CORONAVIRUS Sports Tracker: Frequent Updates

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The widespread coronavirus outbreak has impacted professional and collegiate sports across the nation.

Most recent at the top….

Hey, finally some good news!

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THE MASTERS is now postponed. Could mark first time in history that the tournament is not played in April.


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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP is now cancelled, along with every PGA event till the first week of April.

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Charles Barkley is among the latest to self-quarantine.

 

The Heat are working on something to help arena workers. More details to come.

 

Some NBA teams are doing the right thing.

 

Dwyane Wade doesn’t understand what the local school officials here are doing.

 

The XFL has caved. So much for the rebirth… for now.

 

It’s now infecting international soccer.

 

NBA will be suspended for 30 days.

Essentially that means the regular season is over.

 

Goodbye March Madness.

 

More details on the NBA coming soon.

 

Dan Gilbert is ahead of Micky Arison on something.

One league seems intent on outlasting all the others.

The entire ACC has postponed spring practice for all teams, which may also put the Hurricanes spring game in jeopardy.

 

Fans of the Marlins will have to wait a few extra weeks…

The American Airlines Arena has canceled all major events for the rest of March.

 

There will also be no NFL Spring meeting in Palm Beach for the time being.

 

 

The National Hockey League has suspended their season as well.

 

 

 

The Florida Atlantic University basketball season is over….

NFL now headed for a shutdown. Hard to see how free agency proceeds as scheduled…

So much for that InterMiami home debut.

Yes, it is already affecting prep for the NFL draft.

We are now waiting on the NHL.

A second NBA star has been diagnosed.

 

After it was learned Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus, the NBA has suspended the season indefinitely.

 

The NCAA had already announced that all men’s and women’s basketball tournaments would be held without fans.

 

Locally, besides the Miami Heat other sporting events are being cancelled or postponed including the upcoming Miami Open.

 

Heat Fall To Hornets Before NBA Season Suspended

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The Miami Heat fall to the Charlotte Hornets 109-98, which might’ve been the last game of the season for the Miami Heat and the rest of the NBA. The news broke that the NBA season has officially been suspended due to Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz testing positive for the Corona Virus.


Well, here’s how the game played out…

The Heat came out in the first with a similar energy they usually play with at home. Miami came out hot behind Derrick Jones Jr’s 13 point first quarter, going 3/3 from the three point line in this span. Kendrick Nunn also contributed 10 points on 4/4 shooting. The Heat only missed 3 shots in the first quarter. Miami led 40-22 at the end of the first quarter, which looked like it was heading towards a blowout.

The second and third quarters were a total nightmare for Miami. The Heat totally fell apart on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Miami played the exact opposite type of basketball that they played in the first quarter. When you live and die by the three point line, some nights aren’t going to go your way. The Heat couldn’t hit shots after the first quarter, which went from the Heat being up 20 to down 10 at the end of the third.

The Heat tried to make a late fourth quarter run behind Bam Adebayo’s big night. Bam scored 21 points along with 10 assists and 6 rebounds. Devonte Graham hit some big shots down the stretch on a 30 point night. This led to a 109-98 Miami loss on a tough night for the whole NBA.

 

Duncan Robinson is even better than you think

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Until this season, Duncan Robinson was known — if he was known at all — for borrowing two names from the greatest San Antonio Spurs in that franchise’s history.

He wasn’t a given to make the Miami Heat roster this season, not shooting especially well in summer league, where he was the Heat’s third most effective player behind rookies Tyler Herro and undrafted Kendrick Nunn.

Then, after he made the team, many of us — raising hand — weren’t sure he should be a rotation player.

Now, though?

He’s a starting fixture.

He’s making a habit of sinking four three pointers… by halftime.

He’s the Heat’s toughest cover, without whom their offense stalls and sputters.

He’s a Most Improved Player candidate, in competition with his teammate Bam Adebayo, who has come further, but not from as far away.

He’s the hottest shooter in the world.

That includes the recently returned Steph Curry. With Klay Thompson missing the season due to injury, Robinson has become the NBA’s closest facsimile, a sniper with size who is dangerous out to 30 feet.

Even with an odd bruise on his neck.

