Full boat for Miami Heat: Blessing or problem?

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The untold national story of the Miami Heat’s 13-5 start is how much they’ve done with less.

When training camp started, it was assumed by many that Justise Winslow, James Johnson, Dion Waiters and even Derrick Jones Jr. would be integral parts of the rotation. After all, those are two of the team’s highest paid players, the projected starting point guard and a prospect the Heat have compared to first round value.

But Winslow missed three weeks with a concussion. Johnson wasn’t in Heat shape to start camp and has fallen out of favor. Jones has had an assortment of maladies. And Waiters? Well, you know.

Now, though, all are back.

That gives the Heat 15 available players as they face the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday at the start of a compelling 3-game Eastern road swing.

So how will this shake out?

Start with the starting lineup. Since Winslow returned, Erik Spoelstra has inserted sixth man Goran Dragic in his place anyway. But the Heat are committed to Dragic as bench stalwart. So you’d guess Winslow gets back in the lineup, now that his minutes are up, to start to build offensive chemistry with Jimmy Butler — arguably the most important objective for this team in the short term.

But who is the guard between them? Still Kendrick Nunn? Duncan Robinson, who played so well as part of the five-man opening group with Winslow out? Or is this the time to insert Tyler Herro, the Bucket Brother who has undeniable chemistry with Butler?

That, of course, will affect the bench. Assuming Dragic goes back there, does he pair better with Herro or Nunn? And what about the frontcourt? Kelly Olynyk has found his game of late. Does he replace Meyers Leonard in the starting lineup? What becomes of two-way surprise Chris Silva? In some games, the Heat have needed his energy. They’re not worried about his service time clock. Send him to the G-League for a week as Jones and Johnson get some run? Or stay with what’s working?

You’d always rather have more talent than less.

But some of Spoelstra’s decisions have been made for him so far, by circumstance.

Now, as even he has said, the decisions will get more difficult.

His motto: Force me to watch you, force me to play you, force me to make a tough choice.

Make that two: Harrell decides to stay home, commits to Miami

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Not even 24 hours after RB Jaylan Knighton announced his commitment to the Hurricanes, Champagnat Catholic safety Jalen Harrell followed suit early Friday afternoon on his birthday and chose to stay home to play for the hometown Hurricanes.

The 6’2” 181 lb. safety chose Miami over Georgia Tech and Nebraska.

Harrell is currently ranked as the 23rd best safety in the country and 231st overall according to 247Sports. He transferred to Champagnat Catholic for his senior season after attending Miami Central previously.

According to MaxPreps, he currently has 48 tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception through nine games.

Harrell had been committed to the Seminoles for over six months before re-opening his recruitment in October. And even while he was committed, Miami safeties coach Ephraim Banda still kept in contact with Harrell and paid off dividends upon receiving the news.

Miami had him in Coral Gables for an official visit on November 9th and he got the chance to watch Miami’s beatdown of Louisville. 

With Knighton and Harrell now in the fold, Miami now has the 14th best class in the country and 2nd in the ACC with their 21 commitments.

While it is somewhat surprising that Miami received Knighton and Harrell’s commitments following the unfortunate loss to FIU this past weekend, this exemplifies coach Manny Diaz’s approach towards recruiting.

Diaz has reiterated that he wants players that understand the value of suiting up in the orange and green despite any turmoil or adversity that may get in the way.

In my opinion, the fact that both players mentioned “staying home” or “making the crib great” goes to show these are a couple of special commits on top of the fact that they have a chance to be impact players the minute they step foot on campus. 

Miami adds another RB to 2020 fold in Deerfield star Jaylan Knighton

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Head coach Manny Diaz and the Miami Hurricanes staff received a nice bit of news as they were chowing down on Thanksgiving dinner. Only three and half weeks after de-committing from Florida State, four-star running back Jaylan Knighton from Deerfield Beach has committed to the Miami Hurricanes, noting in his commitment note that “supporting the city I grew up in is best for me.”

Jaylan is ranked as the 10th-best All-Purpose back in the country and the 100th player overall according to 247Sports. He is the second tailback in Manny Diaz’s 2020 recruiting class, joining five-star Belen Jesuit star Don Chaney.

The 5’9”, 185 lb. Knighton also been clocked at 4.49 seconds in the 40-yard dash and has a vertical leap of 32.9 inches. Jaylan will also finish his career at Deerfield Beach as the 2nd all-time leading rusher in Broward County history.

Keeping his recruitment under wraps for the most part, Knighton had been committed to the Seminoles for about three months. But amidst the uncertainty at head coach following FSU’s loss to Miami, Knighton made the decision to de-commit from the Seminoles to re-evaluate his options. That’s when coach Diaz and running backs coach Eric Hickson once again got to work in hopes of convincing Knighton and his family that Coral Gables was the place for him, with his campus visit on 11/18 sealing the deal.

