A sad end to Riley's Winner Within
Opponent File
Miami Heat
The Heat play in the American Airlines
Arena in Miami, Fl. Their 2006 - 2007 record was 44- 38 (first in the
Southeast). Here is the Miami
Heat roster.
Local Papers
Miami
Herald | Heat
Ft.
Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel | Heat
Team Pages:
CNNSI.com
| Heat
ESPN.com
| Heat
FoxSports
| Heat
NBA.com | Heat
Sportsline.com
| Heat
Head Coach: Pat Riley
2007 Draft: F - C Jason Smith (#20), Colorado (trade to Philadelphia); C Stanko Barac (#39), Bosnia (Traded to Indiana).
New Players: G Daquan Cook (Trade); G Ricky Davis (Trade); C Mark Blount (Trade); G F Anfernee Hardaway (free agent); G Smush Parker (free agent); F Alexander Johnson (free agent).
Season Goal: Ride Dwyane Wade and the aging Shaq as far as possible, before Pat Riley decides its time for a sabbatical.
Record vs. Nets: 1 - 1
G9: Heat 91, Nets 87
G26: Nets 107, Heat 103 OT
Other Opponent Files
Fiery Fall
Netsfans, it could be worse. OK, so Jason Kidd wants out, the Nets have lost 9 of 11, and there appears to be little hope for a playoff spot, but check out the Miami Heat. They've completely gone up in smoke a mere two years after winning a title, with injury (to Shaq, Udonis Haslem and Alonzo Mourning) and insult (the Heat have lost 17 of their last 18 games, including the Dec. 20 matchup to the Nets in OT) turned up into an inferno. The Heat could very well only suit up the required 8 players tonight (don't bet on it, though) against the Nets, furthering the hope for a two game NJ winning streak. Can the Nets defeat Pat Riley's Eastern Conference worst charity cases? Even with Jason Kidd's half-in, mostly-out stance, this could certainly be the case.
Why Should You Watch? Look, as bad as the Heat have been, if Dwyane Wade plays, you watch. The Nets can't exactly say they've been burning up the NBA of late. Is this the game that Vince Carter blasts off into space, in his home state? Or is this the game the Nets find themselves again looking at an unmotivated Jason Kidd. With no Shaq, it's up to Josh Boone to hold up the brick-building down in Miami. Everyone is searching for a hint of something different from Lawrence Frank, but don't hold your breath.
- Joe
Miami Heat Cheat Sheet
The Story From Miami: From the Sun-Sentinel:Oh, there are lots of stories from Miami these days: old friend Stan Van Gundy, coach of the Magic, after they beat the Heat the other night: "I know this — he'll never start thinking about the draft and draft position and any of that," Van Gundy said before his first-place team took on the injury-depleted Heat at Amway Arena.
"He'll keep them playing every game all year."
More? With Smush Parker entering his third month of exile from the Heat, agent Billy Ceisler said Tuesday he is targeting the NBA's trading deadline for a resolution of the guard's status.
"We're just excited to try to get to Feb. 21 and see if anything happens or not," Ceisler said. "That's our date for the next step, in terms of no longer having Miami say to us, "'We're still working on that.'"
Parker has been asked to remain away from the team, with pay, since a late-November run-in with a parking attendant.
Ceisler said that being included in a trade could lead to the simplest resolution. "I'm sure they have possibilities," Ceisler said. "How much they include Smush or not, I don't know. I've got to believe, with some of the contact they have and some of the deals they have, they have some options.
Pain Game: C Alonzo Mourning is out, likely ending his career after suffering a knee injury. F Udonis Haslem (ankle) and C Shaquille O'Neal (hip) are out as well. G Dwyane Wade (flue) is listed as questionable. G Smush Parker (ankle) is listed as suspended. For the Nets, C Nenad Krstic (knee) is out. C Jason Collins (knee) is listed as questionable.
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