Simon Smith of Hoop Habit recently appeared on our Five on the Floor podcast from his native Australia, and provided some Robinson statistical nuggets.

But he’s been spitting out more of late.

And they’re… ridiculous…

It’s gotten to the point where the Heat struggle without him…

 

Robinson is shooting a ludicrous 52% from three-point range at home, where the Heat play their next three games, against the woeful Hornets, Knicks and Bulls — as the Heat try to improve their sterling record at AmericanAirlines Arena and move closer to securing home court in the playoffs.
Although odds are not available for all three games yet, SBD updates their odds page as each game gets closer to the tipoff. To get the most accurate stats, I suggest checking back as close to the start of each game as possible.

And even the defense is better than you think, in spite of this…

Five Attributes for Picking a Real March Madness Champion

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March Madness is a race for the toughest NCAA Basketball teams in the United States.

And this year, 2020, appears wide open.

March Madness will commence on March 17 and 18, 2020, at the University of Dayton Arena, in Dayton, Ohio. It is then succeeded by the first and second rounds along with the regional semifinals. After that, the Championship rounds will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, on April 4 and 6, 2020.

 

So, how do you pick a deserving winner in the upcoming NCAA betting odds? Below are some attributes that a worthy 2020 March Madness winner should have.

The Team Must Have Upperclassmen

In any given sport, especially in the NCAA, it’s always good to have the first five players with good skill sets. A team should demonstrate an incredible offense and defense skills that can help them edge their competitor. Aside from that, their player’s mental ability should reign supreme so they can score effectively inside the court.

 

A real NCAA champion team must have a complete lineup, including upper-classmen. If you look back to the previous years of the March Madness, most players who brought their school in the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, and Final Four were composed of junior and rookie players.

 

They Should Have Experienced Coaches

Coaches play a critical role when it comes to the team’s success. Understandably, it’s the players that you see inside the court showing their best abilities to score in and out of the perimeter. They should have that strength until the end of the game. Apart from that, they should score to win.

However, all of these are not possible without the guidance of the coaches. They are the ones who guide every player and create strategies that can help them win the game. In the previous NCAA tournaments, we have seen champions that are led by Hall of Fame coaches.

They Have Impressive Point Guards

Out of the five positions in a basketball team, the point guard has the biggest role on the court. They are considered as engines that control the whole pace of the game. They get the ball to the right player at the right time, especially down the stretch of tight contests.

In the last 11 seasons, MVP recognition was granted to point guards. So, if you are looking for a team that can emerge as the 2020 March Madness champion, then you must consider the statistics of the point guards of each group.

They Should Have Large Student Bodies

It always helps to have a cheering section. To make sure that your desired team dominates the whole game, the school typically should have a large student body. It means that the student population should come in massive numbers to the tourney site to add hype to the competing school.

Although student bodies are not the main requirement for a school to qualify the March Madness ranking, the support and cheers that each team gets can boost the team’s morale.

They Should Have Robust Defensive Skills

Offense matters, of course.

But the best way to choose an NCAA champion is to pick the team with the most impressive defense skills — the ability to hold down even the most explosive opponent.

Takeaway

Each college team that dreams of getting the March Madness title this year makes sure that they develop both their offensive and defensive skills to the best of their abilities. Hence, if you are one of those NCAA fans who wanted to pick a real March Madness winner, then you must start to look for a team who possess the attributes listed above for a sure win.

 

Quick Recap: Bam, Heat pull away from Wizards in Washington

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The Miami Heat were coming off of a tough loss on Friday night to the Pelicans, but took care of business on Sunday against the Wizards, 100-89.

The Heat started off the game in the first quarter the way they do every night it feels, with a Duncan Robinson triple. He had a great first quarter scoring 8 points on 2/2 shooting from three. Kendrick Nunn also contributed 8 points on 3/10 shooting, which seems to be his usual stat-line. Even though this might not seem good, it is for this team who needs a guy who isn’t afraid to shoot the ball. The Heat ended the quarter with a 29-23 lead over the Wizards.

Bam Adebayo was the big scorer for the Heat in the second quarter with 10 points on 4/4 shooting. This leads to better spacing out on the three point line once the defense packs the paint to guard Bam. Solomon Hill also got some quality minutes in this game, scoring 5 points in the second quarter. He hit a nice corner three and added some defensive problems when players would attack the rim. Bradley Beal kept the Wizards in this game in the first half scoring 20 points. This led to only a 3 point lead at the half, 57-54.

