A sweep of the Heat give the Lakers their first 10 game winning streak in quite some time. In fact, I think the way the Lakers are playing right now as a team is one of the best I have ever seen. The Lakers are easily 10 deep when healthy and showed it tonight. The Lakers cruised to a 106-88 victory over the heat tonight.
As a team, they grabbed 55 total rebounds, mostly because Miami was held to only 38% FG shooting. The Lakers had four different players get double figure rebounds tonight, led by Ronny with 12. The Lakers shot 48% from the field, 40% from three, and 82% from the stripe. The best part was the Lakers defense. They had 8 steals, 12 blocks, and held Wade to only 6-17 shooting. As a team the Lakers had 28 assists and were moving the ball well. It seemed as if every Laker was touching the ball tonight.
Now, the bests of the night…
Top 3 Laker performers:
1) Kobe Bryant filled up the stat sheet tonight. 21 points on 50% shooting. He also had 8 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. Not to mention he held Wade to 18 points on 17 shots.
2) Farmar was shooting lights out again. 9-14 FGs, and 4-8 threes. He had 24 points, 4 boards, 3 assists, 3 steals, and even a block!
3) Pau played great again, but Lamar quietly had 13 points, 11 boards, 6 assists, a steal, and a block. Great game!
Lakers Smush of the Day (Note: STD denotes the Laker that played the poorest): Fisher continued his shooting slump with a 2-11 night. Snap out of it Fish!
Play of the game: Kobe behind the back to Luke, around the back to Lamar to finish the play with the slam.
What to look for next game: I think the Lakers will win, but not sure by how much. Portland is 21-8 at home. But let’s make it 11 in a row! Game is Friday @ 7:30 PM (KCAL).
Related Posts -TLN’s Post-Game Report: Lakers vs. Warriors
TLN’s Post-Game Report: Lakers vs. Bobcats
TLN’s Post-Game Report: Lakers vs. Warriors
TLN’s Post-Game Report: Lakers vs. Heat
TLN’s Post-Game Report: Lakers vs. Knicks
in DCLAKER’s words……GOLAKERS.COM IN FULL EFFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that was no challenge :[ wasnt even tat exciting except for the kobe to walton to lamar play
wow, this is the best lakers team i have seen in a while, i think even better than the kobe.shaq days, is better kobe gasol fisher odom bynum , etc … #1
Somebody has to post that behind the pass by Kobe to Lamar then to Luke for the dunk!!
WOW.
It should be on youtube soon…
great game
here we come finals
ps does anybody know how to send messages on da shoutbox
serial
i was seeing a video of MJ do the same type of pass kobe did.but the play wasent given enough credit.(#6 in BSPN top 10 plays)
at this pace, im wondering if we’ll make it to 60.
“Play of the game: Kobe behind the back to Luke, around the back to Lamar to finish the play with the slam.”
…and one
Video added. Enjoy.
anyone see the chick who flashed her breast to the crowd in the screen?
i want a youtube of the breast!!
i mean we are hollywood!! and we are on top of the world!!!
show us some bare titties!!!!
actually…it wasn’t an and one…my mistake
Dwayne Wade looks like he’s given up on his team …
AMAZING play!!! I was listening on the radio and they said it could be the highlight play of the year. Thanks for posting!
Agreed, D Wade does look like he has given up.
A few years ago, when Miami won their title, people were saying that Wade was better than Kobe. Well now Wade has his opportunity to prove it how good he really is now that he’s by himself (no Shaq). So far Wade hasn’t done much.
Kobe on the other hand is now truly establishing himself as a player that can be a true TEAM leader and lead his team to the title.
It really makes me happy. It’s like when the Lakers win, it’s the best part of the day
http://youtube.com/watch?v=38DOBtl2H74
wow…that play is one of the greatest plays i have ever seen! wow!!
Lakers are 41 and 17, they need to go 19 and 5 to hit 60 wins, go Lakers!!!
that play is the shyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyytttttttttttttt
Farmar was #1 IMO.
Nice P . G. btw.
So we should beat the Mav’s, too…
Great game question how many TO? did we have and Farmar played fantastic and i love that pass that is like the Showtime era
Wade is not healthy as noted by the commentators last night. Playing at about 75%. Also, basically losing your entire championship team doesn’t help either.
