#HeatNation

People come and go in life, co-workers, friends, and even at times family.  A revolving door of personalities, temperaments and ideologies is at our fingertips every day, minute, and second of our lives.  It builds fortitude, a sense of one's self and also resilience.  A resilience that is often born from betrayal, fraudulent feelings, and loss of loved ones.  A Nation can often rise from the depths of despair, the agony of defeat, the death of a dream, and the betrayal of those who were once most loyal.  A Nation is a strong force, united by a singular goal, sheltered from outsiders and non believers all the while blindly following one another to the often elusive promised land.

Make no mistake about it, the four year dream died when a certain freed slave ran back to his longtime master the first chance that he could but left buried in his wake of destruction were the seeds, the seeds of something bigger than even he can imagine, a franchise that is not about one player, one savior but one of many.  The names are all familiar, Glen Rice, Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Brian Grant, Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, and Shaquille O'Neal.  In the very near future the likes of a Bosh and a Chalmers will be added to the mix, great players who sacrificed for an even greater franchise, one who's won three NBA Championships in a span of 8 years.  A franchise where the name on the front of the jersey is more important than that on the back.....the way it should be.

The Miami Heat is a proud organization and one with the bigger picture in mind at all times.  Despite their current record of 11-13 there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Winning a championship in sports is one of the hardest feats to accomplish but once the equation has been mastered, success becomes a habit.  Winning titles become second nature and its genesis begins at the ownership level and trickles down with sacrifices made at each pay grade.  This Nation has its roots planted deep, a championship culture that took years to build, years of blood sweat and tears, years of disappointment that again formulated the wall of strength of resilience.

The sounds, sights and championship history all remain the same but there's a genuine realness that has returned to the kingdom that was once led by a false prophet.  As the team is introduced there's a sense of appreciation from its Nation that has never been felt before.  Gone are the fans that blow with the winds of success, fans that have no roots, those who'd rather enjoy the hollow sense of victory versus the euphoria of the hard journey, the proverbial road less travel.

Walking through the championship halls reminds one of days past but also of tomorrow's promise.  This franchise is not done yet, it's the opposite.  The seeds that were left are now beginning to grow living off of the love and passion from the Nation that nurtures them, cheer them, and most importantly grow with them.  Be proud of the franchise before you for what they've accomplished in the past and for all they will accomplish in the very near future.

The Miami Heat are one of the most successful championship franchises in the history of the NBA and as stated previously, once the championship equation has been solved, many more will follow.  Enjoy this journey that has started anew.  Laugh, cry and finally rejoice.  And as the franchises' greatest son once said, "You are with family, you are home."

#HeatNation 

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Dion Waiters: Destined To Be A Career 6th Man?

Written By Clevis Murray 

The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Dion Waiters with the 4th pick in the 2012 NBA draft.  The franchise hoped that they had found their shooting guard of the future by pairing him up with the Rookie of the Year and the 1st overall pick of the 2011 draft Kyrie Irving. Dion Waiters being drafted so high in the 2012 NBA draft was a bit of a surprise since he only played 71 career games at Syracuse University under Jim Boeheim and never started however he was considered the best sixth man in college basketball, being named the Big East's sixth man of the year. During his rookie season in the NBA (2012-13) Waiters came off of the bench 13 times in the 61 games he played.  Due to the averages in his rookie campaign 14.7 points, 3 rebounds and 2.4 assists he became known as a scorer......nothing more and nothing less.

As Dion Waiters second NBA season began many believed he was poised for a breakout but new Head Coach Mike Brown wanted to try something different and put Waiters on the bench stating that "The one thing Dion gives us is a nice punch off the bench with the ability to play pick and roll and create shots not only for himself, but for his teammates." With the statement being said former 6th Men of the Year James Harden, Manu Ginobili, J.R. Smith and Jamal Crawford all come to mind.  All four had previously ran the pick and roll the most when coming off the bench and were obviously the best at creating their own when coming off the bench with the exception of James Harden who is now a starter with Houston.  For the most part, the players are combo guards who can handle the ball and can get their teammates involved.

Thus far this season Waiters has played his best when coming off the bench rather than starting.  One can say that he has to a point been hindered by teammates.  During his brief stint with the Cavaliers, center Andrew Bynum would demand the ball in the post. Kyrie Irving is known for dominating the ball as well which limits the amount of possessions that Waiters can potentially have.  The situation reportedly grew toxic and there were rumors of fighting.  Waiters reportedly wanted to be traded to the Philadelphia 76ers "because he thinks he'd be the best player on the team." Andrew Bynum was suspended for "conduct detrimental to the team" and eventually traded to and released by the Bulls.

Waiters is putting up season averages which make him look like a role player but scoring and shooting like a 6th man.  He is averaging 13.5 shot attempts per game, 14.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.7 rebounds along with 41% FG & 38% from the 3-point line. Comparing his sophomore season to his rookie season shows that there is no improvement at all and he is basically the same player and doesn't follow the motto "Getting better over the summer." But to be fair he is a young player in his 2nd season and will most likely get better over time especially on defense as Mike Brown recently said "defensively he has the capabilities of being a great defender. He’s in the process of learning and growing on that end."

