Juwan Howard betting favorite for Lakers HC job

The Erik Spoelstra coaching tree might extend across the country next year. Online sports book BetOnline.AG has made current Miami Heat assistant Juwan Howard their favorite to be the Game 1 coach for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019-20.

It would be a fascinating move for all involved. For Juwan Howard, a first head coaching job in what is going to be an extremely high pressure situation. Coaching LeBron James with a roster in flux after not making the playoffs is one hell of a circumstance to walk in to.

For the Heat, another Spoelstra assistant getting the promotion but to go transport Heat principles out west and be LeBron’s aid in building it? An interesting dynamic no doubt.

And for the Lakers, it would mean a coaching change and an expectation that a new coach, especially one with Howard’s pedigree and experience, could’ve made the difference. They need to show they’re well run, maintain organizational stability, and perhaps most importantly, demonstrate they’re willing to back a coach in a power struggle with LeBron, much the way the Heat did with Spoelstra.

Windhorst: Dwyane Wade Won The NBA Season

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst joined the Five Reasons podcast today and had high praise for Dwyane Wade’s #OneLastDance.

The jersey exchanges, 4th quarter moments, and consistently good play have provided for one of the bright spots in an NBA season filled with unhappiness league wide, Windhorst says.

“My memory of this season is just Dwyane smiling night after night after night. It’s been the model way to handle a retirement.

He’s not going to get a ring for this season, but he won this season. He won it. People will remember this departure forever.”

You can hear the full clip on Wade below. You hear the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Heat lose to Celtics, officials

Well, nothing happened tonight.

Nothing in the standings sense, anyway. Everyone in the East’s super-soft middle lost.

So even though the Heat fell 110-105 in Boston, Miami remains in 8th in the East, now with just five games remaining — including a rematch with the Celtics in Miami on Wednesday. And it doesn’t appear Josh Richardson will play in that one either. Justise Winslow is closer to questionable.

Miami fell behind 20-4 early in this one, and a Goran Dragic-led surge wasn’t enough, especially after two questionable calls involving Kyrie Irving late in the fourth quarter.

Dragic had 30, Bam Adebayo had 19 and Dwyane Wade — in his last visit to TD Garden — scored 17.

Kyrie Irving had 25. That was expected. Not as expected — Marcus Smart with four three-pointers.

Some highlights:

 

 

 

Orlando kicks off Inter Miami rivalry

It’s started. We all thought 2020 MLS entry Inter Miami CF would have a natural rivalry with Orlando City. It’s the closest thing we’ll have to a local derby (What should we call this? Turnpike Derby? Florida Clasico?).

But we at least thought it would require an actual game before these two teams started trading barbs. Well, Orlando fired off 11 months early with some #banter.

All we’ll say is this: Orlando City have won 2 of their last 20 MLS matches.

Tom Brady annoys people again

It’s April’s Fools Day, if you weren’t aware, people play practical jokes on this day.

And no one is a bigger joker than Tom Brady.

So today, the typically reclusive New England Patriots quarterback — and Miami Dolphins tormentor, except in Miami Gardens — sent out his first tweet.

And it was a super funny one.

This thing had nearly 100,000 likes as of this post.

Apparently, some didn’t find it that amusing, even those very calm people in the Boston area.

No, the Tuck Rule call was a bad joke.

So, sorry, Dolphins fans.

You’re getting more Brady this season, with all his hilarity.

(Photo by our Tony Capobianco)

Las Vegas not so hot on Dolphins

Are the Dolphins tanking, resetting or rebuilding?

Whatever, they’re not impressing.

The Las Vegas sportsbooks are starting to set their win futures, and at least one has Miami losing more than 2/3 of its games. Our Chris Kouffman of 3YardsPerCarry had a related nugget.

Incidentally, as disappointing as the Dolphins have been for a couple of decades, they’ve only lost as many as 11 games twice — in 2004 and 2007, seasons that got their coach fired, first Dave Wannstedt and then Cam Cameron.

Brian Flores, at least, would seem to be safe, since losing appears part of the plan.

So, over, or under?

(Photo by Tony Capobianco).

Los Marlins de Miami y el primer vistazo de lo que puede ser

Los Marlins de Miami vencieron 3 a 0 a los Rockies de Colorado en el cuarto juego de la serie la tarde de este domingo en el Marlins Park gracias a una joya de pitcheo del dominicano Sandy Alcántara.

Alcántara cerró una corta primera semana de la temporada dando un golpe sobre la mesa para quienes dudan sobre el proceso de renovación que están viviendo los Marlins.

El lanzador derecho de 23 años, oriundo de Azua, en la República Dominicana, lanzó ocho innings impecables, permitiendo cuatro inatrapables y abanicando a seis contrarios.

Esto le sirvió a los Marlins para conseguir su segunda victoria consecutiva y dividir en la serie inicial, tras perder los dos primeros encuentros de la temporada.

