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The struggles of the defending NBA Champ Miami Heat continue.
HOUSTON (Reuters) – Miami Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade is out of action indefinitely after suffering a shoulder injury during Wednesday night’s loss to the Houston Rockets.
The game, won by the Rockets 112-102, marked an ominous return to the bench for Heat coach Pat Riley, who missed the team’s last 22 games to address his own knee and hip injuries.
He said the “other guys will have to step up” following Wade’s injury, initially diagnosed as a separated shoulder.
“We will have to emphasize a whole different game because he means so much to us,” Riley told reporters. “Over the next couple of days we’ll find out the extent of his injury and then we’ll go to the drawing board on what we’ll have to do.”
Wade scored 27 points and had nine assists before being forced from the game. The twice All-Star is averaging nearly 29 points and eight assists a game for the defending NBA champions.
With Wade out, Shaq barely back from his injuries, and the Heat standing at 26-27, is Pat Riley already reconsidering his return to coaching the team? Maybe he’ll give the job back to Stan Van Gundy, who made a rare appearance recently but with the wrong South Florida sports team. Yes Van Gundy will replace Riley as Heat coach the same day The Palm Beach Post hires me to write a sports column.
I’m sticking by my New Year’s prediction- The Heat will not make the postseason this year.
Cross posted to Poliblog’s Deportes
The sidelined Miami Heat coach is rumored to be returning.
MIAMI — Heat coach Pat Riley will address the media Wednesday and is expected to announce that he will return to the bench after this weekend’s All-Star break.
After playing Portland on Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena, the Heat will be off until it plays back-to-back games at Houston and Dallas on Feb. 21 and 22.
After playing the Mavs, the Heat will return home to play Cleveland on Feb. 25 and then fly to New York to face the Knicks on Feb. 26, completing a string of four games in six nights.
Riley, 61, left the team Jan. 3 to have knee surgery and a hip replacement. The first procedure was Jan. 5 and the second Jan. 11.
Since then Riley – who also is president of the team – has been recuperating and undergoing rehabilitation sessions. He has made occasional visits to his office at the arena.
Last week, interim coach Ron Rothstein said he didn’t know when Riley would return.
“It’s not something you can rush back,” Rothstein said regarding his boss’ recovery.
It would be consistent with Riley’s management style that Rothstein will be the last to know of any Riley plans. Just look at how Stan Van Gundy was replaced by Riley during the 2005-06 season.
Riley doesn’t like losing and I think Shaq’s productive days are past. The team has a star in Wade but not alot more. If I were Heat owner Micky Arison, I’d have Van Gundy coach and have Riley stay in the front office. Some how I don’t see that happening.
See previously- Pat Riley Takes Indefinite Leave of Absence from Heat
The injured Miami Heat center contiunes to make as much news off the court as on.
Heat center Shaquille O’Neal once again helped nab a suspect — and this time he was the alleged victim.
O’Neal, a reserve officer with the Miami Beach Police Department, followed a vehicle that allegedly crashed into his Cadillac Escalade and left the scene early Sunday, team spokesman Tim Donovan said Sunday.
Donovan said the incident happened after O’Neal and Jerome Crawford, a team security official, returned home from the Heat’s game at Chicago on Saturday night. Crawford and O’Neal were unloading the car at Crawford’s home in Coconut Grove, but weren’t in it during the alleged incident, Donovan said.
O’Neal and Crawford followed the vehicle for about five minutes while O’Neal called police, Donovan said, adding that the pursuit wasn’t at high speed and that police pulled over the alleged hit-and-run driver.
No further information was available from police Sunday.
This incident was at least the second time O’Neal has helped police apprehend a suspect. In September 2005 he followed and led police to a suspect who allegedly had thrown a bottle at two men walking on Miami Beach while shouting anti-gay slurs.
Shaq is better at catching criminals than shooting free throws.
Cross Posted at Poliblog’s Deportes
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| Wednesday, January 3, 2007 |
Pat Riley is stepping aside as coach of the Heat indefinitely, although he plans to be back in time for the stretch run.
Miami Heat coach Pat Riley will take an indefinite leave of absence because of ongoing hip and knee problems, and top assistant Ron Rothstein will fill his spot on an interim basis.
