The Heat's gift: Mario Chalmers

First, Happy Holidays to all and a reminder that the Heat chat will go on as scheduled at 1 p.m., today, Thursday. http://www.miamiherald.com/qna/forum/heat_chat/index.html

Sure the Heat is pleased to be 15-12, have a healthy Dwyane Wade and a future of the franchise in rookie Michael Beasley. But looking at the last six months perhaps the biggest thing to be thankful for  was the Heat being able to trade up for Mario Chalmers in the second round. If Minnesota hadn't agreed to let the Heat trade up we could be sitting here today talking about how the Heat is looking for its point guard of the future. Perhaps another team would have made a trade with the Heat, but it's really unlikely that Chalmers would have fallen beyond the top few picks in the second round.

"There were teams trying to trade for him late in the first round," said Kansas assistant Joe Dooley, who recruited Chalmers to Kansas and worked closely with him in his three years in Lawrence.

Chalmers has started all 27 games for the Heat and been sound playing alongside Wade. Sure he has his moments but so far he's proven to be one of the top rookie point guards. He has guarded everyone from Tony Parker, Devin Harris, Chris Paul to Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, but his next matchup is also worth watching. He'll be guarding top overall pick Derrick Rose.

Chalmers hit the game-tying three pointer in the national title game that sent Kansas to overtime and ultimately beat Memphis. That was the first time Chalmers and Rose had ever played against each other. They faced each other in Orlando in the Summer League, but this will be more meaningful because it will be televised nationally Friday (ESPN, 5 p.m.) and Chalmers is eager to continue proving that teams made a mistake by allowing him to fall to No. 34 in the draft.

Rookie Michael Beasley, who was passed over by Chicago and wants to have a big game too, said Chalmers still talks about the draft snub and finds it a constant source of inspiration. Wade gushed about Rose and said that the rookie is more athletic than he is, but Wade also raved about Chalmers and said his teammate deserves more recognition for his performance thus far.   

Comments

[Eddie]

I agree, he's been good so far hope he can get better, i'm a real fan of Chalmers, GO HEAT!!!

[BillyDAkid WADEforMVP2009]

Good article for you guys to read on Beasley:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/92479-my-case-for-beasley-and-the-heats-road-to-redemption/show_full

and another great one on the HEATs resilliency and how it takes on behind their leader Dwyane Wade:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/96023-behind-dwyane-wade-miami-heat-quickly-becoming-most-resilient-team-in-nba/show_full

[blackthetrucker]

i think chalmers is a good young gaurd, but i would like to see him work on his mid range jumper. a three is good but are just as fine. being aggressive and knowing how to draw fouls are also keys to being a force in the backcourt. the defense is good but can improve. sometimes i think steals or attempts at steals make for run outs but on the ball and drawing charges are also important. but so far this was a very good pick. keep in touch. one more thing D-Wade is the guy here so don't forget that.

[heat4ever]

Chalmers has played great for a rookie. I think he and Wade make the quickest and most athletic back court in the NBA. He is very good defensively at creating turnovers. I think he has a preety good shot, but he settles for it way too often. When ever I've seem him driving into the lane something good always comes out of it, whether its an easy layup or a dunk or a nice pass. But he doesn't drive it in as much as he should.

[heatstroked]

"... one more thing D-Wade is the guy here so don't forget that."
---

HUH? Do Heat fans ACTUALLY watch the Heat? Sure, Chalmers is cocky. Wade knows it. But Chalmers isn't an idiot and his hardnosed play is ALL about unselfishness, facilitating, attacking to soften defenses and defending a.k.a. winning.

Unselfish?

Chalmers ranks 7TH IN TOUCHES (Usg% = 16.3***) among all Heat. Yet, Chalmers' current EFFICIENCY PER TOUCH (PER divided / by Usg%) at 77.3 is right along Wade's (83.3), Marion's (92.2) & Haslem's (95.3).

Whereas, Beasley ranks 2ND IN TOUCHES (Usg% = 28.0) to Wade's first (36.7), Beasley's PER is a measley 14.3, giving him an EFFICIENCY PER TOUCH of 51.1, good for 9th place, i.e., LAST, among the 9 top Heat in minutes played.

Mark Blount is the ONLY Heat with more than 100 minutes who has an EFFICIENCY PER TOUCH (28.4) lower than Beasley's.

Remember LAST YEAR? Blount's EPT was a Beasley-like 57.6. Ricky Davis -- 60. The then-erratic rookie Daequan Cook -- 39.9. When 3 of you top 8 players (in minutes played) log EPTs below 60 *AND* your best player isn't playing anywhere near his best due to lingering injuries (even a hobbled Wade managed an EPT of 64.9 in 2007), you can BET on seasons like 15-67.

Hint: WINNING basketball is ALL about production + efficiency per minute played.

HINT: Davis is gone & Blount isn't playing because he started this season just like he finished last's. YET, Beasley's current EPT is no better than Blount's was in 2007-08 -- but don't tell that to S.R. or legions of Beasleyphiles who really do believe Beasley is The Future of the Franchise. {shudder}

*** From basketball-reference.com - "Usage percentage (Usg%) is an estimate of the percentage of team plays used [by a player] while [that] player is on the court." All player data from basketball-reference.com [ http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIA/2009.html ]

Last words.

Beasley on Beasley: "I think [Derrick Rose] had more people in his corner ... When it comes down to it, if the Wizards had the first pick, I'd be pretty upset if they didn't pick me, hometown kid, ***great*** player, good all-around guy."

Wade on Chalmers: "Wade said he initially thought Chalmers was cocky. But he soon learned otherwise. "He's very confident in his ability, especially his defensive ability ... He can guard anybody whether they're quicker than him, bigger than him... He's done a great job of leading this team. He's had a huge impact and should get more recognition for it."

Cocky?

Chalmers walks the walk.

Beasley - tick, talk, tick, talk, tick, talk ...

[heatstroked]

While he rest of the Heat focus on beating the Bulls, The Future of the Franchise still thinks he wuz robbed by being picked 2nd to Rose's 1st. Moreover? He would rather play than be coached or mentored.

"I'm more the type of guy that likes to learn on my own ... It's cool to have people to teach you, but I think I learn better on my own."

Future of the Franchise.

Which franchise? Hopefully, The Mystics.

[heatstroked]

Tick, talk, tick, talk, WALK.

Easily Beasley's BEST game of the season.

A player plays both ends. Beasley was a scorer, but not much of a player until now.

If the Heat hold on (86-75 4:05), mark it down.

A BIG step for B-Easy.