The third quarter began and it felt like Miami looked just tragic on the offensive end. The Heat put up a 15 point third quarter and could not get anything going. Miami took another big hit in the third once Jimmy Butler went to the locker room with a left toe injury, and did not return. Spoelstra talked about the injury after the game and basically said it was precautionary since he had sprained his ankle in the previous game. The game was tied at the end of the third, 72-72.

The fourth quarter was a battle to the end, but it ended in a way that makes every Heat fan feel good, Bam Adebayo taking over. Not only did Bam play as the primary playmaker in the fourth, but also as the main scorer, putting up 11 fourth quarter points with 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Not bad for a center. Duncan Robinson also helped the Heat clinch this win with 3 fourth quarter threes and 7 on the game. Heat pulled away late and got the win 100-89.

This Heat team relies on their star every night when things aren’t going their way. But on this particular night, one of their stars was in the locker room. This allowed them to rely on their other star in Bam Adebayo and he delivered. Just as Duncan Robinson said postgame, “We turned to our All Star.” Bam’s best moment of the night though may have come postgame, when he traded jerseys with Beal and wore it when leaving. Great recruiting mechanism. Seems kind of Wade-esque as pointed out in Ethan Skolnick’s latest piece on this being Bam’s time. Tonight was a great example of that being true.

Road Issues Continue For Miami In New Orleans

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The Miami Heat played a nationally televised game against the Pelicans on Friday night, and Miami falls to another team on the road, 110-104.

Here’s a more detailed look at the game…

The Heat looked to Jimmy Butler in the first quarter when Miami’s shots weren’t falling, and he delivered. Jimmy scored 9 first quarter points and played great defense with 2 steals. Bam Adebayo also added 2 steals in the first quarter, which shows how much defense wasn’t the problem. Miami only trailed by 6 after all of this, and the score was 32-26 at the end of the first.

The Heat’s first quarter shooting struggles carried into the second. Duncan Robinson tried to break Miami out of this slump by hitting 2 threes early in the second quarter. Jimmy Butler also added a productive quarter with 8 more points. He scored his points by doing what he does best, getting to the free throw line. The Heat were 3/16 from three at the half with Duncan having all 3 threes. Miami can’t win a game shooting this poorly, especially on the road. The Heat trailed by 14 at the half, 65-51.

The second half was a fourth quarter story for the Heat. After Miami went down 15 at the end of the third, they tried to make a late run in the fourth quarter. Duncan Robinson led this fourth quarter run by going 4/5 from three in the fourth, who was the only positive plus minus player for the Heat on Friday night. Miami played hard late in the fourth, but it was too late. Miami fell to the Pelicans in New Orleans, 110-104.

If Miami wants to make a playoff run, they need to get going early in games on the road. It seems as if it takes Miami a couple quarters to settle in when playing on the road, which can’t happen in the postseason. On nights like these, it shows how much Tyler Herro is missed. Herro is a guy who can get you going on offense when the team is in a slump and has the guts to take tough shots when needed. The Heat play again on Sunday against the Washington Wizards, then come back home for 3 home games against bottom tier eastern conference teams. Miami looks to go on another winning streak to uphold the 4 seed, which is needed for a team that struggles on the road.

Heat Solidify Florida’s Best Team Status On Record Setting Night

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The Miami Heat played their last game of a 5 game home stretch against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night and got a 116-113 win. This may not be a well known rivalry, but it is for the players.

At least, for Meyers Leonard, who watched from the bench as he recovers from injury.

The Heat started this game spreading the ball around, which usually starts with the leader of the offense, Jimmy Butler. He is the one who controls the tempo on a nightly basis. You can always tell the way he is going to play at the start of the game. On this particular night, he was more passive and interested in getting guys like Bam, Nunn, or Duncan going to begin the game. After having eight guys in the points column at the end of the first, the Heat had a 30-26 lead.

