This is a different team. It was a different team before Jimmy Butler, one of the top fifteen players in the NBA, joined Miami and tonight the "Heat" scorched Hotlanta 112-97 behind their new stars.
Nineteen year old Tyler Herro led the team (as the last man off the bench, too) with 29 points and 7 rebounds in 29'. The five Heaters who played the most minutes were Bam, continuing his strong third season, with 17 and 10 in 33'; Jimmy with 21 in 31'; Goran with 21 in 30'; Kendrick the RevelatioNunn had 17 in 30'. Only Justice Winslow regressed and Justice had a poor night, 2 points on 1/7 and 6 rebounds.
Herro was the hero tonight but in the previous three games it has been Nunn, Winslow and Adebayo has been a glass cleaner. Miami is going to be a tough out this season. This is a balanced, difficult team to play and to defend. When the last guy off the bench scores 29, you got your hands full. The "Heat" has gone from being the gang that couldn't shoot straight last season to a team of ICBM's this.
There is no book yet on Herro and Nunn, little tape to watch. That will accumulate and teams will learn their tendencies and their favorite spots on the floor and adjust accordingly. But while the Miami's NFL team commits crimes against sporting humanity and are cheered on by ministers of propaganda, Miami's NBA team is showing that tanking is not necessary, it is unthinkable for this franchise, besides being illegal, in order to escape lower middle class neighborhoods; that a philosophy of win then, win now, win forever and creative never-surrender management can lift a team out of Middlesboro into the more prestigious precincts
For what it is worth, after a measly four games, 4.8% of the season, Miami is second in the East. Looking at the putritude in the East, a nice modest upper middle class residence on Fifth Place seems the most reasonable. But, could this uber-conditioned, driven, young team overtake Boston for fourth? Boston is a bit teetery. And while fourth is plausible, any lower than fifth seems unlikely competing against Atlanta, Detroit, Orlando, Brooklyn and D.C. A move up five streets from Tenth to Fifth, that's damn good in one year.
The "Heat" are inspiration; the "Dolphins" indictable for thieving sports soul.
Nineteen year old Tyler Herro led the team (as the last man off the bench, too) with 29 points and 7 rebounds in 29'. The five Heaters who played the most minutes were Bam, continuing his strong third season, with 17 and 10 in 33'; Jimmy with 21 in 31'; Goran with 21 in 30'; Kendrick the RevelatioNunn had 17 in 30'. Only Justice Winslow regressed and Justice had a poor night, 2 points on 1/7 and 6 rebounds.
Herro was the hero tonight but in the previous three games it has been Nunn, Winslow and Adebayo has been a glass cleaner. Miami is going to be a tough out this season. This is a balanced, difficult team to play and to defend. When the last guy off the bench scores 29, you got your hands full. The "Heat" has gone from being the gang that couldn't shoot straight last season to a team of ICBM's this.
There is no book yet on Herro and Nunn, little tape to watch. That will accumulate and teams will learn their tendencies and their favorite spots on the floor and adjust accordingly. But while the Miami's NFL team commits crimes against sporting humanity and are cheered on by ministers of propaganda, Miami's NBA team is showing that tanking is not necessary, it is unthinkable for this franchise, besides being illegal, in order to escape lower middle class neighborhoods; that a philosophy of win then, win now, win forever and creative never-surrender management can lift a team out of Middlesboro into the more prestigious precincts
For what it is worth, after a measly four games, 4.8% of the season, Miami is second in the East. Looking at the putritude in the East, a nice modest upper middle class residence on Fifth Place seems the most reasonable. But, could this uber-conditioned, driven, young team overtake Boston for fourth? Boston is a bit teetery. And while fourth is plausible, any lower than fifth seems unlikely competing against Atlanta, Detroit, Orlando, Brooklyn and D.C. A move up five streets from Tenth to Fifth, that's damn good in one year.
The "Heat" are inspiration; the "Dolphins" indictable for thieving sports soul.