The next two games will really be a barometer of how good the Lakers are playing. The last couple of games have been against seriously weak teams, so I expected those to be blowouts.
Should be a good game tonight up in Portland and then a tough battle against Dallas on Sunday. After seeing Dallas barely lose to San Antonio last night, it will be interesting to see how the Lakers match up with them.
I’m expecting even better play from the Lakers over the next two games since they usually get UP for the bigger contests.
Definitely a big game this Sunday. We can truly measure just how far we’ve come when we play against some real competition like Dallas. IMO they should have beaten The Spurs last night but little Avery took Jason Kidd out of the game on the last play. He sat a hall of famer on the bench in the most crucial time in the game? How long before Kidd gets Avery fired?
Luke Walton has to be one of the dumbest players in the league. Everyone is always saying how smart he is, but he makes the most bonehead plays on the team. He’s always throwing the ball away, getting his shot swatted by better, more athletic players, making turnovers. Everyone else is flourishing and improving, but he seems to get worse. Bynum, Ariza, Vlad, please come back so he can find his way to the end of the bench! It makes me want to puke watching him on the court!
yeh i know they said wade was about 75% but i dont know why.
and kobe is pretty banged up too, all season
he IS about 75% and still playng like he is 150%
I agreed,
Avery will be fired very soon.
Showtime is back!
GO LAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, Wade is probably 75% healthy.
But he looks 25% motivated.
I think things will look up next year for the Heat they could have the #1, 2, or 3 pick in the draft next season. They came keep that draft pick or trade for a veteran player. (Unless they traded that pick away that I don’t know about …)
other than the showtime display of behind the back to another behind the back into a dunk and a foul these were the other notables of the game.
the real highlight of the game for me.
1) WADE GOT CROSSED OVER BY SASHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaa. i tivoed the game and i kept watching the replay over and over. sasha near half court, leads wade to the right, crosses him back to the left, and he’s……………..gone, all the way to the paint for an easy dish to farmar. you know that commercial with wade with the bad wade and the good wade on his shoulders…one telling him to dunk and the other telling him to pull up for a jump shot.after sasha punked him, i bet wade’s mini conscious were saying ,”dddaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmnnnnnnnn!!!! where you at? where you at wade?”
2) wade holding kobe’s jersey and then shoving kobe away-and wade is the one on offense-who gets the foul call? kobe—-what is that?
3) kobe comes right back— on wade’s three point jump shot kobe is a little late reacting so he sticks his hand in wade’s face and gives wade a “love slap” on the mug…..lol…funny as hell. you got pimped slapped by kobe wade you got pimped slapped.
4)ronny pulling a “dennis rodman” and gobbling up every rebound like it was a thanksgiving dinner and can this guy slam it or what? bring down the thunder ronny, i’m going to start calling you ZEUS. bring down the thunder.
side note- gasol looks a little uninspired recently and hesitant…personally i think he’s a little out of phase because the offseason is coming up and there is a whole heap of expectations on this team. he’s definitely not used to it and he does look a little miserable. or maybe he’s just tired of playing game after game, especially road games. hopefully, we see the a full tank of GASOLINA on sunday against dallas. you know they want to kick our tails in and show off their new toy—j-kidd.
and what’s up with farmar and sasha’s yelling match on the bench? i like to think it was a competetive thing since they are the two players who come right off the bench when we need some offensive energy. those two definitely had words for each other during a timeout, and sasha scooted all the way to the other side of the bench so he didn’t have to hear farmar’s mouth. if it helps them to produce like they’ve been doing i say, fight, fight, fight!
portland, then BRING ON THE SALLAD MAVERICKS!!! GOOOOO LAAAKKKEERRSS!
No one ever played at 150%. It’s impossible. Unless someone clones themselves and that clone produces at a 50% rate. LOL
Farmar and Sasha have fought for along time. Usually because Sasha doesn’t pass or is not at the right spot on the floor. Farmar is a hard nose player who plays the right way and knows how to run an offense. Sasha is a bit flaky at times. After all he is Sasha
Wade’s style of barreling into the defense and getting bailed out by NBA refs may have robbed Dallas of a ship (fine by me), but its also LARGELY to blame for our recent failures in international play. Other players do it to, but he’s the prime example. The international refs ain’t bailing you out like that D-WADE! Good thing this year its Kobe to the rescue. Yo Dwayne, this summer just lob it up to Lebron/Howard or hand it to Kobe and get out of the way!