The second quarter was led by one guy in particular, Duncan Robinson. Duncan went 5 for 5 from three in the second quarter alone and was 7 for 8 from three at the half. Not only is it important for Duncan to get hot, but it’s also important for his teammates. Once guys start flying out at him whenever he runs off picks, it leads to either an open big man rolling off of the screen or an open man in the corner for three. Orlando’s Terrence Ross helped keep it interesting after scoring 17 second quarter points. Duncan lifted the Heat to a 60-55 lead at the half.

The third quarter was a continued back and forth game. The Heat’s bench unit was a big reason Miami was leading just as they are a lot of nights. Guys like Kelly Olynyk and Goran Dragic add a great amount of shooting and scoring off of the bench. Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala provide a defensive toughness off of the bench, on a night that looked like one of Iguodala’s best games in a Heat uniform. The quickness of his hands on defense and using them in a way that he doesn’t foul goes unnoticed. This helped the Heat to an 88-84 lead over Orlando at the end of the third, needing one last fourth quarter push.

The fourth quarter still contained a couple more lead changes between these two teams. Miami’s bench unit continued their dominance behind Dragic’s 9 point fourth quarter. Kelly Olynyk and Andre Iguodala also added a combined 8 points in the fourth. The bench unit all had a positive plus/minus while it was another story for the starters. This isn’t a bad thing always since it’s good for guys like Jimmy and Bam to get a bit of a break, especially after playing the best team in the NBA two nights prior. Orlando made a last minute push but it wasn’t enough as Miami got the win, 116-113.

Miami set a franchise record 22 threes behind 9 threes from Duncan Robinson alone. Dragic also added 5 threes, and ended the game with 25 points and 9 assists. Not only is it amazing to hit this many threes in a game, but to do it on 50% shooting from beyond the arc makes it that much better. This win helps Miami to a 4 game winning streak, while heading back on the road for a game Friday night against Zion Williamson and the Pelicans. It’ll be interesting to see how Bam matches up with a guy like Zion. Miami looks to continue this hot streak so they can uphold the 4 seed for home court advantage come playoff time.

Perfect against the Best: Miami Heat maul Milwaukee

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The Miami Heat played the best team in the NBA Monday night and got the win in commanding fashion, 105-89.

Here’s what happened…

The Heat came into this game off of back to back wins against Dallas and Brooklyn. With the Heat gaining the confidence that they played with earlier in the season, a win against Milwaukee would help it even more. The Heat were 1-0 with Milwaukee prior to this game.

Nunn and Jimmy came out aggressive to start the first. This is what Miami wants Jimmy to do every night, especially against a team like the Bucks. Nunn and Jimmy each had 8 points on 3/5 shooting. Kelly Olynyk ended the first quarter strong for the Heat going 2 for 2 from three, which lifted the Heat to a 31-26 lead at the end of the first.

The second quarter was more of a defensive battle with the Heat going through a bit of a cold stretch. The only guy who was the complete opposite of cold in the second quarter was Jae Crowder. Crowder hit 4 second quarter threes, and ended the first half with 5. A complete recap of this first half was one word, threes. The Heat scored 33 of their 53 first half points from beyond the arc. The Heat took a 53-52 lead at the half.

After a scoreless first half from Goran Dragic and Duncan Robinson, they started to settle down in the third quarter. They each hit 3 threes in the third quarter for the Heat. This helped Miami take a 81-70 lead over the Bucks, holding them to only 18 in the third.

The fourth quarter was just a recap of all the other quarter, defense and shooting. Bam finally got going in the fourth quarter after having a tough game scoring the basketball. He scored 8 fourth quarter points, while Jimmy and Dragic combined for 16 fourth quarter points. This led Miami to a 105-89 win over Milwaukee to go 2-0 with them on the season.

Miami generally wins games against better teams, most likely since they’re more aggressive against those teams. Being at home also helps our odds in which our defense plays significantly better at home. This proved true while the Heat held Antetokounmpo to only 13 points in the game. He also had a -16 rating while the rest of the Bucks team also had a negative rating. This was big win for the Heat, but it might’ve been a bigger win for the 2021 free agency. This was just a sample of what a polished Miami Heat defense looks like which should be intriguing for a player like Giannis.

Miami Heat: Team will have to stop Milwaukee’s secondary scorers

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As the Miami Heat get set to take on the Milwaukee Bucks, one thing is for sure. The Miami Heat are going to have to weather several storms. Milwaukee is the most talented team in the National Basketball Association, and they have not slowed down.

