Saturday Slam: Can the Miami Heat go the distance?

 

                                                (Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)  

The Miami Heat are currently up 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals with Game 3 coming up later tonight against the Boston Celtics, who will be looking to get a boost from Gordon Hayward's return. At the moment, the Heat have definitely been the biggest surprise of the playoffs, sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the first round, taking out the Milwaukee Bucks in five games, and now possessing a 2-0 lead on the Celtics. Their lone playoff loss to the Bucks was in overtime 115-118 and their average margin of victory in the playoffs is 7.64 points per game. Basically, they're on cruise control. 

At this point, they have to be favored to come out of the East, but the big question is do they have what it takes to beat whoever comes out of the West. It's early yet, but judging by last night's Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, it looks likely that the Los Angeles Lakers will take care of the Denver Nuggets, another team who has had an impressive and surprising post-season. The Lakers would no doubt be the toughest opponent the Heat have faced in the playoffs, but given how easily they've dismantled their opponents thus far, there's no reason to think the Heat aren't up to the task. 

What makes this Heat team dangerous is their depth and unselfishness. Jimmy Butler is the heart and soul of this team, averaging 20.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. He gets after it on both ends of the floor and isn't afraid to have others share the spotlight with him. Goran Dragic is leading the team in scoring with his 22.2 points per game while Bam Adebayo is taking care of business inside with 16.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. In addition to those three guys, the Heat are also getting solid production from Jae Crowder, Duncan Robinson, and Tyler Herro. An added bonus is the presence of veteran small forward Andre Iguodala, who knows a thing or two about guarding LeBron James. 

While they don't have that one singular superstar that leads them, the Heat have really good pieces that come together to form a very balanced and dangerous team. They remind me of the 2004 Detroit Pistons, who defeated a more star laden Lakers team in the NBA Finals. Even though they have more business to take care of, I see no reason to doubt the Heat's ability to win it all. They are clicking at the right time and don't seem afraid of taking on teams that have more talent. 

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Daily Dunks: 2/16-2/22

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

     This is the Daily Dunks page for the week of February 16, 2015 through February 22, 2015. Throughout the week, this page will be updated with all the key news and scores throughout the week. Make sure to keep checking this page until a new daily dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Just a quick Public Service Announcement that the NBA trade deadline is on Thursday and games resume after the All-Star break on Thursday.

#2. After being waived by the Knicks, Amar'e Stoudemire verbally agreed to a one-year deal with the Mavericks worth the veteran's minimum. He can't sign the contract until Wednesday at 5:00 PM EST (Click here for details).

#3. The Knicks may call up Thanasis Antetokounmpo from the D-League to replace Amar'e Stoudemire, but odds are likely they hold off until the start of the 2015-16 season (Click here for details).

#4. Raptors GM Masai Ujiri is interested in Pacers power forward David West (Click here for details).

#5. There are conflicting reports about whether or not the Suns want to trade Goran Dragic (Click here for details).

#6. Jermaine O'Neal is calling off his comeback (Click here for details).

#7. Kings power forward Jason Thompson reportedly wants to be traded (Click here for details).

#8. The Bulls and shooting guard Ronnie Brewer may agree to a deal (Click here for details).

#9. The Celtics elected not to sign G Andre Dawkins for the rest of the season after his second 10-day contract expired (Click here for details).

#10. The Bucks and power forward Larry Sanders reportedly are working on a buyout (Click here for details).

Tuesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Jazz are willing to trade center Enes Kanter, but the asking price is high (Click here for details).

#2. The Magic are reluctant to trade power forward Andrew Nicholson due to the market (Click here for details).

#3. The hiring of George Karl by the Kings became official today (Click here for details).

#4. James Borrego will coach the Magic for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#5. The Magic hired Igor Kokoskov as an assistant coach (Click here for details).

#6. Goran Dragic has informed the Suns he won't re-sign in free agency. The team is promising him that he'll be traded by the deadline (Click here and here for details).

#7. Mavericks point guard Rajon Rondo will play on Thursday (Click here for details).

#8. The Pistons are offering Brandon Jennings to the Nets for Joe Johnson. The Nets are interested (Click here for details).