A Bad Reflection?

Dion Waiters has been compared to many players for example Dwyane Wade but he doesn't have the size Wade had when he was younger but does have similar quickness and is truly skilled when heading to the basket but one would be wise not to compare Waiters to a future Basketball Hall of Famers like Wade.  A more accurate comparison for Dion Waiters is Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson or to keep it more current it would be Rodney Stuckey but the most accurate comparison at this time would be J.R. Smith.  The career path of Dion Waiters is becoming very similar to Smith's.  Despite Waiters career still being young, it's still growing similar to Smith's. The perception of Waiters is that he takes bad shots but that’s not the reality, Waiters doesn’t take bad shots but his low shooting percentage is what fuels the perception.

Both J.R. Smith & Dion Waiters have are both two immature NBA players with tons of talent. Remember when people thought J.R. Smith was a future All-Star when he was with the Denver Nuggets but all that changed when he didn't develop, listen and had too many off the court problems which have led to suspensions and hefty fines. His coach Mike Woodson recently said "[He] has got to grow up and do the right things." J.R doesn't listen and was recently fined $50K for untying shoes and his value around the league is continuing to decrease.

In similar fashion to Smith, Waiters usually starts sulking on the court and on the bench when things don't go his way and like Smith he thinks people are after him and nobody is on his side.Waiters has also gotten into an argument with Cavs guard Kyrie Irving and Head Coach Mike Brown. Waiters defensive effort decreases whenever he's not effective on the offensive end displaying his immaturity and like Smith, his teammates can't deal with it on and off the court but thankfully he isn't as immature as Smith off the court with the smoking of marijuana and uncalled for antics.

Dion will hopefully mature as a player and more importantly a person and exceed the expectations that were placed onto him but as of now he's a future sixth man who makes some bad decisions and his teammates are starting to grow tired of it.  There's usually a growth period of about five NBA seasons to see how a player develops as they should have carved out their niche by then, but let's see if Dion Waiters is really a future sixth man. With the way Dion is progressing he is showcasing a limited work ethic but for a young player with a huge upside and it shall be interesting to see how things will turnout down the line.

Twitter: NBAFLASHNEWS 
Facebook: NBA Flash News

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Sacrifice For Success

The free agency period of the summer of 2010 will forever be talked about as one of the defining off-seasons in NBA history, as three of the league’s star players, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh joined forces to increase their chances of achieving their ultimate goal; winning an NBA Championship.

The Big Three in 2010

All three of those players had plenty of options available to them when they entered free agency, and all of them could have commanded a lot more money elsewhere than they currently receive in Miami; let’s face it, the career of a basketball player is a short one, why not use that time to get as much money as you can?

Instead, the “Super Friends”, as they were dubbed in the media, came together for the chance to win a Championship, knowing that to make the partnership work for the betterment of the team they would all have to make their own sacrifices.

LeBron James, for example, had the chance during free agency to sign a max contract with one of the plethora of teams that was vying for his signature. It could be argued that LeBron is worth even more money than the maximum contract ruling will allow, as he proved during his time in Cleveland that he can convert a terrible team into a Championship contender.

However, James decided to take less money in order to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, thus increasing his chances of winning the most coveted prize in basketball. James’ salary for this year puts him in joint eighth position of the highest paid players in the league, tied with Chris Bosh. You could argue that had LeBron chosen somewhere other than the Heat, he would more than likely top the list.

For seven seasons, Dwyane Wade had the Heat Fans’ adulation focused solely on him as he became the poster boy of sports in Miami. Nowadays, Wade has to be content with the sidekick role, as he has stepped aside to allow LeBron to take the reins of his team.

All-Star teammates

Wade could have easily rejected the notion of having two fellow All-Stars joining him on his team, instead choosing to demand the highest contract he could get and remaining the star of the team. Instead, he has had to realize that his knees are not what they used to be, and are currently preventing the Heat coaching staff on playing in back-to-back nights.

Chris Bosh has become the forgotten piece of the Big Three since they came together, playing under the shadow of two future Hall of Famer players in James and Wade. Bosh could have easily either stayed with the Raptors or joined another team, where he could have earned more money and remained the focal point on offense.

Instead, Bosh moved to South Beach, knowing that he would more than likely be the third option on offense. 

However, this has encouraged him to reinvent his game, from being the go-to offensive player on the team, to expanding his range so that he can stretch the opponent’s defense, allowing space for James and Wade to attack the paint.

Of course, you have heard about the sacrifices these three players made to play together countless times. What seems to have been overlooked, however, is how much the players around the Big Three have sacrificed in order to play alongside them.

