Tag Archive for: NBA

Miami Heat scrimmage showcases team’s new look

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The Dolphins couldn’t lose Sunday.

Neither could the Hurricanes.

And of course, neither could the Heat.

They were playing themselves, after all, for the Red, White and Pink Scrimmage to benefit breast cancer research.

Naturally, not much defense was played. But the energy was different — as in better — than it’s been the past couple of seasons. This team feels fresh.

Here’s the best from the day….

 

 

Jimmy Butler: “Who says I’m the best player?”

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It’s odd to think of Jimmy Butler as especially modest.

He’ll openly tell you that he will beat you at just about anything, whether it’s dominoes or paddleball.

Basketball?

Well, he’s willing to concede a bit.

Pat Riley called him a top-10 player.

Erik Spoelstra declared him “one of the 15 best players on the planet.”

Jimmy?

He took some exception Friday to me casually calling him the best player on the Miami Heat.

It’s not surprising that Butler would say the Heat “have a team full of leaders.” He has spent the offseason, since his acquisition, taking players such as Justise Winslow, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo under his wing. But not just that. It’s clear he wants them to speak up. At Friday’s practice, Butler spent a lot of time with the back end of the roster, the guys competing for two-way contracts who probably won’t break camp with the team.

But I followed the initial question about leadership by noting that “teams typically follow the lead of their best player.” Because they do. The star sets the tone. He’s the star, the only established one on the roster. No one else on the Heat made the top 90 of most of the media ranking lists.

I wanted to know if he was comfortable with that role. He entered the league as the 30th overall pick, and wasn’t supposed to be in this position.

“I mean, who’s to say that I’m the best player on the team?” Butler said. “That’s just people’s opinion. I know I don’t go about it like that. I just go out and compete. I don’t think I’m bad, don’t get me wrong. But the best player or not? I just do my job, night in and night out, and help this team win, guarantee that.”

This comment may be construed incorrectly by some.

I don’t think Butler is shirking the responsibility. He knows the weight that his contract and personality carry. I think he’s trying to show he’s different than in other stops. And that he needs and wants help from his new group to get the Heat back to their rightful place.

 

 

Embiid Tells ESPN “Butler Was a Big Loss”

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Joel Embiid took a few shots to his own teammates, somehow…

Apparently, Philadelphia 76ers fans don’t agree with their star center about Heat forward Jimmy Butler.

While those fans have been furiously tweeting that Butler didn’t choose “winning” when he decided to leave for Miami in free agency this summer, Joel Embiid told Rachel Nichols of ESPN in a sitdown, ”I wish Jimmy was on the team.”

“When it was the 4th quarter we knew, the ball would be in, me (sic) or Jimmy’s hands. I knew I could count on him.”

Embiid went on to speak about how he can improve his abilities in late-game situations, but does not speak of how this role could possibly be shared with other teammates. This includes former first overall pick Ben Simmons, who has received criticism for his poor long-range shooting throughout his career.

It appears Simmons still has work to do if he wants to reach Jimmy Butler level of trust with Embiid.

So what was Butler’s response to this?

Here’s the full clip (warning: there’s Jimmy language in it):

Butler on Embiid: “That’s my dog, for real. We talk all the time. Even when I was traded here, I told him to continue to dominate. Continue to prove why you’re the best player in this f—ing league. I believe that.”

 

 

 

Heat Camp: the best of Miami’s first day of training

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Heat Camp is on its way!

And we are as excited as you to follow how the Miami Heat works towards a new season that comes with lots of expectations.

I made the trip to West Palm Beach for the opening of Miami Heat training camp at the former Northwood University — which is now Keiser. The media saw only the last couple of plays of the scrimmage before Erik Spoelstra and the players were made available.

Here are my observations from both Twitter accounts…

 

 

The best of an energized Erik Spoelstra press conference

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Somebody’s happy again. Welcome back, Spoelstra.

If you’ve followed my feed, you’ve known that Erik Spoelstra just hasn’t seemed quite the same the past couple of years. A mismatched roster. A max player who didn’t always go with the program. Too many low-upside players who played the same position.

Well, that’s changed.

Here’s the best of Spoelstra’s very confident, very positive 2019 Miami Heat media day press conference.

 

 

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra will be around a while

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If you ask Erik Spoelstra, he’ll tell you he could have been fired three times.

At least three times.

Once when the Miami Heat were recruiting LeBron James and Chris Bosh, after Spoelstra had taken his first two Heat teams to the playoffs — but first round exits. If James had demanded Pat Riley or someone else be the coach, what would Riley have done?