#9. The Lakers and Knicks are interested in power forward Miles Plumlee (Click here for details).

#10. The Clippers are still interested in Tayshaun Prince. So are the Trail Blazers (Click here for details).

Wednesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Mavericks officially signed power forward Amar'e Stoudemire and waived guard Ricky Ledo (Click here for details).

#2. The Bucks bought out Larry Sanders' contract. He is now a free agent (Click here for details).

#3. The Raptors re-assigned Bruno Caboclo to the D-League to join the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Click here for details).

#4. The Timberwolves signed guard Lorenzo Brown for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#5. Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (leg) is out for at least three more weeks (Click here for details).

#6. 76ers guard Jason Richardson could play on Friday (Click here for details).

#7. Russell Westbrook likes playing with Kevin Durant (Click here for details).

#8. Goran Dragic says he has lost faith in the Suns' front office (Click here for details).

#9. Kevin Durant has apologized to the media (Click here for details).

#10. George Karl is considering hiring Nancy Lieberman to join his staff in Sacramento (Click here for details).

Thursday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Nets reunited Kevin Garnett with the Timberwolves by trading him for Thaddeus Young (Click here for details).

#2. The Suns traded Goran Dragic the Heat (Click here for details).

#3. Tayshaun Prince is going back to the Pistons (Click here for details).

#4. The Jazz traded Enes Kanter to the Thunder; Thunder ship Reggie Jackson to the Pistons (Click here for details).

#5. The Bucks shipped Brandon Knight to the Suns but got Michael Carter-Williams from the 76ers (Click here for details).

#6. The Suns traded Isaiah Thomas to the Celtics (Click here for details).

#7. The Knicks traded Pablo Prigioni to the Rockets and get back Alexey Shved (Click here for details).

#8. The Nuggets traded Arron Afflalo to the Trail Blazers (Click here for details).

#9. The Wizards traded Andre Miller to the Kings for Ramon Sessions (Click here for details).

#10. The Nuggets deal JaVale McGee to the 76ers (Click here for details).

#11. The Bucks waived power forward Kenyon Martin (Click here for details).

#12. The Pistons signed small forward Quincy Miller to 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#13. The  Warriors signed power forward James Michael McAdoo for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#14. The Suns waived newly acquired shooting guard John Salmons (Click here for details).

#15. The Spurs signed SG/SF Reggie Williams for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#16. The Pelicans will buyout newly acquired small forward Shawne Williams' contract (Click here for details).

#17. F Joffrey Lauvergne has officially signed a multi-year deal with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#18. The Pelicans waived guard Toney Douglas and guard Ish Smith (Click here for details).

#19. The 76ers traded  K.J. McDaniels to the Rockets and get back Isaiah Canaan (Click here for details).

#20. The Mavericks signed center Bernard James to a second 10-day deal (Click here for details).

#21. The Rockets sent Clint Capela and Nick Johnson to the D-League (Click here for details).

#22. The Suns waived newly acquired point guard Kendall Marshall (Click here for details).

#23. The Heat are expected to re-sign Goran Dragic to a max-deal (Click here for details).

#24. The Jazz will buyout Kendrick Perkins' contract, who they just acquired from the Thunder (Click here for details).

#25. The Thunder traded Ish Smith to the Pelicans before the Pelicans waived Smith (Click here for details of that trade).

#26. The 76ers signed guard Tim Frazier to a second 10-day deal (Click here for details).

#27. Heat power forward Chris Bosh is in the hospital for blood clots on his lungs. His season could be over (Click here for details).

#28. For a recap of all the trades and deals made just click here (Note: Mo Williams was traded to the Hornets and not the Pelicans, so don't be confused by the trade at the bottom.)

Thursday's NBA Final Scores: 

Thunder 104 Mavericks 89. Clippers 119 Spurs 115.

Friday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Kings signed point guard David Stockton to a 10-day  contract (Click here for details).

#2. Kevin Garnett will make his debut with the Timberwolves on Wednesday (Click here for details).

#3. The Pistons are not discussing a buyout with Tayshaun Prince (Click here for details).

#4. The 76ers are not discussing a buyout with JaVale McGee (Click here for details).

