Pat Riley: Oden to be active against the Wizards

Reserve center Greg Oden will be activated for his first regular-season game with the Heat on Wednesday night against the Wizards, according to team president Pat Riley.

Riley divulged the information during a pregame news conference about the team trading center Joel Anthony. Oden hasn't played a regular-season game in more than four years.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said there was no correlation between the timing of the trade and Oden possibly dressing. The Heat's coach wouldn't confirm that Oden is active against the Wizards and said Oden's health is progressing steadily.

Chris Andersen is out for Wednesday's game with a knee injury.

REPORT: Heat center Joel Anthony, draft picks traded to Celtics

Heat reserve center Joel Anthony has been traded to the Celtics in a three-team deal that will send Golden State guard Toney Douglas to the Heat, according to reports.

The Heat did not immediately confirm the news and Anthony was at the Heat's shootaround on Wednesday morning in Washington. Yahoo!Sports first reported the news. The move saves the Heat money against the salary cap and the league's punitive luxury tax. Anthony was under contract for $3.8 million this season and next season.

The Heat included a first-round draft pick and a second-round pick in the deal. The Celtics sent guard Jordan Crawford to Golden State.

Anthony won a pair of NBA championships with the Heat and appeared in three NBA Finals.

Heat players moved by trip to Holocaust Museum

Several players and coaches of the Miami Heat participated in an after-hours tour of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. on Monday night.

Ray Allen organized the tour and it was attended by players Joel Anthony, James Jones, Shane Battier, Roger Mason Jr., LeBron James and Udonis Haslem as well as coach Erik Spoelstra, several assistants and support personnel and general manager Andy Elisburg.

The Museum's director gave the tour, which added to the experience. Several exhibits in the museum are emotionally jarring and a few players were moved to tears by the experience, including Udonis Haslem.

EARLIER FROM THE WHITE HOUSE...

Are you as excited as I am that the nation will be treated today to President Barack Obama being in the same room as Chris Andersen?

Birdman was there in the East Room last season when Obama congratulated the Heat on its 2012 championship, but the Birdman will be on stage this season, and the republic is all the better for it. We'll be blogging and tweeting throughout the day from the White House, so check in frequently for pictures and observations and snarky comments and such. OK, we'll try to go light on the snark factor today, this being such a big non-deal and all.

What to expect?

Well, the event is at 2:45 p.m., but the press has to arrive at 12:30 p.m. You know, so we can do important stuff like annoy the real journalists of the White House press corps.

I'm sure the President will touch on a few obvious topics like Ray Allen's shot in Game 6, LeBron James' general greatness and Dwyane Wade's gritty effort despite knee problems. But, hey, here's to hoping Obama's speech writers take some chances and bring up some other, funnier stuff, like, you know, fans leaving early, everyone making a big deal about Pat Riley not attending the White House visit last year and, of course and Wade's over-the-top birthday boat...

OK, off to the White House.

Previewing Heat at Nets…Don't look now, but New York's teams are a combined 8-1 in 2014.

When/Where: 8 p.m., Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.

TV/Radio: Sun Sports and ESPN/FM 104.3, AM 790 and WAQI 710AM (Spanish)

Series: Heat leads 59-42.

LINE: Heat by 5.

OFFICIALS: 

         

RECORDS/STANDINGS: Heat (27-9)/Second in the East///Nets (14-21)/8th in East.

TRENDS/HEAT: 11-6 on the road; 7-3 in last 10; Lost one; 17-7 against East; 3-4 against Atlantic Division

TRENDS/NETS: 9-9 at home; 5-5 in last 10; Won four in a row; 8-13 against East; 2-4 against Southeast Division

INJURY REPORT/HEAT: Greg Oden out (knee rehab), Shane Battier questionable (left quadriceps), Mario Chalmers questionable (Achilles tendinitis), Dwyane Wade questionable (knee), Chris Andersen probable (flu-like symptoms).

INJURY REPORT/NETS: Deron Williams out (ankle), Brook Lopez out (foot).

OF NOTE: The Heat lost to the Nets at Barclays Center at the beginning of the season, but the Nets have been diminished by injuries since then. Center Brook Lopez is out for the season and Deron Williams has dealt with a series of injuries. Most recently, Williams has missed time with ankle injuries. Rashard Lewis is expected to start once again at power forward while Shane Battier recovers from a strained leg muscle. Battier has missed four straight games. Norris Cole has started for Mario Chalmers in each of the Heat's last two games. Chalmers has been out with soreness in his Achilles tendon. Greg Oden did not travel to New York with the Heat. According to the team, Oden remained in Miami to work on his conditioning. 

STAT OF THE DAY: After going 9 of 9 from the field against the Magic, Chris Bosh is 8 of 26 (30.7 percent) from the field over his last three games.

STAT OF THE DAY II: After giving the ball away six times against the Knicks, LeBron James is averaging 4.2 turnovers per game in 2014.

STAT OF THE DAY III: On Friday against the Knicks, the Heat lost for the third time this season when shooting better than 50 percent from the field.

STAT OF THE DAY IV: The Knicks and Nets are a combined 8-1 in the new year, which a New York-based journalist made sure to point out to me last night at Madison Square Garden.

In case you were wondering what every single nickname is going to be on every single #Heat jersey tonight.

