just kind of given up and gone into a shell.

“His story is inspiring.”

The finished film will be screened at this year’s Borscht Film Festival, which is Dec. 18-21. The film will feature Haslem’s debut as an actor. He will play himself. Many of Fogel’s lessons as a coach revolve around his …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat

01Oct

Is it time to start worrying about the health of the Heat’s projected starting power forward?

By Joe

Heat power forward Josh McRoberts will not play in the Heat’s preseason scrimmage on Wednesday night, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after the team’s morning training session.

McRoberts had surgery after last season’s playoffs to remove bone spurs in his left great toe. The Heat is being overly cautious to work McRoberts back slowly. He is expected to start at power forward for the Heat this season. McRoberts’ recovery process is a concern for the team, but nothing to panic about at this point.

“He has been able to do more each day,” Spoelstra said. “We’re progressing him. We’re trying to be smart about it. We’re still almost 30 days until the first game, so we want to make he’s taking steps forward and not steps back.

“But he had a great summer of the work. The last three weeks he was able to spend here in our facilities and work with our coaches but also get the necessary treatment and work with our training staff.”

McRoberts played well in an expanded role last season for the Charlotte Hornets, and the former Duke standout strengthened his profile and reputation with inspired play against the Heat in the first round of the playoffs. His physical …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat

01Oct

Some questions before the Heat’s open scrimmage tonight

By Joe

With weary legs and nagging pains from five days of training camp, tonight’s Heat intra-squad scrimmage at AmericanAirlines Arena will likely be light on revelatory observations. Still, this is the first time anyone outside of coaches and team personnel have observed the Heat together sans LeBron, so there is some intrigue.

Here are five things I’ll be looking for tonight. The scrimmage begins at 7 p.m. and fans can watch it live at Heat.com.

1. How will Chris Bosh be used?

With LeBron in Cleveland, Bosh is now the team’s most versatile player. He’ll play the four and five this season, and both Bosh and Dwyane Wade have hinted toward Bosh doing a little bit of everything with the ball in his hands — back to the basket, driving, three-point shooing, distributing. Bosh’s number of touches in the team scrimmage should be more than double from the last four years. Wade is still the team’s major offensive threat from the wing, but Bosh will be at the heart of everything the Heat does on both ends of the floor. How he transitions into his new role as a franchise player is the major question facing the Heat. Off the court, Bosh …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat

29Sep

Wanna be a D-League baller? Here’s your big chance

By Joe

One of the great things about the Heat’s affiliation with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the D-League is that pretty much each year the teams are going to hold open tryouts and roll the balls out for anybody who wants to try and make the team.

This year’s tryouts are set, and the Miami tryout for the Sioux Falls Skyforce will be held Sunday, Oct. 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ransom Everglades High School. The application deadline for the tryout is Friday, Oct. 17., so don’t procrastinate. (See information below about the application process.)

The Heat has invested a lot of time, energy and money into its relationship with the Skyforce, so this tryout isn’t just some kind of publicity stunt. Heat and Skyforce personnel will be on hand to evaluate potential players, so that means if you want to ball in front of a real live Heat executive, here’s your chance.

Who knows? Maybe you’ll make the team, play a few years in the D-League and then get picked up by a team overseas. Or, maybe you’re a late bloomer with a 44-inch vertical and you just want to dunk on somebody at Ransom Everglades in front of NBA …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat

29Sep

Wade on LeBron and other things he said today at #Heat training camp

By Joe

Some notes on Dwyane Wade and stuff from Day 3 of the Heat’s training camp…

—The morning session was teaching intensive and Dwyane Wade some of the new players need to do a better job of learning on the fly.

—The team took a break for lunch and air mattresses are available for players who don’t want to leave the arena during training camp. Tonight’s schedule includes some live-ball drills at full speed.

—Wade called Norris Cole “a monster” defensively, and said the next step in his career would be learning “how to be effective as a point guard and as a scoring guard.”

“He’s got to figure out the perfect way to do that, and it’s not always easy for guys,” Wade said. “But if he can figure it out, he can be very dangerous for us. But I’m very confident. He’s a kid who loves to work, and he wants to be as great as he wants to be. So, I think he’ll figure it out.”

—Wade on LeBron: “I don’t have no cameras in Cleveland. I don’t know what’s going on on the court.”

—Wade had some loud and colorful neon yellow Li-Ning shorts on today. I asked him if they were …read more

Source:: Raanan Katz – Miami Herald – Miami Heat