Okay, "Heat" D was a big problem in the 1H (66-58)

I have watched a lot of basketball in my life, I don't PRETEND to be a savant, I just don't understand the defensive scheme last night in the first half (haven't watched highlights of the 2H yet). I don't know what this defense is called, a matchup zone or whatever, but when we had both Bam and Giannis playing together, they were in a zone on either side of the paint. The entire middle of our half court was open.

Charlotte was always on the perimeter. Whatever the defensive scheme is called Spo wants to funnel opponents into the wall of Bam and Giannis, our defenders play apparently intentional olé defense. That is what the purpose of the scheme seems to be. But the surpassingly odd thing to me is that when Charlotte penetrated, the ball-handler got right to the rim----but neither contested the layup!

Klay, can you jump, or no? Bam, why the fuck are you looking over your left shoulder at # 14 when the shooter is up in the air about to lay the ball in?

Here we go again. This is the typical "Heat" defensive look.

Again, oceans of space in the middle, the Bug with the ball at the top of the arc in full charge mode.

Right to the rim and the Wall is a beaded curtain. Bam is out of position and the other Big, I think that's Giannis, doesn't leave his feet, doesn't even put his hands up to defend.

Same look, Bugs on perimeter, two Bigs, Giannis and, I think Portis, on the edges of the paint, I don't know where the fucking fifth "Heater" is...

...this time Andrew contests, Pelle stands there, and Bam once again doesn't close. Same result, "Hornets" bucket.

There were plenty of other times, as you can imagine, where Charlotte's guys on the perimeter, knowing by this time the funnel strategy or just lack of defensive ability by the "Heat" on the perimeter, just shoot the three. They made plenty of them.

Next, I want to see what if anything the "Heat" did differently in the 2H. 

(more)

Bill and Barack are Collaborating 😂

"I think Congress made a mistake not protesting turning the Rose Garden into what looks like the entrance to Liberace’s bathroom."

-President Clinton "to a laughing crowd" in Hollywood, Florida

"He seems very focused on home renovations. He should be on HGTV. "He's got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory."

-President Obama in Cleveland, Ohio

"What do you want to do?"

"I'll take the Rose Garden."

"Good! I'll take the White House." 

If you're eyes are real good...

 It's not the top story with the video and extra-large font on front page.

It's not the first "Top Headlines".

It's not the second "Top Headlines".

Squint, it's the third. That is how irrelevant baseball, even the WORLD SERIES, is. I texted a friend yesterday: "Tampa Bay and Milwaukee playing baseball? Oh, that's going to get good ratings."

0-3

Wonder what the folks at 601 Biscayne are thinking this Sunday morning.

Central vs Young (2)

 Take notes, quiz coming:

1. UCF was driving toward a potential game-winning field goal in regulation when Jenkins lost the ball on a play that was ruled a sack on the field. 

2. But after a replay review, the call was overturned to an incomplete pass, 

3. and BYU was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, moving the Knights into kicker Will Stone's range.

4. But BYU blocked Stone's 47-yard attempt. 

5. Stone recovered the loose ball, 

6. and since UCF tried the field goal on third down, the Knights would have had a chance at a second attempt 

7. had Stone's helmet not been knocked off on the play. 

8. That necessitated a 10-second runoff, which sent the game to overtime.

“That’s the weirdest end of a game I have ever seen." Central coach Scott Frost.

Ice and Boogers ruined some fellow B1Gs chances with upsets of Iowa (15) and USC (16)

COCKS!!!!!!!! South Carolina Must Be Destroyed Upsets Rocky Top (11) 27-24

How about that? Davion, Bam, Pelle, THII, and Bobby brought us from -22 to tied thrice

On the 4-point play:

After the final tie with 3:46 to play, Allen turned the momentum back Charlotte's way for good with an acrobatic 3-pointer from the left wing while being fouled by Hardaway at the end of the 24-second shot clock.

😂

What are you gonna do, man? Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.

The mystery question that Eric Spoelstra must answer is why his chosen starting lineup got smoked for the third straight game over the 2nd and 3rd Q's. Put conversely, why THAT lineup in the title brought us ALL the way back. 

Didn't know this either

Giannis fouled out with 2' left. (Bam fouled out in the Zollner game.)

AP:

Charlotte’s surge gave it a 92-70 advantage with 2:55 left in the quarter.

But with Antetokounmpo in foul trouble — he would foul out with 1:57 to play — Miami coach Erik Spoelstra used a lineup of starters Davion Mitchell and Bam Adebayo and reserves Pelie* Larsson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bobby Portis Jr. to spark a rally that forged ties at 100, 102 and 104.

So if I fault Tim, Jr. for those two plays I have to credit him with being part of the group-of-necessity that brought us all the way back. 

What to make of this. Random? Or did Spo accidentally find some secret sauce?

*Oh my God, AP, it's Pelle. It's not even pronounced "pelie".

Guess what the attendance was in the Rose Bowl (89,702 cap) for UCLA's game?

33,757

33,757

Somethin' Brewin' in La-La

UCLA  won their 7th straight today 28-10 over East Lansing Spartak. The "Bruins" are ranked ninth.

It wasn't a Chazz timeout that turned the game...

...it was Hardaway, Jr.

The game was tied at 100-100, 5:42. Queens took a FTO. Pelle then fouled and some Queen made 2.

Davion tied it again at 102.

Queens turned the ball over over, 5:00. 

Giannis came back in, Hardaway, Jr. missed a trey (4:38).

Queens scored to make it 104-102 (4:20)

-Five-point swing with Hardaway, Jr.'s miss.-

Bam then missed a trey, Queens had another turnover, Bam tied it for the last time at 104 (3:45)

The backbreaker came at 3:19. Hardaway, jr. fouled the shooter making a 3, giving him a 4-point play and Queens a 108-104 lead that they would never relinquish.

# TWO BOO WHY WHO FALLS. FT (OT) UCF 39-31.

What was that 4th quarter?

Luckily, but not instructively, I noted the shooting percentage end 3. It was Chazz 58% Miami 38%. At FT the game percentages are Chazz 44% Miami 43%. Did Miami's offense "feed off" their suddenly-hot defense? Or did Chazz suddenly go cold? Did the "Heat's" shooting suddenly catch fire? Or did the "Hornets" stop defending? I say we just got hot. We'll see what AP says.

That's it. FT Charlotte 115 Miami 110

Davion trey 113-110, 7" left, Chazz FTO

At 3:25 4Q, Bam dunked, assisted by Giannis to tie at 104. Now 113-107, :13 left

Klay foul, :14.1, "Hornets" up 112-107, will win

Bam foul, :43.6

We were tied at 104. Since Chazz FTO, they're 8-3

I knew it. "Heat" FTO

Klay foul, 112-107, :50.7

Klay Trey, 110-107, 1:09 left

110-104, 1:56 left

Giannis foul, 1:57. We had ALL the momentum. We lost it ALL.

We let go of the rope since the Chazz FTO

Klay misses trey, 2:24, 108-104

Bam misses trey

And Tim Hardaway fouled the shooter! 108-104, 3:19 left, Miami FTO

OH NO! CHAZ 3! 107-104