Miami
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
Replace Kobe Bryant with Dwyane Wade and even with an injured Shaquille O'Neal, the Miami Heat accomplished what the LA Lakers could not: they beat the Detroit Pistons 83-74on Saturday behind Wade's 20 points and 4 steals. While such wins must almost by law be tempered with the word "meaningless," their is a pleasant psychological aspect to winning, especially when it is the world champions who are on the receiving end of the loss.
Besides, there must be some reason the link to the official box score at NBA.com isn't working. Insert your favorite conspiracy theory here.
Miami now faces the Hawks tonight before taking four days off to regroup and face the Hawks again, but in Atlanta, on Friday. The biggest concern against the Hawks is how Miami's small forward will fare defending the bigger, stronger threes as represented by Atlanta's Al Harrington. There is even some thought of putting Udonis Haslem, who grabbed a team-high seven rebounds on Saturday against the Pistons, as the defender on Harrington.
The Heat should cruise through the rest of the preseason. After facing the Hawks twice, they face Charlotte once (expect to hear the story about how Emeka Okafor told schoolchildren he will dunk on Shaq get blown all out of proportion again) and finish with the Orlando Magic, who they beat on Friday.
NEXT GAME
The Heat, 2-1 in the preseason, welcome the 1-1 Atlanta Hawks tonight. The game starts at 7:30pm and will be broadcast on the Sunshine network and NBA League Pass. Tickets are still available
and you would be wise to purchase them as this is MIAMI'S LAST HOME PRESEASON GAME. The next time they will be at home will be November 4, their regular season home opener and the second game of the regular season. This will likely also be the first and ONLY preseason Shaquille O'Neal appearance at home.
TEAM NOTES
Player Intro Video Shoot: HEAT fans, we’re looking for extras to be a part of this year’s exciting in-arena player introduction video. The HEAT will be hosting an open casting call on Wednesday, October 20th from 12:00 to 6:00 pm. So put on your HEAT gear, head over to the AmericanAirlines Arena on October 20th and be ready to have some fun.
INJURY UPDATE
Shaquille O'Neal(tender hamstring) is expected to play tonight.
Israel Gutierrez ofThe Miami Heraldwrites: Unless his strained left hamstring keeps him out of the lineup, O'Neal will play his first game in his new home tonight against the Atlanta Hawks.And based on what he saw of AmericanAirlines Arena in the postseason last season, O'Neal doesn't figure to need any sort of contrived stimulus.
Israel Gutierrez ofThe Miami Heraldwrites: Rasual Butler might have passed his initial tests to start at small forward, but his toughest challenge will come in the next two games against Atlanta beginning tonight.Heat coach Stan Van Gundy is concerned with his team's ability to defend stronger, post-up type small forwards such as Atlanta's Al Harrington. ''He's a great post-up guy,'' Van Gundy said of Harrington. ``That will be two good games to give us a test and see how we're going to handle guys like him both individually and as a team.'' Against Harrington, Van Gundy might experiment by playing Udonis Haslem at small forward for his defense.
Ira Winderman ofThe South Florida Sun-Sentinelwrites: Seemingly on the outside looking in are point guard Keyon Dooling, center Wang Zhi-Zhi, forwards Jerome Beasley and Matt Freije, and first-round draft pick Dorell Wright, the 18-year-old guard who had some sloppy closing minutes Saturday.Dooling made his first appearance of the preseason Saturday, after sitting out all but the first four practices of camp with a strained right calf.
Ira Winderman ofThe South Florida Sun-Sentinelwrites: Slowed by a lingering hamstring problem, O'Neal nonetheless is expected to make every effort to take the court tonight for the Heat's lone home exhibition.