#5. Thomas Robinson agreed to a contract buyout with the Nuggets (Click here for details).

#6.  Michael Jordan is getting tired of his country club so he may just build his own golf course (Click here for details).

#7. Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin had 28 points.

#8. George Karl made his debut as the Kings' head coach.

#9. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.

#10. The Nuggets waived forward Victor Claver, who they got from the Trail Blazers (Click here for details).

Friday's NBA Final Scores: 

Timberwolves 111 Suns 109. Jazz 92 Trail Blazers 76. Warriors 110 Spurs 99. Magic 95 Pelicans 84. Pacers 106 76ers 95. Raptors 105 Hawks 80. Pistons 100 Bulls 91. Heat 111 Knicks 87. Cavaliers 127 Wizards 89. Mavericks 111 Rockets 100. Bucks 89 Nuggets 81. Kings 109 Celtics 101. Nets 114 Lakers 105.

Saturday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Heat power forward Chris Bosh is done for the season due to blood clots in his lungs (Click here for details).

#2. 76ers shooting guard Jason Richardson has returned to an NBA game after a two year absence (Click here for details).

#3. Timberwolves power forward Anthony Bennett (right ankle) is out two weeks (Click here for details).

#4. Timberwolves shooting guard Shabazz Muhammad (broken finger) is out for the season (Click here for details).

#5. Raptors point guard Lou Williams (ankle) didn't play on Saturday and is questionable for Monday (Click here for details).

#6.The 76ers officially waived forward Andrei Kirilenko (Click here for details).

#7. The Bucks officially waived forward Larry Sanders (Click here for details).

#8. The Jazz waived center Kendrick Perkins. Perkins is going to sign with the Cavaliers (Click here for details).

#9. Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal (leg) has been cleared for to resume basketball related activities (Click here for details).

#10. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis injured his shoulder and didn't return (Click here for details). Also, expect an update on either Sunday's Daily Dunks or Monday's Daily Dunks.

Saturday's NBA Final Scores: 

Thunder 110 Hornets 103. Pelicans 105 Heat 91. Bulls 112 Suns 107. Rockets 98 Raptors 76. Clippers 126 Kings 99.

Sunday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons (ankle) out for the next 3 games (Click here for details).

#2. Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson is out 2-4 weeks with a sprained MCL in his right knee (Click here for details).

#3. The Pelicans officially waived small forward Shawne Williams (Click here for details).

#4. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis has a right shoulder sprain. He's out 1-2 weeks (Click here for details).

#5. Thunder small forward Kevin Durant underwent a procedure on his foot. He'll be reevaluated in one week (Click here for details).

#6. The Nuggets have waived power forward Thomas Robinson. It's official (Click here for details).

#7. The 76ers signed guard Ish Smith and waived forward Malcolm Thomas (Click here for details).

#8. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry is day-to-day with a foot injury and did not play on Sunday (Click here for details).

#9. Hornets small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has returned from his hamstring injury (Click here for details).

#10. Jazz shooting guard Rodney Hood has returned from his foot injury (Click here for details).

Sunday's NBA Final Scores: 

Pacers 104 Warriors 98. Grizzlies 98 Trail Blazers 92. Cavaliers 101 Knicks 83. Pistons 106 Wizards 89. Hawks 97 Bucks 86. Magic 103 76ers 98. Thunder 119 Nuggets 94. Mavericks 92 Hornets 81. Lakers 118 Celtics 111 (OT).

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

2014-15 Pacific Division Preview

I conclude my season previews with a look at the Pacific Division, home to the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings. As has been the standard protocol, I will address each team in order of where I think they will finish in the division with their projected win total in parentheses.