Indeed, it is a big deal landing Knighton despite the adversity Miami is currently enduring. But it’s an even bigger deal considering that the team is 6-5 and they have the two best running backs out of South Florida committed and two of the top three in the entire state. 

Assuming Deejay Dallas returns for his senior season (which according to reports is more unlikely than not), Miami’s backfield will be reminiscent of the early 2000s, if not better: Dallas, Cam Harris, Lorenzo Lingard, and now Don Chaney and Knighton. 

Who is a Perfect Fit for Marlins?

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The Marlins are determined to sign impact bats to help bolster their lineup of young players this offseason. The only question is who should they sign? There have been reports that the Marlins are interesting in bringing in free-agent outfielders Nicholas Castellanos, Avisail Garcia or perhaps a reunion with Marcel Ozuna. However, in my opinion, the one option that I believe would be more cost-friendly for the club after they burned $22 million dollars to release Wei-Yin Chen would be Yasiel Puig.

Puig hit for a .267 average while belting 24 home runs and driving in 84 RBIs during the 2019 season. His stats may not be eye-opening but for a Miami lineup who struggled to hit for power, it could be the boost they need for more run production. They say hitting is contagious and when Puig gets going, so does the rest of the line-up. (Video credit to @Starting9)

 

So, why would the Marlins go after Puig when Castellanos, Ozuna, and Garcia are on the table? Puig is from Cuba and Miami who has a vast Cuban population would go well together. Puig has a lot of energy and could provide a spark that the team along with their fans have been missing.

Fans from all over love Puig because of the antics he performs on the field, whether he’s on the opposing team or not, fans cheer him on because of his electric personality. His competitive nature brings some enjoyment and an energy boost to the long nine-inning games. Everyone knows Yasiel Puig, and to be quite honest with you, his name alone could draw in more fans to Marlins Park. 

Whether the team is down or up, Puig plays the game with the energy as if it was Game 7 of the World Series. If the Marlins do take a chance on Puig, he would be the first Cuban born player on the team since Jose Fernandez. Believe me, the Marlins and their fans need a player like Puig. They should not overlook his ability to bring up the energy and to mentor the younger players. Speaking of his energy and the World Series, here’s a video. (credit to @SportsCenter)

He has played on the game’s biggest stage more than once so he has the experience that many players don’t and the Marlins could use that to their advantage in developing their young core. He has been through his failures and has been able to overcome them and he has had his successes. Providing lessons on how to overcome those failures and to sustain those successes would be a huge lesson that Puig would be able to provide.

Heat lineups

Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler out for Wednesday’s game against Rockets

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The Miami Heat will face a tough Houston Rockets team without one of its best players. Forward Jimmy Butler will not play in Wednesday’s game against the Rockets due to an illness.

This is certainly an unfortunate development as Butler has been fantastic for the Heat this season. He is averaging 18.9 points per contest, to go along with 5.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. He is truly doing it all for Miami, and he is undoubtedly one of the leaders in the locker room.

If there is one positive about this injury, it is that the Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks without Butler in October. They are facing a team of equal talent in the Houston Rockets Wednesday night.

This could also mean that Justise Winslow gets the start. Winslow has played in five games this season averaging 13.8 points. His best game statistically came on October 23 against Memphis where he scored 27 points on 10-of-21 shooting. He also managed to record seven rebounds and seven assists.

Winslow also had a nice game against Minnesota on October 27. In 42 minutes of work, he recorded 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting. He also proved to be an impactful playmaker, recording six assists on the evening. He has put up points when given the opportunity. For him, it’s all about staying healthy. Wednesday night, he may get his first chance at extended action in quite a while.

Miami Heat Watch Party at Duffy’s

Make sure to join us on Wednesday at Duffy’s for the Miami Heat game. It should be a great contest as they look to defeat the Houston Rockets. With an upstart Miami Heat team playing against one of the premier teams in the Western Conference, it is certainly must-see television.

Start your Thanksgiving holiday off right. Hopefully, the Miami Heat will make the party even better with a victory.

Dolphins draft Tua Tagovailoa in latest Tankathon Mock Draft

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Despite the injury to Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins still use the third-overall pick on the once-in-a-generation QB in Tankathon’s latest 3-round Mock draft.

When the season started, many believed the ultimate goal was acquiring Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa. And whether or not you believe that was the plan all along, it has been a roller coaster of emotions to the say the least. After all, Miami started the season 0-7 and it seemed like a certainty they would get their guy. But then they won two straight games and the future seemed a bit more hazy. Since then, Miami has dropped two games in a row and with the rebirth of Andy Dalton in Cincinnati, 2-14 seems like a real possibility.

However, the biggest thing to happen since the last time I penned one of these articles, is the season-ending injury that Tagovailoa suffered nearly two weeks ago.