The 61-year-old Riley disclosed his plans Wednesday, two days before he’ll undergo surgery to remove floating chips in his right knee. He will not be with the team Wednesday night when it hosts the Los Angeles Clippers.
“I’m just tired of the pain and the medication,” said Riley, who said there is no timetable for when he would like to return.
But he insisted he plans to be back with the defending champions.
“I’m going to be displaced for a while, but not disconnected at all,” Riley said.
Riley, who also is the Heat president, is in his 12th season with the organization and 10th year as its coach. He resigned as coach shortly before the 2003-04 season, then returned to the bench in December 2005, replacing Stan Van Gundy and postponing right hip replacement surgery. In September, Riley said he didn’t expect to need the operation this season.
But his condition apparently worsened in recent weeks. He often walks with a limp and has been on medication for the hip.
“I’m tired of the grinding,” Riley said.
I heard the press conference while waiting around to hear the Nick Saban introduction at Alabama (since rescheduled for 11 ET tomorrow). Riley sounds like a broken man. I hope the surgery frees him from the pain.
Additional thoughts from Bill Jempty- Pat Riley either plans to come back or he’s a control freak. Stan Van Gundy, Riley’s predecessor as Heat coach, is essentially getting paid to do nothing. Van Gundy is a consultant, but never has his job been defined by anyone in the organization. Why not put Van Gundy back in control of the team rather than Rothstein?
Especially if one considers Rothstein’s coaching credentials. Miami was an expansion team when Rothstein coached it but then his short time in Detroit wasn’t impressive either.
Riley doesn’t like Van Gundy and probably sees him as a threat if Stan were able to get the underperforming Heat to play well. That’s my take on the situation.
Take all of what I say with a grain of salt. My interest in basketball is very limited other than the Heat.
For the last two years at my regular blog, I’ve made predictions for the coming year. I thought I would do that here but concentrating on sports only.
Here we go-
1- The Miami Dolphins have a losing season
2- The Florida Marlins have a winning season
3- Tiger Woods wins at least one major on the way to being Player of the Year again.
4- Ernie Els returns to form.
5- Se Ri Pak completes the women’s Grand Slam by taking the Kraft Nabisco
6- Bobby Bowden retires.
7- Roger Clemens retires but this time for good.
8- Charges are totally dropped in the Duke Lacrosse case.
9- Nick Saban leaves the Miami Dolphins to be the head coach at Alabama.
10- The Miami Heat and Florida Panthers both miss the 06-07 season playoffs.
11- Chicago defeats New England in the Super Bowl.
12- Michelle Wie wins an LPGA tournament.
13- Mike Tyson gets arrested.
14- 2007 is Joe Torre’s last season as manager of the Yankees.
15- Bill Cowher quits coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers
16- The Buffalo Sabres win the Stanley Cup
17- Bill Parcells, Marty Schottenheimer and Joe Gibbs all retire or are fired from their present coaching jobs.
18- Bret Favre retires.
19- The Chicago White Sox win the World Series
20- More than half the above predictions are wrong.
We’ll check back at the end of 2007 and see how I did.
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PoliBlog’s Deportes: A PoliBlog Sideblog linked with 2007 Sports Predictions: Crystal Ball Time
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| Tuesday, December 26, 2006 |
LA Lakers coach Phil Jackson reignited the Lakers-Heat feud by calling Shaquille O’Neal lazy and saying that Dwayne Wade gets away with cheating on his patented spin move.
Jackson, who once upon a time seemed to favor his star center over his star shooting guard, on Sunday called out O’Neal, saying he was “the only person I’ve ever had that hasn’t been a worker.”
Shaq, who is rarely at a loss for words, was asked about Jackson’s comments on Monday following Miami’s 101-85 win over O’Neal’s former team. “How can Benedict Arnold be reliable in what he says?” the Big Aristotle was quoted as saying in Tuesday’s edition of The Los Angeles Times. O’Neal declined to elaborate on his statement and, since he was in street clothes for the game, was not required to give a formal post-game interview.
O’Neal and Bryant had been feuding since O’Neal’s trade to Miami following the 2003-04 season. But last year the two superstars stated publicly that they had reconciled their differences.
Then came Jackson’s comments on Sunday.
“He’s the one guy that didn’t really like to work,” said the coach who boasts nine NBA championship rings. “I know Pat [Riley] got him working here in Miami. We had a hard time getting him to work. All the other players — Michael [Jordan], Scottie [Pippen], Dennis Rodman, all those guys that we had, Horace Grant, they’re all hard-working practice and personal work players.”
Of course, O’Neal was not the only player Jackson prodded. Speaking about Dwyane Wade, Shaq’s new partner in crime and last year’s NBA Finals MVP, Jackson said, “He travels on that spin move. He picks up that pivot foot … everybody knows it. Dwyane Wade can cover so much ground when he makes that move. As you know, he can go 20 feet with that spin move and get to the basket.”
It’s really quite bizarre. Shaq did carry the Lakers to three straight NBA championships under Jackson; one doesn’t do that without putting forth some reasonable amount of effort. Conversely, the Kobe-led Lakers have been abysmal without the big, lazy oaf.
From the Sun Sentinel
Pat Riley confirmed Wednesday that he will return as Heat coach.
After acknowledging as much on the eve of last season’s playoffs, Riley cast doubt on his sideline future in the wake of his team’s 2006 NBA title when he said in late June, “I’m absolutely spent, worn out.”
But apparently rejuventated by a whirlwind offseason that has included vacations in Africa, Europe and Hawaii, Riley issued a statement quelling speculation that he might step aside. Immediately after issuing his statement, Riley departed to Japan for the World Championships, where Heat guard Dwyane Wade is participating.
“After winning the championship, I realized there’s always something meaningful that happens in your life that becomes the primary point of your destiny,” Riley said. “Winning the championship showed me that I am definitely in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. I can’t wait to get started.”
Riley, 61, began his second tenure as Heat coach Dec. 12, after Stan Van Gundy stepped aside for personal reasons. Riley said at the time his only commitment was for the balance of the season. He then waffled numerous times about committing to a longer sideline future, necessitating the need for Wednesday’s statement.
Riley will continue in his dual role as team president, a title he has held since joining the team in 1995, which also was the start of his initial eight-season Heat coaching tenure.
Riley ranks as the NBA’s third-winningest coach, with a 1,151-589 record in 22 seasons. He also ranks second on the NBA’s all-time postseason victory list, at 171-107, with five titles. He is 395-290 in his nine seasons as Heat coach.
The news doesn’t surprise me. Riley manuevered Stan Van Gundy out so to be able to coach again. I never thought it would be a one-year deal.
The Miami Heat cap off their home sweep of the Dallas Mavericks with a 95-92 win to claim the franchise’s first NBA title. Dwyane Wade added to his legendary finals performance with 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. He was named series’ MVP.
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| Tuesday, June 20, 2006 |
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban screamed “Your league is rigged!” to NBA commissioner David Stern after his team’s controversial loss to the Miami heat Sunday night, reports Miami Herald reporter Greg Cote.
”We Wuz Robbed!” has long been the handiest excuse of teams that cannot find a decent reason for their collapse that doesn’t involve the ignominy of a mirror. The convenience of alleging bad calls, or even willfully biased officiating (you’ll recall the Seattle Seahawks conducted a remarkable seminar in early February), also is the blame-dodge of choice among teams that cannot bear to properly credit the opponent.
And so there it was for all to see past midnight Sunday in Miami’s downtown bayfront arena: the sourest, saddest, sorriest display by a losing team that you’d ever wish to witness.
Not the loss itself; that was rather valiant. The reaction to it.
There was Cuban, whose billions can buy just about anything but a mortal slump by D-Wade, careening onto the court in a blue Jerry Stackhouse jersey after the final buzzer, screaming profanely at referee Joe DeRosa.
Cuban then turned to Stern and other NBA officials who were seated at the scorer’s table and was overheard to shout venomously in the jubilant din, “[Bleep] you! [Bleep] you! Your league is rigged!”
Cote was on ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike” show around 8:35 this morning defending this quote, which he alone has published. He admits that it is a “third hand” quotation that was passed from an unnamed “league official” to an unnamed source in whom Cote has great confidence. He says he emailed Cuban for a reaction (when, he doesn’t say) but did not get a response. I’ve now done the same.
Cote contends that he didn’t make too big a fuss about Cuban’s quote (it was several paragraphs into the article) because it is, after all, Mark Cuban, who has a reputation for spouting off. Still, this is beyond anything Cuban has said before and, given that he allegedly said it right there on the court after a nationally televised NBA Finals game, it’s rather odd that no one else is reporting this.