Please, don’t make any excuses for Wade. If he’s that injured then he shouldn’t be on the court.
Also, if you’re going to make injuries as part of his excuse, then I’ll bring up Kobe’s torn tendon in his shooting hand where other team doctors at the NBA all star game said nobody should be playing with that hand.
You also bring up the fact that “basically losing your entire championship team doesn’t help either.” You know what, Kobe had the same situation, when the Lakers traded Shaq, Rick Fox and did not resign Horry or Fisher, etc, Kobe basically lost his entire team too (much of that is Kobe’s fault, as you and I both know). As much as I disliked what Kobe said about Bynum and the rest of the guys in the offseason (very unprofessional), he still played his a** off every night for the past 4 years. Wade isn’t doing that (ooh I forgot, he’s injured).
Notice how Sasha crossed over on an injured and unmotivated Dwayne Wade. After all he is Sasha.
Guys check this out:
Mailman A Bull?
After losing twice in the NBA Finals to the Chicago Bulls, it now appears former Jazzman Karl Malone could become a temporary Bull — a Red Bull, that is.
The Red Bull team of the Philippine Basketball Association is said to be actually negotiating to bring the “Mailman” in as its allowed import player for the PBA Fiesta Cup tournament that begins March 30, according to the Manila Bulletin. — Deseret Morning News
# This move is apparently not a publicity stunt because Tony Chua, Red Bull’s representative said yesterday that negotiations are currently underway to lure Malone who retired as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players.
According to Chua, they’re waiting for Malone, whose wife is a Filipina, to decide until today. — Manila Bulletin
Here’s the website:
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/features/rumors?&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2ffeatures%2frumors
This was probably the ‘laziest’ I’ve seen them all year but if this win is LAZY,I feel sorry for the team when they’re at their most energetic and that won’t be until “LAKEZILLA” MAKES THEIR DEBUT IN LATE MARCH OR APRIL(When AB comes back)and THEN WHEN ONCE ARIZA’S BACK…….CURTAINS!
i cant believe the play wasnt even sportscenter’s top play! it was only number 6! wtf! haha
WHAT THE F!@# !!! NO.#6? What the HELL is sportscenter thinking? Yet another LAKER CONSPIRACY,LAKERNATION! You’ve got to be kidding me,NO.#6? I’m sorry for the ranting but TO US HERE,THAT WAS PLAY OF THE YEAR,PERIOD!!!
I never mentioned kobe at all. All I was saying is Wade is playing injured basically and he lost his entire team. If you want to go back and compare what kobe had after the trade compared to what Wade has now i don’t think you could make a case that Miami has the better team. Also, there is a case to be made that kobe is even a better player since the pinky injury. He doesn’t seem to try to do too much since it. PJ said this himself during an interview. As far as an excuse for Wade yes i guess i am giving him an excuse, but one thing for sure is you don’t see Wade giving that same excuse. Wade not playing his ass off?? Well is production is still pretty high even though he is not as efficient as prior yrs(reasons mentioned above) but to say he is not busting his ass out there is very subjective. Pat Riley expects that and Wade as shown that. He has the heart of a champion and he as shown that to. (btw kobe only fans kobe has the heart of a champion too)
man, d-wade can suck on d’s nuts
Well I think it’s been established that I’m no “kobe-only fan” (remember I f’n hate Kobe Bryant but I support his play because he’s on the Lakers), but we will definitely see how much heart of a champion Wade really has now that he doesn’t have Shaq. Shaq made the game so much easier for Kobe and Wade. Wade is now in the same exact position Kobe was 4 years ago. We are going to see exactly what Wade is really made of now that he has to be the sole leader of a team, which is what Riley is banking on him to be. It took a couple of years for Kobe but now he is demonstrating he can lead a team and make the players better (finally!!).
Last night, I didn’t see Wade playing his a** off. You’re not playing your a** off when you let Sasha cross dribble drive on you and create a play. Sasha is not a penetrating type of player, he’s a spot up shooter, and Wade is WAY more athletic than Sasha is. Also, you figure Wade would play even harder when he’s up against any superstar such as Kobe. Unfortunately for Miami, I didn’t see that aggressiveness from him the last 2 games against the Lakers.
With regards to your comments “If you want to go back and compare what kobe had after the trade compared to what Wade has now i don’t think you could make a case that Miami has the better team.”…I’m going to quote the TNT broadcasters last night, just like you did regarding Wade and his “injury”. You put Kobe Bryant on that team, and that Miami team makes the playoffs.
Lakerfirst, Never thought of you as a kobeonly fan… that was addressed to others. Wade is in a similiar position as kobe, not the exact position. There is a difference is the level of personnel when u compare them. The lakers had both butler and Odom that yr.
Shaq definitely made the game easier but the load he carried was greater in LA than in Miami when he was on the decline.
Hard to measure heart when you can’t measure pain… how bad is Wade?? idk… but given the fact that he has shown his skill and courage with the weight of his team on him on the greatest stage i give him the benefit of the doubt same i would for Kobe esp. as far as effort.
btw.. reggie miller said that not both broadcasters and right after that they both said Wade is about 65-75%… so if your going to quote both broadcasters quote them fully… and balance those statements…
Also Sasha made a nice move against Wade and if you were watching and the anouncers mentioned it that Wade reached instead of being in a correct defensive position. So Wade made a mistake on the play, not that he was not playing his a.ss off. Big Difference. Effort is not a question in that play. BTW, did you want Miami to win the ship that yr against Dallas???
Sorry to disappoint you but Wade is a married man and he likes women.
D. Wade: 0 points, 3 turnovers and 3 fouls in the first half. He wasn’t even penetrating to get to the free throw line. From the looks of it, the first half he wasn’t playing anything.
You can call Wade’s play on Sasha a “mistake” if you want, but I call it laziness. In my opinion effort was big time in play (not to mention the lack of effort in the first half).
Dallas and Miami - I could’ve cared less. Although, if I had to make a choice, I would say I preferred Dallas because I didn’t want Shaq to win another ring (as a matter of fact, I still don’t).
Kobe and Wade are in the EXACT position (although Wade had Shaq at the beginning of the year). After being on teams that won rings, they are in the same position because Wade, like Kobe, has role players on his team that he needs to make better and make plays for (this is what leaders of the team are supposed to do).
If you’re going to say Kobe had Caron and LO in that first year, then I’m going to say that Wade had Shaq at the beginning of this year, and you know Shaq, even when he plays lik crap makes a difference because of his shear size. Now Wade has Shawn Marion, a proven All-Star (LO has never been an all-star and Caron, when he was on the Lakers, was not yet an All-Star).
I’m forgetting exactly which broadcaster said what, but the bottom line is the broadcasters kept making “injury” excuses for Wade, similar to what you have said, and I’m merely pointing out that the broadcasters also said that if you put Kobe on Miami, then Miami makes the playoffs (after all it is the East where I think the 6th, 7th and 8th seeds are all under .500). But like I said, if you’re going continue to ride the Wade not being fully healthy train, then you might as well also acknowledge the Kobe not being fully healthy (last time I checked, Kobe needs surgery, I don’t think Wade does).
Kobe and Wade are in the EXACT position (although Wade had Shaq at the beginning of the year). After being on teams that won rings, they are in the same position because Wade, like Kobe, has role players on his team that he needs to make better and make plays for (this is what leaders of the team are supposed to do).
If you’re going to say Kobe had Caron and LO in that first year, then I’m going to say that Wade had Shaq at the beginning of this year, and you know Shaq, even when he plays lik crap makes a difference because of his shear size. Now Wade has Shawn Marion, a proven All-Star (LO has never been an all-star and Caron, when he was on the Lakers, was not yet an All-Star).
I’m forgetting exactly which broadcaster said what, but the bottom line is the broadcasters kept making “injury” excuses for Wade, similar to what you have said, and I’m merely pointing out that the broadcasters also said that if you put Kobe on Miami, then Miami makes the playoffs (after all it is the East where I think the 6th, 7th and 8th seeds are all under .500). But like I said, if you’re going continue to ride the Wade not being fully healthy train, then you might as well also acknowledge the Kobe not being fully healthy (last time I checked, Kobe needs surgery, I don’t think Wade does).
Exact position no. We are comparing Wade team this yr. to Kobe’s team the first yr. without Shaq. Kobe had Butler who was almost the level of an all star esp. when he gets more opportunities and LO and no way does that compare with Wade’s current team… Shaq this yr… do u think he gave the effort this yr??? on miami??? The guy wanted to leave… Miami gave away alot… Mourning, Shaq, Posey, payton, Kapono, Walker, etc…. this Miami team is an expansion team. Sure you just got Marion, but how well will he do without a true pointguard like Nash feeding him the ball…Wade is more of a 2 guard who can play point.
You have your fact wrong. First of all ONE BROADCASTER SAID IT.. Reggie Miller, color commentator known to hype up things and a big kobe supporter(nothing wrong with that just realize where he is coming from). He said Miami would win more games with Kobe not they would make the PO’s.. I happen to agree if Miami had kobe they would win more games with him but u have to consider all factors which i have already mentioned.
BTW Kobe needs Surgery…But kobe is not playing in pain..Kobe thanks Garry Vitti for that becuase the new tape job he does helps him to not experience pain. In fact he is shooting at a better percentage lately… Thank God he is limited… that helps him be much more wise in the shots he takes.
You weren’t listening to the commentators too closely on the Sasha play. In fact, they slowed the play down in Slo MO and said Wade reached which allowed Sasha to go by him. Bad Play by Wade…not laziness. Something tells me you have a chip on your shoulder against the guy who has proved himself in the Finals and has come thru. Do you remember Shaq’s first year when he played in pain against the Detroit series?? Many people today believe they lost that series because of Wade’s injury.
*WHEN WADE PLAYED IN PAIN
R u saying Wade>>>Kobe or Kobe>>Wade.
If you want compare Kobe’s first year team with that of Wade’s team now, let’s do so. Here is the Lakers roster right after the Shaq Trade:
Sasha: I think it was his first year, so he was ineffective
Chucky Atkins: Good shooter but couldn’t play defense to save his life.
Tierre Brown: WHERE IS HE NOW!!!
Kobe: We all know what Kobe can do
Tony Bobbitt: They acquired him after trading Kareem Rush for draft picks
Kareem Rush: Traded for draft picks
Luke Walton: This year he wasn’t much of a contributor
Caron Butler: Played good but was not yet an all-star
Devean George: You and I both know D. George is terrible
Jumaine Jones: I think he plays in Europe now (need i say more)
LO: Decent player
Brian Cook: Do I need to say anything?
Slava Medvendenko: He’s worse than Cook (at least Cook could shoot)
Brian Grant: By this time his knees were gone and was pretty much useless
Chris Mihm: He actually had a decent year this year.
Vlade Divac: He maybe played 10% of that season because of his bad back.
Let’s look at Wade’s team:
Shawn Marion: All-Star
Wade: Ring and All-Star
Jason Williams: Wasn’t he their starting point guard when they won a ring?
Ricky Davis: Meh
Mark Blount: This guy is not a bad player. He actually played pretty well against the Lakers
Udonis Haslem: Wasn’t he their starting Power Forward their championship year.
Marcus Banks: This guy is a pretty good point guard. Even Mitch Kupchak tried to acquire Banks from Boston in the Gary Payton trade until Payton botched it and didn’t show up for the physical, and I KNOW you hold Mitch in high regard like I do.
Alzono: Too bad he got injured
Smush: Piece of crap
Doreel Wright: He’s a decent player (better than Jumaine Jones, Tony Bobbitt, Slava, and Brian Cook - you know the players who the Lakers had
Daequan Cook: Rookie
Earl Barron: Meh
Chris Quinn: who?
Alexander Johnson: see above
Luke jackson: never had it
Joel Anthony: see chris quinn
Anfernee Hardaway: Should’ve stayed retired
When you compare the squads, their pretty much even. As of a matter of fact, Wade has a few more experience players than Kobe had. Wade still has J. Williams and Haslem, you know the guys who started on that championship team.
Not to mention the Heat have the great Pat Riley. You can’t tell me Riley is not a better coach than Rudy T. (who didn’t even finish that year)???
NO, YOU HAVE YOU’RE HAVE YOUR FACT WRONG. It was Reggie Miller who specifically said if switch Kobe and Wade, and Kobe is playing in Miami, he said “the heat would make the playoffs.” I know TNT broadcasters are terrible, but you need to pay more attention to them if you’re going to quote them. And to say that Reggie is “big Kobe supporter” and he’s going to hype him up - that’s a lame argument
Something tells you like to think you’re right when you’re not (as per my point with the commentators during the game on Thursday). I have no chip on my shoulder regarding Wade, but for you to make excuses for the guy who has clearly given up on him Miami team isn’t right… and yes, I do remember that first year when Wade played injured against Detroit, and even if he wasn’t injured Detroit’s experienced still would’ve beat Miami. I mean Kobe may have talked to sh*t about his team in the offseason (which I completely disagreed him doing so), but at least Kobe comes to play every single night. I have yet to see that in Wade (oh wait but he’s injured - i forgot).
I’ll even go one further, I’ll give the 2004/2005 Laker roster a healthy Vlade Divac and the give the Miami Heat a healthy Alonzo Mourning. That alone makes Miami better at the center position. Also, in addition to saying that if you put Kobe on this current Miami squade they would win more games “and make the playoffs”, the TNT broadcasters also said, if Zo was healthy, the Heat would also win more games.
Your argument is really slanted… calling LO just decent and diminishing Butler contribution is weak. Plus saying Williams a starter on a ship team??? what is williams now.. today.. not yesterday… he is just an expiring contract… putting value on Marion when he just joined??? how good is he going to be without a true point guard??? i already made that point.
so kobe, LO, and butler you would think would have done better than 34 wins… don’t you think??? Did that team quit??? i think the team did quit after following them that yr.
So like a said Wade has an expansion team now. Marion how will he fit??? other than that they have a decent pf and young players all around and a dysfunctional team guy in davis and a blount… both should be bench players and they start. Riley is packing it in. This is his last yr much like it is Rudy T’s last yr with the lakers.
Actually Reggie said Zo would add 15 games to this team if he were there. That I am positive. So how do you add up these in consistencies in his statement and the logic of his thinking. He is a color commentator and they get paid more for being controversial.
Dont’ forget Wade had surgery this past summer and missed several games at the beginning of the season. Things aren’t cut and dry and making judgements on players esp. on a crossover was quite surprising coming from u becuase i usually agree with many of your points.
After following Wade the past 3 seasons i have always noticed how he lays is body on the line and gives 100%. Which is one of the reasons I admire him. Both on offense and defense.
I think Wade has earned the benefit of the doubt. I never saw him quit on his team on or off the court nor as he exhibited being selfish either.
So instead of listening to Reggie or Me…Listen to his coach. Pat Riley who I think knows Wade the best and his situation.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/sfl-0229heat.wade,0,6911517.story
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2008/03/01/z13b_heatgamer_0301.html
So since you take Reggie word and he said they would be 15 games better with a healthy Zo… the heat would have a record of 26-30… good enough for 7th place and the PO… Do you really want to take Reggie’s word for it???
That year in 04/05 LO WAS just a decent player. He didn’t do anything spectacular. In the 2004/2005 season, LO averaged 15.2 ppg, which was a drop from the 17 ppg that he averaged in Miami the previous year. Yes, I call that decent. If you want to call that all-star like then go right ahead, I’m sure no one will agree with you.
I never diminished Butler’s contribution as “weak” (now you’re putting words in my mouth like you so often to other users on this site). However, you’re implying Butler’s contribution while in L.A. was all-star level, when he only averaged 15 ppg 6 rpg, which was pretty much what he averaged in his rookie year in Miami. Caron didn’t start averaging huge numbers until he got to Washington where he is now averaging 19 ppg and 7 rpg.
Furthermore, you’re denying the fact that Williams was a starter on the Miami championship team when it is a FACT! As to say “what is williams now.. today.. not yesterday”, remember he and the Miami Heat are just 2 years removed from a championship team. It’s not like he’s five or six years removed from that championship team.
Yes, I’ll put value on Marion because he has already made a difference on that Miami team. When the Lakers first played Miami, you saw the difference that Marion makes. Marion does have value. I’ll go one further, remember Phil Jackson suggested to the Lakers FO to trade Kobe Bryant for Shawn Marion, back in the days when Kobe was really being a pain in the a**. To say Shawn Marion does not or has not yet brought value to the Miami is ridiculous.