                                                Los Angeles Clippers (56) 

     Now that the Clippers along with the rest of the NBA has kicked Donald Sterling to the curb, a new era of Clippers basketball commences this season under the ownership of Steve Ballmer. It is an exiting time to be a Clippers fan. The team is good, the new ownership is energized, etc. This franchise has remarkably transformed itself from a laughing stock to a contender in a very short period of time.
     The biggest acquisition they made was adding center Spencer Hawes who played last season for the dismal 76ers. He averaged 13.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last season and is certain to be a main contributor on this Clippers team. Especially since he is a big man who can shoot and make foul shots.
     As for the rest of the team, it's more or less the same crew from last season. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are still being asked to carry the bulk of the load, so not much has changed on that front. What could of course change is how much better they are. Blake Griffin continues to get better, which means that the Clippers by default should be better.
     How much better he will be of course remains to be seen, but the Clippers need Griffin to transform himself from a guy who can throw down dunks to a guy who can hit silky fade away jump shots like Karl Malone. If Griffin is able to hit a mid-range jump shot with more regularity this season, the Clippers will be much better.
      As for Chris Paul, I expect him to continue to be as good as ever, which makes him the best point guard in the NBA. The biggest concern for Chris Paul will be his health. He hasn't always been able to stay healthy and that has hurt this Clippers team. If he can stay healthy, that along with Blake Griffin's improvements, will make the Clippers a much better team this season.
     While it is true that Blake Griffin and Chris Paul are the best two players on this team, they have a good supporting cast around them with J.J. Redick, Spencer Hawes, DeAndre Jordan, and Jamal Crawford. Barring injury, this team is prime to once again win the Pacific under the guidance of Doc Rivers, who is one of the league's best coaches.

                 
                                                          Golden State Warriors (54) 

     Like the Clippers, the Warriors are entering a new era of their own. Only instead of changing owners, they are changing coaches. Mark Jackson is gone and Steve Kerr is in. Kerr has never been a head coach before, so once again the Warriors are rolling the dice on a rookie head coach. While the Warriors had good reason to fire Jackson, there will be a lot of second guessing across the Bay Area if the team regresses under Kerr. This naturally puts a ton of pressure on the Warriors' front office.
     The other big news surrounding this team was the decision to not trade Klay Thompson for Kevin Love but instead sign him to a 4 year, $70M extension, which happened on Friday. Klay Thompson along with Stephen Curry are the best shooting backcourt in the NBA. Both guys are absolutely explosive from beyond the arc and are capable of putting up points in bunches. The Warriors are showing Thompson and Curry the money because they believe that their offensive potency can lead them to a championship. This of course means that Thompson and Curry better deliver the goods.
     As for the rest of the team, they have a solid front line with David Lee and Andrew Bogut and some good options at small forward in Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala, who is a stalwart defender. Just about all of those guys have had injury issues over the last couple of seasons, which means that health will be key to the Warriors' success. If they can keep their core players healthy, they should be able to make a serious push for the Pacific Division crown. If they are unable to stay healthy, they will fall short.
     This team doesn't have a ton of depth outside of the six players I just mentioned. Leandro Barbosa might be able to give them something, but he cannot be expected to be a consistent off the bench threat now that he is at a later stage of life. The only other guy who could really be of use off the bench is Draymond Green. If he has a big year, that would be huge for this team.
      The Warriors really need their top six players (Curry, Thompson, Lee, Bogut, Barnes, and Iguodala) to step up and produce. That is why health is so key. If any of those guys goes down for an extended period of time, it's a serious blow.
     Overall, the Warriors should be very competitive this season. Assuming the team stays healthy or at least healthy relative to other teams, they should be fine in terms of making the playoffs and possibly winning the Pacific Division. However, they aren't ready to make a serious push to reach the NBA Finals.
     The Oklahoma City Thunder's injury problems with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook opens things up a bit, but the Thunder still should be able to make the playoffs and have both of their star players healthy. Plus, there are a lot of other good teams in this conference as well who I've already addressed in my previous previews.
     The West is LOADED and the Warriors are just one of several teams who are capable of winning the Western Conference. It'll be tough for them to come out of the West, but I expect them to be in the mix all season and certainly pose a threat to all who come their way.