In a somewhat related matter, Cuban posted on his blog yesterday afternoon on the subject “Cursing.”
I like to curse. I like to curse because I enjoy how it gets everyone in an uproar. I wont curse in an environment where I have accepted an invitation or am a guest of someone else. I will play by their rules.
But if you come on my home turf and want something from me. Its my rules.
Last night in the locker room after we lost in overtime to the heat. I was asked by reporters to answer some questions. I told them i would if they asked good questions and didnt ask the same cliche’d questions they had asked after other games. It was interesting how quiet everyone got.
then someone asked “Is this your worst loss ever†. What the f@#^ kind of question is that ? Is this for a VH1 special ? “Worst Losses Ever ?†If it was, then maybe it was a decent question. Otherwise, how do you answer that question…
[...]
So I told the reporter to “Ask me a real f@#^ing questionâ€
Apparently some folks have taken exception to me cursing in my response. Well in this case, the reporter was using my time, we were in a locker room and I was trying to provide a response that had no value to me, but could only help him. If he doesnt think enough of either of our time to invest the brainpower and minutes it takes to come up with something different than has been asked a thousand times.
F@#^ em.
Needless to say, the symbols are mine.
UPDATE: Cuban has been fined a cool quarter mil.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined $250,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for his outbursts following Game 5 of the NBA finals. Cuban was cited for “several acts of misconduct” he committed after Dallas lost 101-100 in overtime to the Heat in Miami on Sunday night.
Furious with several calls, Cuban went onto the floor to vent directly to official Joe DeRosa. He then stared down and screamed toward commissioner David Stern and a group of league officials, from the court, then the stands. He later used profanity during a postgame session with the media.
Announcement of the fine came hours before Game 6 of the NBA finals in which the Mavericks trail the Heat 3-2.
Cuban said Monday he was bracing for the fine, his second this postseason. He also was assessed $200,000 during the second round for going onto the court and for an entry on his blog criticizing the way the league selects officials for the playoffs.
Stern said Tuesday that he believes Cuban’s more vitriolic outbursts are “not healthy for either him or the game.” “I don’t think he is crazy. I think he is smart. I think his recent loss of self control is not planned and not calculated, and I think if he could, he would like to have some of it back,” Stern said in an interview on San Francisco radio station KNBR. “Because at bottom, I really do believe it distracts the players and that can’t be good. It sets a bad tone.
Cuban has a statement at his blog, Blog Maverick, unequivocably defending the League’s integrity.
The games are not rigged. Thats a complete insult to the players on the court and the incredible amount of effort they put into preparing for and playing the games. All 82 regular season and post season games. The NBA couldnt rig the games if it wanted to. And it doesnt want to. Its that simple
Do i like that i have gotten more than 12,000 emails in the last week and probably 80pct have questioned some level of honesty. No, I hate it. I hate it more than you will ever know because these are my customers, NBA customers, who are questioning our enterprise. Thats never a good thing and each one is a business hole I have to work harder to dig us out of.
Do I wish there was better communication from the league ? Yes. I dont like when my email box fills up with nonsense. Yes. I wish the league would just come out and explain events that occur in a game to the public. I think it would help the perception of our game. I think it would help fans better understand not only the rules of the NBA, but also the nuances, strategies and challenges of the game. I have suggested it. Many others have suggested it.
Getting an explanation pretty much eliminates everyones ability to question what just occured. Some media people have suggested that the same approach that MLB takes would work well. Simply allow reporters to ask officials questions after a game. Why not ?
He emphatically denies Cotes’ third hand report, though:
pparently the Miami Herald is reporting i screamed at the NBA comissioner after the game the other night. Didnt happen. Didnt say a word to the man. Not a single word. And that was absolutely by intention.
I believe him, incidentally.
While I find Cuban likable and think he’s an incredibly smart businessman, I agree with Stern that these outbursts are bad for the game. Cuban’s heart is in the right place–I think he’s genuinely trying to make the NBA better and many of his complaints about the quality of the officiating have merit–but his approach is wrong. That said, I think the idea that a man, even a billionaire, should be subject to fines of this ridiculous magnitude without much more substantial due process bizarre. Stern’s integrity in unquestioned but no man should have that amount of unchecked power.
Via IM from Jeff Quinton
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