A Heat December Recap

Wake the Heat when December is over.

Been a lot going on the personal family front lately.  Birthdays, holidays, pregnant wife, new house.  With all this, I had to take some time off from blogging.  Here's a recap of the last few weeks....

The Heat's defense is coming around. They are closing out better against threes.  Norris Cole, Joel Anthony, and Udonis Haslem playing more means more defense, and with the Big Four, the offense was never a problem.

Cole has developed into a positive off the bench.  His offensive game is still not above average, but his defensive pressure on opposing PGs has helped the Heat regain some defensive footing.

Haslem is starting again, and his shot going in a tiny bit more. Defensive skills are still there.

Chris Bosh is really, really good, but still not pronounced during every game.

Ray Allen is a really bad defensive player.

Dwyane Wade is still great.  But he now treats his skills like fine wine; he only breaks them out on special occasions (which is just fine, since the playoffs are always special occasions).

LBJ is still the best on the planet.  Regardless of Durant "continuing to develop", and Melo "finally playing team basketball".   LeBron is the King.

The Heat are really good.  They are clearly biding their time.  They play to their competition, which makes the early season very frustrating for Heat fans.

And now for the games:

106-90 win home vs NO: Not compelling.  Coming off the Knicks game, they did nothing but what they were supposed to do; beat a bad team badly.

101-92 win home vs Atlanta: Nice win over a good team that was surging.

97-95 loss home vs Golden State:  In retrospect, the Warriors are a pretty darn good team.... not shocking the Heat would play too down to a surprisingly good opponent and lose.

102-72 win home vs Washington: Another sign that the Heat play when they want to... a crushing, avenging win against a bad team that had beat them days before.

103-92 win home vs Minn: Heat's lack of size exposed again (by getting smashed on the boards 53-24), but their talent won out (and overall athleticism apparent by out-blocking the bigger Wolves 14-1).

110-65 win @ Dallas:  The Mavs are not the team that beat Miami in the Finals two years ago.... Nice to see Cuban's poor planning result in a poor product.

105-89 win home vs Utah.  Bosh out sick, but the remaining Big Two are too much.

105-97 win home vs OKC.  The biggest game of the season, the biggest win of the season.  Proving the Heat are the best and play when they feel like it.

105-92 win @ Charlotte.  Too close a game against a bad team on a back-to-back after the Christmas Day emotional win vs OKC, but you take it and move on.

109-99 loss @ Detroit.  Really?  Back to driving you crazy by not showing up.

104-85 loss @ Milwaukee.  And why not make it bad two losses in a row because it's December.

20-8

"Let's Go New York" Chanted at a Knicks Game.... In Miami

How does this guy keep beating the Heat?

If Tuesday was horrible, tonight was whatever-word-is-worst-than-horrible.

Of all teams.

Of all places.

At all times.

To lose to the Knick???

By 20.

W.

T.

F.

Steve Novak?

18-43 from three?

Why don't the Heat shoot 43 threes?

I hate the Knicks.

A double alley-oop; wasted.  One of LBJs most powerful dunks I've seen; wasted.  Playing the Knicks without Melo; wasted.

After losing to the Wiz on Tuesday, Thursday was supposed to be a make-good night.  Supposed to show everyone that the Heat could turn it on as needed.

Instead, Thursday stands as a night that allows for those that question the Heat's defense, effort, and concentration to say "I told you so".

Let's just hope that those saying "It's a long season" turn out to be right, because right now, it looks like it could be a long season.

12-5

To Play Hard Or Not To Play Hard

A better celeb friend, and then this.

The tale of two teams.

Not the Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat; the low-energy Heat and the high-energy Heat.

Miami continued their In-Game Maintenance Program for the first 2.5 quarters of tonight's match.  Brooklyn built a double-digit lead, and the defending champs looked like they were sleep walking.

Then, just like that, the Heat decided they couldn't wait till late in the fourth to wake up.  They turned up the intensity level on both sides of the ball and closed with a 16-37 run, beating the Nets 89-102.

On this night, LeBron took a back seat to D Wade as the latter showed his nagging knee and ankle injuries won't be affecting him every game.  He scored a season high 34 points, with many throw-back type Wade drives.  His high-light play coming off a slightly-higher than needed alley-oop from Ray Allen (over Kris Kardashian).  His best since Game 6 in the Indy series last year.

Is Andre Blatche (another) one that got away???  He could have been had with a minimum contract.  And I don't buy the possible "locker room issues"; not with this team of champs and vets.  Not to mention trying him out to "see how it goes" and dumping as needed is pretty effortless.  Especially with his upside (and the Heat's size limitations).

Bosh has a horrible night, not scoring in the first half.  Finishing with as many rebounds as Norris Cole (2).

UD came up big in the second half with six second-half rebounds and good defensive effort (+17 for the game).  Heart, defense, rebounding.  If only his jumper could make its way back.

Cole was a nice spark off the bench.

The Nets strategy to trap at the end pretty much didn't work.  The Heat busting it with fun stuff like a James layup and Allen three.

The Heat have played the toughest schedule in the league (by winning percentage), and are tied for the best record.

12-3