From the roster page on Heat.com, which has been modified quite nicely for tonight's game against the Nets. Each team will feature jerseys with players' nicknames on the back.

Introducing the media gift for visiting #Heatmedia at tonight's Heat-Knicks game

Someone with much better hygiene practices than me please explain what the third tool from the top does exactly. My initial thought was, "Ah, that's for the coke."

 

Previewing the first meeting of the season between the #Heat and #Knicks

WHEN/WHERE: 8 p.m., Madison Square Garden, New York

TV/RADIO: TNT/AM 790, FM 104.3 and AM 710 (Spanish)

SERIES: Knicks lead 58-43. This is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

LINE: Heat by 8.

OFFICIALS: 

       

RECORDS/STANDINGS: Heat (27-8)/Second in the East, 1.0 game back of the Pacers; First in the Southeast, 8.5 games ahead of the Hawks///Knicks (12-22)/11th in East, 15.5 games back of the Pacers, Fourth in the Atlantic Division, 5.0 games back of Toronto.

TRENDS/HEAT: 11-5 on the road; 8-2 in last 10; Won three in a row; 17-6 against East; 3-3 against Atlantic Division

TRENDS/KNICKS: 5-12 at home; 5-5 in last 10; Lost six in a row; 10-12 against East; 5-4 against Southeast Division

INJURY REPORT/HEAT: Greg Oden out (knee rehab), Shane Battier out (left quadriceps), Mario Chalmers out (Achilles tendinitis), Dwyane Wade probable (knee).

INJURY REPORT/KNICKS: Tyson Chandler doubtful (upper respiratory infection), Beno Udrih doubtful (inflammation of the left tibiofibular joint), Pablo Prigioni out (hairline fracture of right great toe), Metta World Peace out (sore left knee)

OF NOTE: Rashard Lewis will once again start for Shane Battier, who is missing his fourth straight game with a strained left quadriceps. Norris Cole will start in place of Mario Chalmers, who is out for his second game with pain in his Achilles tendon. Dwyane Wade did not participate in shootaround, but said he expects to play. Greg Oden did not travel to New York with the Heat. According to the team, Oden remained in Miami to work on his conditioning. 

STAT OF THE DAY: After going 9 of 9 from the field against the Magic, Chris Bosh is 5 of 16 from the field over his last two games. Overall, Bosh is shooting 53 percent from the field on the season.

STAT OF THE DAY II: The Heat is 13-2 in games when LeBron James shoots over 60 percent. Overall, he is shooting 58.9 percent from the field.

Battier and Chalmers both improving but out against Knicks

NEW YORK — The Heat will once again be shorthanded for Thursday’s game against the New York Knicks.

Shane Battier will miss his fourth game due to a strained left quadriceps and Mario Chalmers will miss his second full game with an injured Achilles heel. Rashard Lewis and Norris Cole are expected to start in place Battier and Chalmers, respectively.

Battier participated in Thursday’s shootaround at Madison Square Garden, which is a good sign, but will rest his legs as a precaution. Chalmers did not participate in the morning shootaround due to his tendonitis. 

“You call it tendonitis, I call it painful,” Chalmers said.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said both players are improving.

Dwyane Wade is expected to play, but Spoelstra said Wade officially would be a game-time decision. The Heat plays the Knicks at 8 p.m. and then plays the Brooklyn Nets at 8 p.m. on Friday. If Wade plays against the Knicks, there’s a chance he would rest against the Nets.

“We’re always day-to-day,” Spoelstra said of Wade’s playing status. “We evaluate, we communicate, see how he’s feeling. He has been feeling better. He has been getting stronger. So, he’s been able to play, but those determinations are always right before the game.”

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Warriors 123, Heat 114

THREE THINGS

1. The Heat allowed a season-high in points in its 123-114 loss to Golden State as well as a season-high in points for a half (65, first half) and a quarter (38, first quarter). It was also the most points the Heat has allowed an opponent home in a regulation loss since LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined the team. The overall record for points by an opponent at AmericanAirlines Arena since the 2010-11 season occurred on Feb. 26, 2013 when the Heat defeated the Kings 141-129 in double overtime.

2. Stephen Curry had 36 points and 12 assists. According to STATS and first noted by The Associated Press, only two other players have scored at least 35 points and dished out 12 assists against Miami in a game (Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson). Iverson did on April 14, 2005. Iverson had 38 points and 16 assists in a 126-119 overtime victory for the Sixers in Philadelphia. Dwyane Wade had 48 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the game. Jordan had 37 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds on March 16, 1992.

3. The Warriors have won their last two games in Miami. Golden State's seven-game winning streak currently is the longest in the NBA. Led by Curry (eight three-pointers) and Klay Thompson (four three-pointers), the Warriors made 15 three-pointers overall, tying a season high for the team.

THEY SAID IT

DWYANE WADE on Stephen Curry: 

“It was incredible. A few times we were in his jersey and he made shots. He is one of the greatest shooters in this game and he hasn’t even started yet, he is early in his career. There is nothing you can do, you can contest it and hope he misses it. We had a chance, we were there, we just couldn’t get close enough.”

(Heat Check has been on temporary hiatus since Tuesday, but will return full-time on Jan.7.)