Just in terms of statistics, Milwaukee is at the top in many categories. They rank first in points per game with 119.6. They also rank first in rebounds per game with 52.2. Milwaukee has also managed to smother their opponents on defense, averaging 6.2 blocks per game. The bottom line is, they have won basketball games both with their offense and defense. Miami will certainly be in for a challenge on Monday.

The Miami Heat need to stop Middleton and Lopez

The top priority for the Miami Heat should be stopping their secondary scorers. Normally, I would say that Miami needs to stop Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, it is becoming apparent that nobody can. For Monday, Miami needs to make sure that they stop the shooters that Milwaukee has. Khris Middleton comes to mind. Middleton is averaging 21.1 points per contest. He is coming off back-to-back successful games. He scored 40 points against the Wizards on February 24, and 22 points the next night against the Toronto Raptors.

Middleton has been dealing with a neck injury. However, he is expected to be back in the lineup for this game.

A player like Brook Lopez is also somebody Miami should be worried about. He doesn’t put up incredible numbers. However, he can get it done on both the boards and in the scoring department. In his last game against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, he recorded 16 points and seven rebounds

Lopez is the type of player that can be a constant pest throughout the game, and that in turn will put Miami in a difficult spot.

Antetokounmpo is going to get his points. That is a given. Miami will need to focus on the other players who help the team be so successful. This is not going to be an easy match up at all, and Miami will certainly be tested.

Miami Heat Escape Against Brooklyn

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The Miami Heat played a tough back to back against Brooklyn Saturday night, and got the victory 116-113 in a down to the wire game.

Here’s how it played out…

Miami came into this game knowing that Brooklyn is a very tough team to beat, even without their star Kyrie Irving who will be out for the rest of the season with an injured right shoulder. Brooklyn has a bunch of guys who play hard and have something to prove every night. All Miami needs to do is touch up on their turnovers while playing against a team with guards who like to run on the break.

Miami picked right back up where they left off in Dallas by getting off to a good start shooting the ball. The ball didn’t stick to anyone’s hands and the ball movement looked great, which always begins once Butler starts to attack. Everyone was able to get their shots up, which was led by Goran Dragic’s 11 points and 5 assists at the half. He also got the crowd going after he hit a one handed three point floater at the buzzer to end the half. The Heat took a 57-49 lead at the half.

The second half began with another great stretch for Kendrick Nunn, who ended the game with 21 points on an efficient 9-14 shooting from the field. He was the main playmaker on the court at times with Goran while Butler and Bam took a break in the third. It was good for Miami’s two stars to get a breather on a tough back to back. It ended up being that Bam and Jimmy needed to come back in the fourth after Brooklyn made a big run after the Heat took a 14 point lead. As Brooklyn began to battle back, Butler began to take over with a clutch And 1, followed by a great give and go with Bam which helped the Heat take a 9 point lead with 5 minutes remaining.

The Nets would not go away behind a great fourth quarter from Joe Harris, who hit 3 threes in the fourth alone. Dinwiddie took the ball to the paint with a little over a minute left to cut the lead to 2. Then with 17 seconds left, Dragic decided to take matters into his own hands, as he has done in the past many times, and hit a big time step back jumper to extend the lead to 4. After a sequence of events, Brooklyn had the ball down two with 9 seconds left and this is where Miami’s two stars prove they are stars. Brooklyn sends Joe Harris off of a pick, in which Bam doubles out with Butler and forces Dinwiddie to throw a tough one handed pass over the defenders. The ball went right out of bounds which locked up a great Miami Heat victory, 116-113.

These types of games always uplift the spirits of a locker room. The attitude of the players was the total opposite of the other night against Minnesota. It seems as if they are definitely having fun again, which of course always comes after winning. Dragic finished the night with 19 points and 10 assists, also having a +8 in 32 minutes. This is the guy the Heat need down the stretch of games, especially come playoff time. Miami has a big game coming up on Monday against the best team in the NBA, the Milwaukee Bucks. If Miami could pull off this win, they’d be 2-1 on the season against the Bucks, which would give great confidence closing in on the postseason.