To read about the injury and my thoughts on whether or not the Dolphins should still draft Tagovailoa, click HERE

As of now, it is a bit murky on which pick Miami would have if the season ended today. Some say they would draft fourth-overall, while our good friends over at Tankathon say they will have the third-overall pick. Nevertheless, if things going according to plan, the Dolphins should be drafting top-3 in April’s draft. Which would net them LSU QB Joe Burrow, Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa, or Ohio State pass-rusher Chase Young.

In the latest Tankathon three-round mock draft, the Dolphins do what many fans wanted the team to do from the very beginning.

First Round

Despite his season-ending hip injury and the concern that he may never be the same talent he once was, the Dolphins have desperately needed a quarterback for the last twenty years  So, unless Cincinnati goes with the elite pass-rusher from Ohio State, that leaves only one worthy QB still on the board.

With the third-pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins select–Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

Hip injury and all, Tagovailoa is probably the most talented QB in the class. And if he were truly the Dolphins target all along, Miami should pull the trigger without any hesitation. In 2019, Tagovailoa completed 180/252 passes for 2,840 yards, 33 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Truth is, he was well on his way to being a legit Heisman contender, but again, the injury. In the end, no one truly knows how Tagovailoa will heal from the injury and where he will be projected to go in 2020. Hell, he could still decide to return to school if he wanted to. But that wouldn’t be in his best interest, especially with the 2021 class loaded with QB talent. Finally, the Dolphins get ‘their guy’ in Tua Tagovailoa.

Miami has a lot of needs that should be prioritized before the team uses a first-round pick on a wide receiver. But no one can deny Tee Higgins skill-set and how it should translate to the NFL game. And with Preston Williams out for the foreseeable future. With Pittsburgh’s first-round pick, the Dolphins choose to bring in another weapon for their recently drafted QB. With one more pick in the first-round and a ton of needs, Chris Grier gets HC Brian Flores a new weapon for his defense-selecting Alabama defensive lineman Raekwon Davis.

Second Round

At the top of the second-round, the Dolphins address one of their biggest needs on the offensive side of the football. And although there’s a very good chance a running back or two will go on day one, Miami lands arguably the best back in the class. With the 34th-pick in the 2020 draft, the Miami Dolphins select De’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia. Kalen Ballage clearly isn’t getting things done and the Dolphins would be wise not to invest a ton of money via free agency. Swift can do it all and would be a perfect fit in Chad O’Shea’s offense.

Later in round two, Miami finally addresses the offensive line selecting Iowa OT Alaric Jackson. Truth is, the Dolphins’ offensive line has been an absolute turnstile this season. And though I fully expect them to invest a lot of money on the offensive line in free agency, it would still be wise to draft some young talent to build upon. Jackson would start immediately and help both of his fellow rookies- Tagovailoa and Jackson.

Third Round

Lastly, in round three Miami does the unthinkable and take yet another offensive lineman. This time drafting TCU’s Lucas Niang. The Dolphins invested in Tua and now they are making sure to cover their investment, fixing the offensive line like many have long yearned for.

This will change many more times between now and April 23, 2020. With that said, how do you feel with Tankathon’s latest mock draft?

Josh Houtz (@houtz) is a die-hard fan of the Miami Dolphins, and wants Tua Tagovialoa, No Matter What! #Tankovailoa

Heat’s Justise Winslow finally back, will play vs. Rockets

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Justise Winslow will finally make his return Wednesday against the Houston Rockets.

The Miami Heat point guard has been out of action since November 5th when he collided with Nuggets forward Paul Millsap, and stayed in the game. He was placed in concussion protocol after the game and practiced for the first time today (Tuesday) since the injury. Without Winslow, Miami posted an impressive 7-2 record and didn’t miss a beat for the most part, except perhaps against Philadelphia, where his size and defense clearly would have been useful.

 

Duncan Robinson was able to step in for Justise and contribute solid minutes even posting a career high in points during his absence. It will be interesting to finally see the tandem of Jimmy Butler and Justise Winslow get significant play time together. Many expect them to flourish on the defensive end but question whether offensively it will work.

What Duncan Robinson gave the Heat during Winslow’s absence was a deadly three point threat which provided tons of spacing. Although Winslow isn’t an awful shooter (38 percent from three-point range the past two seasons), it will be interesting to see how this plays out especially since the Heat proved they can win games without him. Also, the Heat have been linked to names such as San Antonio’s former All-Stars, DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge, with Winslow being the centerpiece in most of these speculated trades.

So the fit here may determine Pat Riley’s actions.

Winslow’s return comes at a great time as the Heat face one of the more lethal backcourts in the NBA — Russell Westbrook and scoring leader James Harden. His size and defense will be important in stopping Houston’s high powered offense.

Justise is better.

Now we’ll see if the Heat are too.