Mario Chalmers has often been seen as the whipping boy of this team, as when things have been going wrong on the court, his teammates have been seen berating him for various reasons. Chalmers has also had to get used to the fact that he is not going to have the ball in his hands on most possessions, as James and Wade are both excellent when it comes to handling the ball, and prefer to have the ball in their hands when running plays.

However, Chalmers has been an extremely valuable asset for the Heat, as he shot a career best 40% from behind the three point line last season. His shooting ability means that the opposition would be taking a huge risk by leaving him open, meaning that James and Wade are less likely to be double-teamed and will have more space to operate in when running an isolation play.

Ray Allen had a number of potential suitors when he tested free agency in the summer of 2012, his final chance to get the biggest contract he could before father time would surely catch up with him. One of the greatest shooters the NBA has ever seen and the holder of the record for most career made three-pointers, Allen would surely have been a fantastic addition for many teams.

Allen takes the three-pointer in Game 6

Allen decided to become a free agent because he was unhappy about not regaining his starting spot for the Boston Celtics after his return from injury, as Doc Rivers chose to start with Avery Bradley. There were also rumors that Allen and his All-Star point guard teammate, Rajon Rondo, had fallen out.

Although Allen was unhappy to come off the bench for the Celtics, he has embraced his role in coming off the bench for Miami, putting his ego to one side to help the team. Indeed, he has helped his team in a huge way, knocking down the game-tying three pointer in game 6 of last season’s NBA finals, sending the series to a game 7 which the Heat would ultimately win.

Haslem hustling

Udonis Haslem has become synonymous with the Miami Heat since he entered the league eleven years ago. His tenacity and energy quickly endeared him to the fans in South Beach, and last season he broke Alonzo Mourning’s record for most rebounds by a Heat player.

However, this season Haslem has had to be content with watching his teammates play from the bench, as the impact Chris Anderson has had coupled with the signing of Greg Oden has caused a considerable decline in the amount of time he is seeing on the court. At the time of writing, Haslem has featured in just 28 of Miami’s 57 games so far this season, averaging 12 minutes in those appearances.

Without the selflessness of these players, the Miami Heat would not have been able to assemble players of a similar quality of these players that they needed to put around the Big Three. On the other hand, it cannot take much convincing to join the Heat considering the quality of players they have on their roster.

However, in a game dominated by egos, Miami have created a true team-first ethic, and so far it is hard to argue with the results. The question now is, will the Big Three still be together at the start of next season?

Find me on Twitter: @Mike_Kelly7

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Nets Beat the Heat in Double-Overtime

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

January 10th, 2014

Miami Heat vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Heat 95 Nets 104

The Brooklyn Nets were able to pull off a double overtime win over the defending champions on Friday night to keep their winning streak alive. The Nets riding a five-game winning streak now are just three games back of the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division, with a (15-21) record.

Positives-

Shooting Guard Joe Johnson once again had a great game in the absence of Deron Williams, who is still out with an ankle injury, and there is no real timetable for his return. Johnson scored a team-high 32 points on 14 for 25 shooting, which included him going four for six from three-point land. In his 46 minutes Johnson also added four rebounds and five assists to his great night.

Shaun Livingston did another fine job filling in for Williams at Point Guard for the third straight game. In 51 minutes of play Livingston recorded a double-double, as he scored 19 points on six of 11 shooting, with 11 rebounds and five assists. In his last three games at Point Guard, Livingston has scored in double figures each time, which is a big help for a team without their best player.

In the double-overtime thriller the old men for Brooklyn did pretty well, as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett both had nice games. Pierce did well scoring the basketball, as he had 23 points on seven for 17 shooting. Garnett playing a bit more than usual recorded a double-double with 12 points on five for eight shooting to go along with 10 rebounds.

Battling a knee injury Dwayne Wade sat against Brooklyn, which was the second game of a New York back to back for the Heat. Ray Allen got the start in place of Wade, and really struggled against some of his old friends from Boston. Allen scored just nine points on a horrendous two for 14 shooting night from the field, and was zero for five from three-point land. Chris Bosh was a surprising non-factor in a game that Wade wasn’t in. Bosh scored just 12 points on four for nine shooting with 10 rebounds.

Brooklyn as a team did a fantastic job protecting the ball throughout the game against one of the more opportunistic teams in the league. The Nets only turned the ball over 13 times, which would be great for even a game that ended in regulation.

Negatives-

The best player in the world was just that against Brooklyn, as expected LeBron James was his usual great self. James scored a game-high 36 points on 12 for 21 shooting, with seven rebounds and five assists. In what was a truly rare sight James fouled out just before the end of the first overtime for just the sixth time in his career.

A major negative for Brooklyn was their lack of production from the entire bench. Only Reggie Evans had a positive plus +/- off the bench for Brooklyn, and they didn’t have a player score in double-digits, as Andray Blatche was the closest with eight points on four for 10 shooting.

Next up for the Nets will be a difficult game against the Toronto Raptors in Toronto on Saturday night.

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