La clave de estas victorias, y de esta temporada, es el pitcheo abridor. José Ureña fue emboscado el jueves en la jornada inaugural, tras recibir una línea de David Dahl directamente en su rodilla derecha. Ese día, la defensiva le falló al dominicano y la ofensiva tampoco apareció.

Los tres brazos del futuro

Trevor Richards tomó la lomita el viernes y siguió en la misma línea en la que terminó el Spring Training, aceptando solamente una rayita en seis innings, pero se fue sin decisión.

Germán Marquez le ganó el duelo de pitcheo.

Este tipo de derrotas van a llegar mucho esta temporada, pues la ofensiva de los Marlins no es una maquinaria de carreras, aunque el sábado hayan demostrado que ocasionalmente pueden ser un equipo peligroso.

Richards abanicó a cuatro contrarios, y solamente permitió cuatro hits, dando dos bases por bolas. El relevo no pudo contener a Colorado, y los bates no reaccionaron, pero la salida de Richards fue el primer paso sólido en la dirección que los Marlins escogieron ir tras dejar libre a Dan Straily antes del comienzo de la temporada.

Es el momento de los brazos del futuro.

Pablo López fue en encargado de buscar la primera victoria del equipo en la temporada. El venezolano solo tuvo un mal inning, en el que permitió dos carreras, pero sus siete ponches, y el movimiento de sus pitcheos, nos dejan ver que los Marlins están en la dirección correcta.

La alineación de los Marlins explotó tras dos jornadas de sequía y jonrones solitarios, con 16 hits y siete carreras, para celebrar su primer triunfo del año, y quizás pasó un poco por debajo de la mesa lo que hizo López en la lomita.

Un triunfo que se anotó Pablo López en el box score, pero que bien pudo haber sido para Trevor Richards.

El domingo llegó la guinda del pastel, con el show de Sandy Alcántara, quien tiene el repertorio como para ser un as en Grandes Ligas.

Por algo fue una de las piezas escogidas por los Marlins en cambio por Marcell Ozuna.

El principal problema del dominicano en el Spring Training, el descontrol, no fue invitado el domingo al Marlins Park.

Alcántara no concedió ni una base por bolas, y solo necesitó 92 pitcheos para lanzar ocho innings en blanco., para que los Marlins dividieran la serie inaugural ante un equipo que estuvo en la postemporada el año pasado.

Un leve vistazo a lo que puede ser en el futuro la rotación de los Marlins…

Justise Winslow thinks our shirt is #Better

You’ve seen the hashtag:

#JustiseBetter ….

Last month, it was time for Justise Winslow to see the t-shirt in person.

Last month, we noticed that Justise Winslow liked an Instagram post by @ejskolnick showing off the shirts that Miami Heat Beat had created in his honor. So it was time to show him the shirt, and print up some for his teammates — and fellow Kids — Josh Richardson and Bam Adebayo.

Here was the reaction when Winslow got his:

This, of course, led to a hot streak by the Heat — four wins in five games.

Winslow didn’t make the trip to New York and Boston because he’s been dealing with a thigh bruise, but he did fulfill his promise Sunday.

He wore the shirt, and posted it as an Instagram story on @IAmJustise.

Oh yeah, and one other thing:

We will have those in our shop here shortly.

We #Better.

Waiters, Whiteside down Knicks at MSG

It was supposed to be Dwyane Wade’s night.

But to get the W, Miami needed more than they’ve gotten at times from Dion Waiters and Hassan Whiteside.

Waiters was the offensive star for the first three quarters, as the Heat struggled to defend the league-worse Knicks, and Whiteside carried Miami in the fourth after Erik Spoelstra chose to let him play down the stretch. Waiters finished with 28 points, and Whiteside had 17 points and 10 rebounds.

That kept the Miami right where they were, as Brooklyn, Detroit and Orlando all pulled mild upsets.

So the Heat are now 38-38, and the eighth seed, with six games left in Dwyane Wade’s regular season career. Wade had 16 points and seven rebounds.

Some were impressed enough by the win to make grand proclamations.

Here’s how Wade was honored at Madison Square Garden, the place where Danilo Gallinari shouldn’t have made him taste his own blood:

 

(Our Michael Sonbeek was on the scene and sent this video).

 

Pressure on Heat veterans tonight in NYC

This should be easy.

The Knicks are intentionally awful, worst in the East at 14-61, and arguably the worst franchise in the East over the past five years.

But, with the Heat missing Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson and Rodney McGruder — and having struggled against some of the NBA’s worst teams already — nothing can be taken for granted.

Simply, they need to get something of significance from three of the highest-paid veterans on the roster: Hassan Whiteside, Dion Waiters and James Johnson.

The good news is Waiters has been a little better of late, averaging 20.3 points in his past three games, with reasonable efficiency.

The Heat had a short morning shootaround in Manhattan and John Kozan of Miami Heat Beat was there to cover it (and take the photo above).

Tip is at 7:30 p.m.

Follow @5ReasonsSports and @MiaHeatBeat for more coverage.