Zach Thomas header

Zach Thomas named Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist

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Zach Thomas is one step closer to heading to Canton.

The semifinalists for the 2020 Pro football Hall of Fame class were announced on Monday, and a former Miami Dolphins’ player was part of that illustrious group.  Furthermore, it was a name fans are sure to remember. Linebacker Zach Thomas was among the semifinalists.

Thomas, had a great career as a member of the Miami Dolphins. Playing from 1996-2008, he appeared in 182 games. Thomas started off his career strong, as he was selected as the AFC defensive Rookie of the year in 1996. Playing in a total of 184 games, Thomas recorded 1,727 combined tackles. He led the league in tackles in 2002 and 2006 with 156 and 165  respectively. In addition, he was also a seven-time Pro Bowler. Making the game in five consecutive seasons from 1999-2003, he was a familiar face in Hawaii.

Thomas received other accolades along the way. He was a First-Team All-Pro five times and finished his successful career in 2008 with the Dallas Cowboys. Thomas’ 94 combined tackles that year was certainly a fantastic way to conclude a productive career.

As some of you may recall, he was a successful linebacker in college as well. He was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015 after what was a stellar career. He recorded seven interceptions during his four seasons at Texas Tech. In total, he amassed 157 return yards and two touchdowns. He was named a consensus All-American in 1995 .

Zach Thomas provided tremendous value for Miami Dolphins

Perhaps one of the more overlooked points was his value as a draft pick. He was selected in the fifth-round with the 154th-overall pick in 1996. The Dolphins certainly got tremendous production out of him and it’s amazing that Thomas slipped that far in the draft.

It’s great to once again see Thomas named as one of the semifinalists. Most importantly, I hope he gets the call to Canton, because he meant so much to the Miami Dolphins and the game of football. As a kid growing up, I remember watching him play with such ferocity and decisiveness. He was not somebody you wanted to face on Sundays. He never took plays off, and he always seemed to give 110% effort every single snap. Hopefully, he will have a bust in Canton very soon.

Florida Panthers: Brett Connolly is finding his groove

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It’s safe to say that veteran Brett Connolly is making his mark on the Florida Panthers. The well-traveled right-winger has succeeded almost everywhere he’s been. Now, he is making sure that he brings his good fortune to the Florida Panthers.

Connolly had a career year for the Washington Capitals in 2018-19. In 81 games, he recorded 22 goals and 24 assists. Tallying a total of 46 points, he had five game-winning goals.  He cashed in on his big year in the offseason, signing a four-year, $13 million deal on July 1. Given his previous track record, it could have easily been viewed as a risky signing. However, it has appeared to have been a smart move.

Over the last five games, Connolly has really played well for the Florida Panthers. He has five goals and an assist for six points in his last five games. In the team’s most recent game against the Buffalo Sabres, he recorded a goal.

Furthermore, his veteran presence has definitely been an asset on a young team.  He broke into the league in 2011-2012 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. That Lightning group went on several deep playoff runs. He then was traded by Tampa Bay to Boston on March 2, 2015. His Boston tenure was not all that memorable as he suffered a broken hand which caused him to play only nine games for the rest of the 2014-15 season. Although he would go on to play in 71 games the following year, the Bruins certainly did not get the Brett Connolly they were expecting.

A pleasant surprise

Connolly has been a pleasant surprise for Florida because of his track record of not producing a ton of points. If he can at least keep pace with the numbers he is putting up currently, year one of this contract looks like a win for the Panthers. Sometimes, players just need the right situation to succeed in. So far, Connolly has delivered, and his experience may be a key asset as Florida looks to make a playoff push in the second half of the season.

Miami Heat

The “Vice Wave” Jerseys are Here!

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Play well, look better.

Once again the Miami Heat owns the rest of the NBA when it comes to the City Edition jerseys. The Heat dropped their newest edition of the Vice collection this morning and they did not disappoint. The Vice wave baby blue jerseys are absolutely jaw-dropping and took over NBA Twitter this morning.

I’d say the Heat a perfect 4 of 4 when it comes to the city edition jerseys. It’s the perfect way to represent Miami using the Vice theme that South Florida was known for since the Mid ’80s. Some fans have even asked to make the Vice collection Miami’s permanent look over the traditional Red, Black, and White. The jerseys are a fan favorite around the entire league and the color schemes continue to be undefeated.

These jerseys will lead the league in sales once again and will be available starting Tuesday night at Midnight. The Heat will debut the Vice wave jerseys Friday when they host the Golden State Warriors. In total, they will wear the new ViceWave jerseys 22 times throughout the season.

Hopefully, the Heat’s record in the Vice jerseys improves — the team had an absolutely horrible record when wearing the Black and Pink editions last year.

Of course, Jimmy Butler wasn’t playing in them. And Hassan Whiteside was.