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17 posts from February 2013

Saturday, February 16, 2013

LeBron: People appreciate you more when you're gone

The great debate, LeBron or Jordan, has been one of the more annoying things to cover during All-Star Weekend. LeBron tried to add some perspective to the question on Saturday at a Houston-area Boys & Girls Club.

Seated for an interview inside a gymnasium that his foundation refurbished, LeBron talked about the legacy of greatness in general terms. Put simply, it grows with the passage of time. A master craftsman isn’t fully appreciated until he’s gone. The implication, of course, is that maybe LeBron will be considered better than Jordan when, you know, he’s actually finished playing and people have a chance to appreciate an entire body of work.

“I understand that people appreciate more when you’re actually done, when you’re done playing or musicians are done putting out music or painters are done painting,” James said. “They appreciate it a little bit more.

“I understand that people like—I’m not putting myself in a category with Michael Jackson—but people appreciated him more when he passed away. People appreciate Picasso’s art more when he wasn’t making them anymore.”

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

LeBron makes NBA history


Quite the memorable homestand for LeBron James and the Heat. He became the first player in NBA history to score 30 points in six straight games while also shooting at least 60 percent from the field in each game.
James is 66 of 92 (.717) for 185 points in his last six games.

Saturday, February 09, 2013

A look at LeBron's efficient run over the last four games

Over his last four games, LeBron James is shooting 72.9 percent from the field. Combine free throws and adjust for the effective field-goal percentage of three-point shots, and LeBron has a true-shooting percentage of .808.

Here's a look at LeBron's efficient run of play through shot charts.

LBJ Raptors

LeBron made his final four shots against the Raptors, and the next — back home in Miami — went 13 of 14 against the Bobcats. As you can see, James scored almost exclusively inside against Charlotte.

LBJ Bobcats

LeBron worked outside against the Rockets, taking what the defense gave him.

LBJ Rockets

Finally, here's LeBron's shot chart from Friday's victory against the Clippers. Not much red.

LBJ Clips

On the season, LeBron is now shooting 56 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range for an effective field-goal percentage of 59.8 percent. Combine free throws to the equation and LeBron has a true shooting percentage of .630.

Those are mind-blowing statistics.

Friday, February 08, 2013

Multiple players for Heat and Clippers questionable for tonight

The nationally televised marquee matchup between the Heat and Clippers might be a showcase for reserve players.

A total of six key players from the Heat and Clippers are questionable for the game and their playing status will be game-time decisions. And that list doesn't include Ray Allen, who is out with the flu, according to LeBron James. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Allen was most likely out.

Allen, along with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, did attend the Heat's shootaround on Friday morning. Bosh missed Wednesday's game against the Rockets with the flu.

For the Clippers, Blake Griffin (hamstring), Chris Paul (knee), Jamal Crawford (shoulder) and Chauncey Billups (foot) are also questionable.

ETC

In other news, Chris Andersen signed with the Heat for the remainder of the season on Wednesday morning.

Monday, February 04, 2013

Spoelstra's dilemma: Start Chris Bosh or Kyrie Irving in All-Star Game

Should Erik Spoelstra award Chris Bosh a starting nod in the All-Star Game or should 
the Heat's coach replace a point guard with a point guard and elevate Cleveland point guard Kyrie Irving to starter?

For the next few weeks, that choice will be debated throughout the NBA. Spoelstra suggested on Sunday in Toronto that he would start Bosh.

Both Bosh and Irving are worthy of starting in the game. Bosh, arguably the best mid-range shooting big man in the NBA, has a career high in field-goal percentage. Irving is averaging 24.0 points per game (sixth in the league) while shooting .412 from three-point range.

Spoelstra will not have many responsibilities during All-Star weekend, but it is his job to name a replacement starter for Rajon Rondo, the Celtics guard who recently tore a knee ligament and is out for the season. Spoelstra didn’t come out and say he was going to use his authority to start Bosh, but he offered a big hint.

“Look, I’ve only given this thought for the last nine minutes, but I will tell you this, unequivocally, that my loyalties, first and foremost are always with the Miami Heat,” he said with a smile.

For the conspiracy theorists out there, putting James and Irving on the court together is out of the question. James and Irving are close friends and rumors are circulating throughout the leauge already that James would like to play with Irving in Cleveland after next season.

Bosh, an eight-time All-Star, has started two All-Star Games in his career. The last time three players from the same team started in an All-Star Game was in 1990 when Magic Johnson, James Worthyand A.C. Green represented the Lakers.

Saturday, February 02, 2013

Bosh turns in another winner with his new commercial

Chris Bosh's dry humor is spot on in this new commercial for Kids Foot Locker, which also stars Ray Allen.

"And the little one likes to be called Rick Springfield."
—Chris Bosh 

Heat has struggled against the East's top teams; LeBron not concerned

Remove the Nets from the equation and the Heat is now 0-5 against the East's top teams. Miami is 0-2 against the Knicks, 0-1 against the Bulls and, after Friday's 102-89 loss to the Pacers, 0-2 against Indiana.

LeBron James isn't too concerned.

“We’re not worried about that,” James said. “We don’t put too much into losing a game or winning a game; we want to get better from those games.

“We don’t need victories versus top-four teams to prove what we’re capable of doing. We don’t need them. We’d love to have them, but we don’t need them.”

The Heat, now 11-11 on the road this season, knows the formula to winning a championship. The regular-season does not play into that formula. Still, the Pacers clearly have improved since last season and could be the biggest threat to the Heat in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Indiana thumped the Heat 87-77 in January and Friday night offered another reminder of the Heat's problems against a team with size.
The Pacers out-rebounded the Heat 34-25 and scored 48 points in the paint. David West was 12 of 15 from the field for 30 points. Indiana's dominance inside helped it overcome 17 turnovers, which the Heat converted into 23 points. Normally, those numbers equal a Heat victory.
The Heat threw several defenders at West throughout the game but no one could stop him. Chris Andersen looked the best inside but he was subbed out in the final quarter after playing 12 minutes. Andersen is still working his way back into shape. Based on his effort on Friday — nine points, three rebounds, one steal and a blocked shot — Andersen's minutes will increase gradually in the second half of the season.
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In a series against the Pacers, Andersen appears to be the Heat's best option in the paint.

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