02Oct

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

October 2, 2014 by

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

Some questions before the Heat’s open scrimmage tonight

October 1, 2014 by

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

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

September 29, 2014 by

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