I don’t think the Laker 2004/2005 team quit at all. I just don’t think they were a good squad, which is they they had the record that they did. Don’t forget Rudy T. quit being the Lakers coach after 41 games (half a season) so they were left with assistant coach Frank Hamblen, who isn’t really known for having the experience of a head coach, for the second half of the season. When a team loses their head coach in the middle of the season, they are probably aren’t going to win a lot of games.
You can continue to make excuses for the Miami Heat and loverboy Dwayne Wade all you want. My original comment was, with Wade in the exact same position that Kobe was after the Shaq trade, we’ll see how good Wade really is in the next 3 to 4 years and by that I don’t mean just skill wise (we know he’s a good player skill wise), I’m talking the whole ball of wax, which includes being the LEADER of a team and demonstrating LEADERSHIP, which I myself think he has not done, oh but I forget, he’s injured. Last time I checked, Kobe is also injured but yet he still somehow manages to get his average points per game on a consistent basis and be a leader on his team.
It amazes me that you knock the Miami team, but yet you fail to acknowledge the crap players that the Lakers had in 2004/05, with Slava, Bobbitt, Tierre Brown, Brian Cook, Jumaine Jones, Vlade Divac (who should’ve retired going into that year) - that’s half the squad!! I’d rather have had Ricky Davis (even though he is dysfunctional) and Mark Blount, than any of those guys.
With regards to my comment of having Sasha having beat Wade on a cross over dribble was JUST ONE example of how Wade is demonstrating his laziness or lack of intensity. My second example was the fact that he 0 points, 3 turnover and 3 fouls in the first half alone (I don’t even think he any assists in that first half). He clearly came alive in the second half so obviously Wade can play but for some reason he chooses not to (look at tonight he had 33 points). If he’s going to be the leader of a team, he has to bring it EVERY NIGHT.
With regards to ZO, let’s take Reggie’s word (because we both quoted him), if Zo didn’t get injured, the Heat would’ve won 15 more games making them 26-30, like YOU said. That means with Zo they’ve would’ve won 46% of their games (26/56). Using simple math, 82 games with a win rate of 46% is a record of 38-44. That doesn’t sound like they are much worse than the Lakers of 04/05, who ended the season with a record of 34-48, as a matter of fact that sounds better. Didn’t you state that Wade’s team is a “expansion” team. That’s a pretty good record for an expansion team. As a matter of fact it’s better than the Lakers team of 2004/05.
You know you can give Wade the benefit of the doubt all you want, based on his past (when Shaq was on his team), but the fact of the matter is, Dwayne Wade is in new territory. For the first time in his career Wade has to be the sole LEADER of the team (he wasn’t the leader early on in Miami because LO was the leader, and he wasn’t the leader the couple of years because Shaq was there).
Like I said, Wade NOW has to show what kind of a player he really is. He’s not longer a rookie. He’s a veteran player with a ring, so now, we’re going to see how truly good of a player Wade really is. So far this year, he hasn’t shown it and obviously I’m not the only one to think that.
First of all LO numbers were 15/10/4… just decent… try very good. Funny how you don’t put his entire stats, which is why your opinion just cherry picks facts and doesn’t do your argument justice. The line no one will agree doesn’t back up a point so stop reaching for it. And if you want to take a swipe at a previous post i did go right ahead. Why don’t you copy and paste it??? Otherwise that is just a cheap shot. I have no problem talking about a prior post.
Only reason Butler contribution wasn’t more was because not alot of shots. I think you know why. What is williams value now.. it is an expiring contract… i don’t think they will be signing him to no big contract or long term plans. His level has dropped off drastically just like Shaq and if you don’t see it can’t help you there.
“loverboy wade”.. just childish
Wade was the leader of ship…hence mvp… now i am convinced you either have a chip on your shoulder against the guy or the heat or Shaq but whatever it is your leaning more to the people on this site who daily say “wade succs”. You would probably say “wade lazy”. Both those ideas suck and have no cred.
you and this injury thing.. comparing a pinky that has no pain to recovery from shoulder and knee surgery .. a double surgery that has pain in recovery but he still puts out as much as his body will allow. No sense of fairness in your argument.
Never mocked. are those my words..putting words in my mouth.. lol
you still on the crossover… go and get a replay of the game.. look at it again and listen to the announcers.. it was bad defense not laziness, but at this point u will believe what you want to hear.
Wade was the most important player on that ship team and he led them to victory…He got Shaq that ring and deserved all the accolades he got. HE has to start over