Another time, when the Heat started 9-8, and held a players’ only meeting in Dallas.

And of course, when the Heat — mostly due to James’ meltdown — lost to the Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals.

But he hung in, and he’s still here, now the second longest-tenured coach with one team in the entire NBA, a few days ahead of Rick Carlisle and a few years behind Gregg Popovich. Spoelstra has been outspoken about how quickly teams give up on coaches — it’s about the only thing he’s outspoken about. He, however, has never had the problem. And he won’t, after the Heat did this officially on Saturday:

Woj and Erik Spoelstra are represented by the same agency, so it’s not a surprise it was spilled that way. Coach contracts are one of the Miami Heat’s most closely-guarded secrets.

Spoelstra has seemed weary the past couple of seasons, and it’s probably been about more than his new baby. He had to play a lot of guys for contractual reasons. But now he has a true star again in Jimmy Butler, someone who shares his sensibilities. The roster is much less cluttered. And Hassan Whiteside, and all the moping, is gone.

What will be interesting now is to see how involved Spoelstra will get in personnel matters. He’s had more influence in recent years, but the Heat have about eight cooks stirring that pot.

Either way, he’s here to stay — and the Heat are better for it.

Pat Riley: “Jimmy Butler is a top 10 player”

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Pat Riley weighed on the new Miami Heat players right after Jimmy Butler’s introductory press conference.

For him, and for many of us, Butler is a top ten player in today’s NBA.

But he talked a lot about many other things.

Check out his most relevant quotes from today’s appearance:

 

Join us on Monday September 30th when we cover the Miami Heat Media Day at American Airlines Arena. Five on the Floor and Cinco Razones Deportes Network members will be there bringing you the highlights of the day we were all waiting for, since the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Marlins are just terrible nowadays. Do not worry. Your Miami Heat coverage is right here!

The best quotes from Jimmy Butler’s Press Conference

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The Miami Heat finally gave us a chance to hear from Jimmy Butler in Miami.

Here are some of his best quotes during the Press Conference:

 

The Miami Heat season is getting closer and closer, and as we said goodbye to Dwyane Wade, now we have a new star in the block. Butler is coming to try to win, and Five Reasons Sports Network will be there for you to bring you the fun of watching and listening sports back to South Florida. Buy your Ji mmy Canastas t-shirt here!

Live: Jimmy Butler’s Introductory Press Conference

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The Miami Heat is finally doing a formal presentation of Jimmy Butler, after months of being part of the active roster via trade from the Philadelphia 76ers.

Right before the beginning of the Miami Heat Camp in West Palm Beach, after both Butler and Pat Riley figured out a way to be in Miami at the same time.

Are you ready for Jimmy Canastas and his Buckets to Biscayne?

Watch it live here:

Courtesy of MiamiHeat.com

ESPN underrates Jimmy Butler… as expected

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ESPN came out with its top 100 players in the NBA list and the Miami Heat’s prized addition, Jimmy Butler, was listed at 21.

Of course.

After Sports Illustrated had him 11th.

For context, Butler is lower than Donovan Mitchell (20), Kemba Walker (17), Ben Simmons (15), Rudy Gobert (14) and CJ McCollum (13). In my humble opinion, Jimmy Butler is an all around better player than all of the players previously listed. However, it is not a surprise to me that Jimmy Butler was ranked lower than less talented players. If you’re asking why, well, the answer is simple: Jimmy Butler plays for the Miami Heat.

Yeah, this guy….

The national media hates the Heat, and has ever since LeBron James said he was taking his talents to South Beach. Sports media made Pat Riley and the Heatles the villain of the NBA because they believed they cheated the system. But why the hate now? Well, this is because the Heat just got Jimmy Butler– with absolutely no cap space. So, after the national media ranted and raved about cap space, flexibility and max slots, Pat Riley got his man without it. In the national media’s eyes, Pat Riley and the Heat cheated the system again. Therefore, the hate returns.

However, hate isn’t always a bad thing; the Heat, along with their loyal fans, are used to being the villain. In fact, Heat fans eat it up. There is something deep inside each and every Heat fan known as “The Cocky Heat Fan”, of which has been dormant for awhile. Now that Jimmy Butler is here, The Cocky Heat Fan has awoken from its long slumber. So bring on the Miami Heat hate, ESPN and national media…

We Heat fans thrive on it.

Also welcome back Cocky Heat fans, I missed you.