                                                          Phoenix Suns (50)

     The Phoenix Suns missed the playoffs last season after winning 48 games which for them was both heartbreaking and encouraging. They were expected to be a terrible team and instead they made a really strong push for a playoff spot. I expect them to continue to build on their success from last year and make an even more serious push to make the playoffs.
     The problem for the Suns of course is the same problem that the Warriors have which is that the West is really stacked. However, with Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas, and Eric Bledsoe in their backcourt, the Suns should have plenty of firepower to hold their own in the hostile Western Conference.
     The most interesting thing to see in this Suns team will be how Dragic, Thomas, and Bledsoe co-exist since all three are natural point guards. It could be really fun to watch and dangerous, or it could just be really fun to watch. Their head coach Jeff Hornacek will have to get creative in terms of figuring out how to maximize the most out of all three players.
     In addition to a loaded backcourt, Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris provide a sound inside post presence. Both brothers continue to get better each season and should also be main contributors on this Suns team. Dragic, Bledsoe, and Thomas are going to need help if the Suns are going to make the playoffs, and I think the Morris twins might be the perfect duo to give them the help they need.
     I like this Suns team a lot because of their back court. Thomas, Dragic, and Bledsoe all have all-star potential and could form one of the more frightening backcourts in recent memory. If they can figure out how to gel, then the Suns will be really scary. If they don't and there is tension, then look for the Suns to trade one of them. This team will certainly be interesting to follow.

                                                          Sacramento Kings (32)
     
     The Sacramento Kings are an interesting team in that they have a lot of talented pieces, but all the same are projected to stink. How can this be? For one thing, they are young and secondly, it's unclear whether or not Rudy Gay is worth all the money. He's very good, no doubt, but he takes a lot shots and might detract too much from the Kings' franchise player DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins is a budding superstar and is likely going to be the best big man in the NBA in a couple of seasons aside from Anthony Davis.
     Rudy Gay on the other hand is a really good scorer who kind of likes to do his own thing. He doesn't really fit, but on paper he makes the Kings a lot better. The Kings need to put guys around DeMarcus Cousins who compliment him; not guys who also need teams built around them. I'm confident that Rudy Gay can be a franchise player somewhere, but I don't think Sacramento is the right place given the fact that their centerpiece is a big man who needs a lot of touches.
     In addition to Gay and Cousins, the Kings have a couple of talented shooting guards in Ben McLemore and Nik Stauskas. Both guys are really young but could become key players for them in the future. How they develop this season will be something to watch if you are a Kings fan.
     In conclusion, this team has some talent, but they are not a team that will make a dent in the Western Conference playoff picture. They'll be slightly improved and win more than 30 games, but there is still a wide gap between them and the teams in the West that are competing for playoff spots.

             
                                              Los Angeles Lakers (25) 

     Just about the only good news for this Lakers team is that Kobe Bryant appears to be rejuvenated and capable of putting up a ton of points. Outside of that, they are an utter and complete mess. Their 1st round selection Julius Randle, the #7 overall pick, is done for the season with a broken leg and Steve Nash is done for the season with various back problems. Carlos Boozer and Jeremy Lin were added in the offseason to provide some support, but neither player is good enough to elevate the Lakers into playoff status.
     This proud franchise is hitting rock bottom. Their great owner Jerry Buss has passed away, Kobe Bryant is getting old, and they have nobody who they can have confidence in as a star for the future. Things look bleak in Los Angeles and it's not going to get any better if they stay the course.
     The only thing that would make things better for this team is if they actually traded Kobe Bryant and got something back for him that they could use to build around. This would of course anger Kobe Bryant, but they need to do the best thing for their long-term future given that they are nowhere near having a championship team.
     As it stands, the Lakers are destined to stink for the remainder of Kobe Bryant's career and be left with absolutely nothing to build around once he retires. It's sad and rather pathetic. This franchise shows no signs of getting better, and they aren't going to be better simply by being the Lakers. People say that the Lakers will bounce back and be good in five years, but their only reason is "They are the Lakers". I'm sorry, but as a philosophy major at UC Berkeley, I am not easily convinced by such arguments.
     I want to see good decisions being made that indicate this is the case. So far I haven't seen such decisions which is why I remain skeptical. This franchise seems more focused on pandering to Kobe Bryant's wishes than they do on winning games. This indicates that their front office is filled with a bunch of idiots which in turn indicates that they will continue to stink.
      If their front office is as stupid as I think they are, they will indeed continue on the path towards irrelevance and ineptitude. They'll become the New York Knicks of the Western Conference, only worse.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord