Hot Points: Knicks Knock Heat, Raise Concerns

February 28, 2011

• Sunday night's loss to the New York Knicks bumped the Miami Heat's record against Eastern Conference contenders to 4-8 (that includes Boston, Orlando, Chicago and New York) - Miami is yet to beat the Celtics or Bulls. 

• After taking a 15-point lead in the second quarter the Heat allowed a 16-0 run by the Knicks, giving New York a one-point lead entering the half. During that stretch, no timeouts were called by Miami as Erik Spoelstra settled for his routine rotation substitutions. 

• In the second half, the Heat only mustered 35 points and made a Mike D'Antoni-led team - that is third-worst in the league at points allowed (106 per game) - look like an elite defense. Careless turnovers, stagnant play sets and poor shot selection were all to blame. 

• As Michael Wallace of ESPN.com masterfully put it, Chauncey Billups showcased what a true point guard can provide to a team, further exposing Miami's weakness in the process. Wallace even offers some solutions to Miami's woes at the "floor general" position.

• Dwyane Wade had an off game offensively, only scoring 12 points on 5-of-15 shooting. And the bench production (15 points total, 10 from Mike Miller) was lackluster - Eddie House and James Jones shot 0-for-5 from behind the arc.

• The worst part about the loss was that it was to a New York team that was basically brand new and had little time together. You would think the chemistry the Heat built over the course of 55-plus games would trump that of the new-look Knicks - who've played only two games together before Sunday. 

• Miami continues its tough stretch of schedule Thursday against Orlando at home, followed by an overnight trip to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Friday. Perhaps they can string together a few signature wins as the playoffs draw closer and gain confidence against elite teams. 

• These final 20-sum games will be crucial for Miami as they will need to find ways to improve in various areas that are essential to post-season success. That includes addressing half-court offense, point guard play and center rotation. Keep an eye out on the buyouts that come in the next days, we may see a new face join the Heat. 

Sports Buzz: February 25, 2011

February 25, 2011

Miami Dolphins

• The Dolphins officially placed their franchise tag on NT Paul Soliai, worth about $12.5 million for one season.

• Ex-New Orleans Saint and former University of Miami tight end Jeremy Shockey took and passed a physical with the Fins yesterday -- no word yet as to whether Miami has offered him a contract. 

• Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland stated at a press conference yesterday that Chad Henne is Miami's starter "for right now." This could be taken in different ways though and is not a bonafide endorsement of Henne.

• In other news, New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan guarantees a Super Bowl title next season -- this comes after failing to follow through on the same promise two years in a row.  

 * * *

Miami Heat

• The NBA trade deadline came and went with the Miami Heat not making any moves, despite reports that the team was floating Mike Miller as trade bait for a center or point guard. 

• While Miami didn't make a move, their chances at title contention improved with the Boston Celtics shipping center Kendrick Perkins out to Oklahoma City. Perkins caused serious problems for the Heat while a member of the Celts (averaging  15.4 points and 7.7 rebounds versus Miami in '10-'11 and '09-'10).

• Miami still awaits the buyout frenzy to begin now that the deadline has passed. Players like Troy Murphy and Rip Hamilton have been mentioned as likely veterans have their contracts bought out.

Hot Points: All-Star Breaking Point

February 21, 2011

 

• With the East falling to the West in the 2011 NBA All-Star Game, focus now shifts to the remainder of the regular season for the Miami Heat with 26 games left to go.

• The Heat represented well in All-Star weekend with James Jones bringing home another 3-point contest trophy to Miami and LeBron James recording the 2nd triple-double in All-Star Game history.  

• Miami's Big Trio combined for 57 of the East's 143 points, with James leading the team in points, rebounds and assists.

• A brief scare for Heat fans when Dwyane Wade tweaked his ankle during the All-Star Game proved to be just that -- nothing more than a scare. Wade says he's fine and is expected to play next game.

• The Heat head back to their home court Tuesday night to play against the Sacramento Kings, beginning the final stretch of the NBA season. 

• The first half of that final stretch won't be an easy one as 12 of Miami's next 14 games are against teams with an above .500 record. That includes the Chicago Bulls (twice), New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs (twice), Portland Trailblazers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets.  

Opinion: Chalmers Needs to Go

February 14, 2010

So much for earning back his starting role at point guard.

Mario Chalmers proved once again that he is good at one thing: failing to capitalize on prime opportunities.

Anyone who's been watching Miami Heat basketball lately will confidently say that Chalmers has not played up to expectations. For a player that was hyped up as a "steal" in the second round and an athlete with untapped potential, it's looking a lot like Chalmers is what he is: an inconsistent point guard with little resolve.

I'm not blaming Sunday's loss on Chalmers - it was a collective loss. But I am arguing that Chalmers is more risk than reward for Miami, given the expectations the team has of the third-year player. Compared to Carlos Arroyo, Chalmers is supposed to be a better scorer, defender and overall athlete. However, we've learned that this is an assumption that has made an "ass" of "u" and "me."

Had we painted Chalmers out to be a certified back-up point guard in the league, there would be little complaint from me. Since that isn't the case, we must deal with the consequences of placing hope in a near-bust. I mean, this kid came from being a full-time starter for all 82 games of his rookie season to a player who's struggled to earn minutes.

Let's look at some stats to illustrate this decline. Here are Chalmers' averages over the span of his career:

• 2008-09: 32 minutes, 42% field goal pct, 10 points, 4.9 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2 steals
• 2009-10: 24.8 minutes, 40.1% field goal pct, 7.1 points, 3.4 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals
• 2010-11: 21.8 minutes, 39.5% field goal pct, 6.4 points, 2.2 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals

That's regression across the board each successive season and a cause for concern if you're the Heat. Beyond the stats, Chalmers' poor ball handling skills makes the case against him even stronger. The amount of turnovers Rio has committed in recent games is unacceptable for a professional athlete that is supposed to hold the label of "floor general." If you can't handle the ball, you're not an NBA PG. Period.

I doubt Miami moves him before the trade deadline as there are too many obstacles in the way, including cap room, salary structure and Chalmers' trade value of course. I do expect him to lose the starting job by season's end and traded or let go in the offseason.

Sad to see it come to this after I raved about (what I called) the emergence of Mario Chalmers (and Michael Beasley). I was wrong, dead wrong, but have no problem admitting it. It's time to move forward now.

What Can Browns Do for Dolphins?

February 10, 2011

With news coming out of the Cleveland Browns camp yesterday that they would be releasing several veterans, the immediate reaction of some Dol-Fans was: What can the Browns do for us?

Well it won't be the first time that Miami has a shot at taking something from Cleveland (LeBron James is looking pretty good in a Heat uniform). However, unlike "The Decision," these guys didn't have a one-hour prime time special to let the world know where they're headed. Instead this was a swift kick in the butt by a Browns team in transition.

With that said, let's get to the point of this story.

The six veterans released include DL Shaun Rogers, LB David Bowens, TE Robert Royal, OT John St. Clair, DL Kenyon Coleman and LB Eric Barton.

Nothing eye-popping in that list but some viable back-up options that could add depth to the Fins' roster. And when you go for veterans, it's really a crap shoot.

Nevertheless, the two most notable names on that list are Rogers and Bowens. Last season there was some speculation as to whether the Dolphins would pursue Rogers or not. Rogers is a big body that can help push some bodies and clog some lanes in a limited basis. Miami has been lacking that extra "oomph" up front on the middle of the D-line for a few seasons now, and Rogers could provide a fraction of that "oomph."

As for Bowens, he's a former Dolphin who played six seasons in Miami. He racked up18 sacks in his final three years with the Fins. Adding a veteran presence to a mostly young linebacking core can't hurt Miami, if they can get Bowens for cheap.

Both Rogers and Bowens seem like worthy additions to a team that constantly finds itself in need of reserves.

Key word: seem. Nothing is for sure.

Even if Miami adds one or more of the Browns' released vets, this will not catapult Miami to the next level. At best it would make the team deeper but not that much better. At any rate, it never hurts to have an insurance policy on your roster (even if that insurance isn't guaranteed).

Stay tuned to see if the Dolphins show any interest in Rogers, Bowens or any of the others in the coming days. We'll keep updating this post with any developments.

P.S. Does anyone else think that Shaun Rogers is related to Rick Ross?

 

Hot Points: Talking Heat Rotation

February 2, 2011

The Starting Five

• The Sun-Sentinel's Ira Winderman claims that the Heat finally have a "set rotation" - featuring Mario Chalmers and Zydrunas Ilgauskus alongside Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

• Winderman says the starting five could change down the road if Udonis Haslem returns to the lineup, but that would be "way, way down the line, if at all."

• Interestingly enough, Chalmers and Ilgauskus are playing reserve roles with deceiving labels of "starters" as they barely get starter-caliber minutes and rarely play in the game's final minutes. 

Best Five-Man Rotation?

• Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com wrote an article listing the effectiveness of Miami's different five-man rotations, backing up his points with offensive efficiency, defensive efficiency and point differential ratings.

• According to the article, the rotation that grouped Carlos Arroyo and Joel Anthony with The Big Trio yielded the best point differential (+18.7), beating out rotations with Arroyo/Ilgauskus, Chalmers/Anthony and Chalmers/Ilgauskus.

• Mike Miller was also thrown into the equation but his limited minutes with The Big Trio didn't provide enough data to generate statistics of any substance.

• In my opinion, Miami's strongest rotation would include Wade, Miller, James, Bosh and either Anthony or Ilgauskus (depending on the opponent's lineup) - with Wade and James sharing the point guard duties.

• As for the second unit, the Heat are receiving stellar contributions from Miller, Eddie House and James Jones, particularly on the offensive end.

Dolphin Stadium Improvements Unveiled

January 8, 2010
Update: February 2, 2011


UPDATE (2/2/11): New details in the Miami Dolphins' proposed funding plan to finance stadium renovations. Click here to read the Miami Herald article. 

UPDATE (1/5/11): The Miami Dolphins are now seeking cross-county funding for their proposed stadium renovations, which would add up to about $225 million. Check out the article by the Miami Herald for more details.

* * *

Bringing ten Super Bowls to the tropical setting of South Florida is a record-breaking feat of its own, but the Miami Dolphins and the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee are not stopping there. In a press conference on Thursday afternoon, rumored plans on stadium improvements were unveiled at Dolphin Stadium with the initiative of launching a committee to head this task.
Miami Dolphins CEO, Mike Dee, discussed the elements within the master plan to renovate aspects of the stadium. The improvements include:

• A state-of-the art metal roof to provide partial coverage (as seen above)
• More comfortable seats throughout the stadium
• Improved lighting to meet high definition broadcast requirements
• Increased lower bowl seating; approximately 300 more seats

Raising the Roof
This 621,000 square foot roof will be fixed (non-retractable) and will provide coverage from the stadium seats to the concourse area. Both lightweight and hurricane proof, this roof will meet the demands of the sometimes volatile storm systems that occasionally pass through the state of Florida. The design was derived from European architecture that is found in soccer stadiums throughout Europe.

Most importantly, the roof will provide much-needed shade and protection to the fans. Mr. Dee reiterated the importance of not having another incident like in 2007, where rain washed out some of Super Bowl XLI's luster in South Florida. And as for Dolphins fans, their concerns of battling scorching temperatures for early afternoon Dolphins games have now been answered.

Renewed Comfort
Acknowledging that stadium seats are in excess on 23 years old, Mr. Dee announced a plan to replace current seats - some of which are broken or damaged - with newer and more comfortable ones. With comfort as a major aspect in the fan experience, Dolphin Stadium has slowly deteriorated its level of comfort through its aged seating. This will change all that.

Underneath the Bright Lights
Just like the seating, overhead lighting at Dolphin Stadium has not been improved for over two decades. This is a major priority for the Dolphins, regardless of the new roof initiative, because of the latest high definition developments in broadcast television. Current lights at the stadium do not provide proper illumination for the highest standards of picture quality.

The placement of these lights will have to change, along with the placement of the high definition video boards, with the implementation of the new roof. The stadium's current layout has both the lights and video boards above the bowl structure.

Closer to the Action
The final stage of the renovation process will involve a completely new lower bowl section, which will include an additional 300 seats. With the Florida Marlins projected to move out in 2012, Dolphin Stadium will no longer need to accommodate the sport of baseball; the primary factor behind the distanced seating near the field. And these seats will be arranged in a manner that will create better sight lines for fans and an enhanced experience, bringing them closer to the action.

New concrete will be poured in for this additional section and the lower bowl as whole, which will revive some of the older foundations of the stadium.

Economic Disclosure
Financial details of this plan were not disclosed at the conference as the architectural design has not been set in stone, rather it is still a work in progress. An estimated $300 to $400 million dollars were rumored to be the projected budget for this project, with public funding as a potential option. If the public financing route is taken, backlash is likely to be experienced from South Florida taxpayers, which were already hesitant to fund the Florida Marlins new stadium.