After 3 games, Miami is 1-2
After the heart-breaking loss to the New York Knicks on wednesday night. The Miami HEAT had their home opener on Halloween Night, and boy did the HEAT have a treat for their fans. Miami led the entire game versus the Ron Arstest-less Sacramento Kings. Miami’s biggest lead was 38 and the game was pretty much decided by the second quarter. Miami’s Fab 5 were spectacular once again. Wade had a game high 20 points, Beasley added 17, Marion and Haslem added 13 and 14 points respectively. Rookie sensation Mario Chalmers did not have a good game, but had 2 assists and 4 steals. Sacramento had no chance to climb back into this game and Miami won by a score of 103-77.
Many sports annalist like myself had said that the first 3 Miami games were critical games, and I will explain why I said that. New York, Sacramento, and Charlotte are very weak teams and for Miami, the road to redemption began on Wednesday with a loss that not many people would expect.
Coach Spoelstra said on his post game conference after the Knicks loss that the defense did not show up and play the way they had been playing in the pre-season. I suppose that some of the players took that to heart because during the game versus the Kings, the defense was all over the field. What happened when the defense showed up and played? The HEAT blew the other team out of the water. So people ask, Why can’t the defense show up to every game?! Well, the answer is quite simple…. The HEAT is a undersized team. There will be nights (like the one in charlotte) in which Udonis Haslem won’t be able to defend the taller Center (in that case, Emeka Okafor). but there are other nights that Haslem will be all over the Center, (such was the case with the kings).
So what can fans expect from this 2008 Miami HEAT team? Fans can be sure of one thing. they have something to prove, and so with that being said, don’t worry that the HEAT are 1-2 right now. The team is very young.. (they are starting 2 rookies in the line up. that’s the first time that has happen since 2003 when Miami also had 2 rookies in the line up.. they, so happened to be called, Udonis Haslem and Dwyane Wade). Give them some time to play together and grow in their team chemistry and you will see that by the All-Star break, Miami will NOT be the last place team in the NBA.
So here is my prediction for the HEAT this year. I know it may sound a little far fetched but, I suspect the HEAT to get the 5th or 6th seed in the east this year. What do you guys think?
