Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Poll: Will The Heat Sweep The Knicks?

May 2nd, 2012 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

After a dominant performance in Game One, the Heat took a 2-0 lead over the Knicks on Monday, prompting an outburst of frustration that will sideline Amare Stoudemire for Game Three. Stoudemire spoke to reporters about his injured hand today, saying there's a "great chance" he'll be back on Sunday, though reports earlier today suggested Amare could miss the entire series.

Of course, whether or not Stoudemire plays again this season may depend on how long the series lasts. With the Knicks in disarray, Chris Perkins of Sheridan Hoops writes that winning the series in even five games would be a disappointment for Miami. The other three series in the East are all tied at a game apiece, so the Heat could benefit from the extra rest if they can finish the Knicks off quickly.

What do you think? Will Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks bounce back from the fire-extinguisher incident to make a series of it? Or will the Heat finish off New York in four?

Injuries Take A Starring Role In 2012 Playoffs

April 29th, 2012 at 12:04pm CST by Daniel Seco

With horrific injuries spelling an early end to the season for Derrick Rose and Iman Shumpert, let's take a look at the other 14 playoff teams to see how a missing player may mean the difference between a Finals appearance and a first-round exit.

Heat: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade enter the playoffs healthier than usual thanks to some much needed rest during the final week of the regular season. The Heat stand to benefit the most from Shumpert and Rose's injuries as a sweep against the Knicks means less of a challenge for Wade on the offensive end and an easier path to winning a title. Look for the Heat to advance to at least the Finals if they can duplicate the success they enjoyed during the first half of the season.
Pacers: The Pacers are injury-free heading into Game 2 against the Magic, who pulled off the upset Saturday evening in Indiana. Utilizing seven-foot-two center Roy Hibbert's size to their fullest advantage will be key for the Pacers as their big man only managed to score eight points but blocked nine shots as he dominated the paint defensively. With Dwight Howard on the shelf for the entirety of the playoffs, the Magic are severely undersized with six-foot-nine Glen Davis taking over at center for Superman.
Celtics: Ray Allen is expected to miss Game 1 in Atlanta against the Hawks as he battles bone spurs in his right ankle. If the Celtics had missed the playoffs, Allen would have undergone surgery immediately to help alleviate the pain. The Celtics will turn to Avery Bradley and his burgeoning reputation as a solid three-point shooter for the majority of the series as Allen's status remains unknown.
Hawks: The center position has been an area of concern for the Hawks with Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia currently sidelined with injuries. Horford, who has been out since January 11 with a torn left pectoral muscle, will miss the entire first round of the playoffs but may be able to return if the team advances. A foot injury to Pachulia that caused him to miss the team's last seven games will force the Hawks to rely on Jason Collins in order to solidify their frontcourt.
Magic: The Magic's chances of making a run in the playoffs took a huge hit when Howard called it a season in mid-April as he elected to undergo surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back. Without Howard, the Magic will feature an undersized frontcourt against a much larger Pacers squad. Much uncertainty surrounds the future of the franchise given Howard's impending free agency in 2013 and his desire to replace head coach Stan Van Gundy.
Sixers: Aside from rookie center Lavoy Allen spraining his thumb in Game 1, the Sixers feature a healthy roster as they return to action Tuesday night against the Bulls. With Rose out for the remainder of the series, the Sixers will look to capitalize on the perimeter as Lou Williams, Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner should benefit from having to guard John Lucas III rather than the league's reigning MVP.
Spurs: After a series of injuries cost Manu Ginobili nearly half the season, the Spurs enter the playoffs with a fresh roster looking to make a title run. Future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, 36, played a career-low 28.2 MPG this season but is still performing at a high level. The addition of Stephen Jackson at the trade deadline along with the subtraction of Richard Jefferson may be enough to lead the Spurs to their fifth title under Gregg Popovich.
Thunder: James Harden returned to action on Saturday night against the Mavs after missing his last two games with a concussion suffered against the Lakers last Sunday. He appeared to be completely recovered as he scored an efficient 19 points in 35 minutes of the bench. Beyond Harden, the Thunder lost backup point guard Eric Maynor for the season due to a torn ACL in January, but remedied the situation by signing veteran Derek Fisher to a contract in March.
Lakers: A healthy Andrew Bynum and a rested Kobe Bryant may allow for the under-the-radar Lakers to make a run in the wide-open Western Conference playoffs. While not an injury, Los Angeles will be without Metta World Peace for the first six games of the playoffs due to suspension.
Grizzlies: Memphis lost Darrell Arthur for the season after the power forward suffered a torn Achilles tendon in practice back in December. A healthy Zach Randolph has played himself back into shape after missing time earlier this season due to a knee injury.
Clippers: Many critics expected the Clippers to implode after Chauncey Billups went down on February 6 with a torn Achilles tendon. While the Clippers slipped to the fifth seed, they reinvented the image of the franchise and gained respect from around the league thanks to MVP-like play from Chris Paul.
Nuggets: After spending the majority of the season abroad in China, Wilson Chandler returned to Denver for a brief stint before suffering a season-ending injury to his hip in mid-April. The Nuggets will open against the Lakers without Rudy Fernandez, who had surgery on his lower back in March to end his season.
Mavericks: A healthy Mavs squad will face a difficult journey in defending their title as they open the playoffs against the Thunder. Saturday night saw a missed opportunity by Dallas to steal Game 1 on the road as they lost in Oklahoma City by the score of 99-98. Any chance of exploiting Harden's concussion was nullified with a strong performance by the Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
Jazz: Small forward C.J. Miles may miss the start of the playoffs against the Spurs with a strained calf. The team will look for strong production out of star Al Jefferson, who had the opportunity to rest late last week as the center only played limited minutes in the team's regular season finale.

Southeast Notes: Wizards, Bobcats, Jones

April 28th, 2012 at 4:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Heat appear well on their way to a 1-0 series lead on the Knicks, and tomorrow the Hawks get going against the Celtics. Tonight the Magic open their series with the Pacers. Perhaps Orlando, without Dwight Howard, can take a cue from assistant coach Patrick Ewing, whose Knicks were able to get to the Finals in 1999 despite his absence. Here's the rest of the buzz around the Southeast:

Michael Lee of The Washington Post reports the Wizards aren't on the hook for any money to former coach Flip Saunders next season. While that might make it easier to dismiss current coach Randy Wittman, who has one more year on his deal, Wizards players would like to see him back, Lee writes.
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer examines how the Bobcats can take the first steps this offseason toward fulfilling owner Michael Jordan's goal of becoming a top-four team in the Eastern Conference.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel looks at how union executive committee member James Jones is dealing with the turmoil in the player's association while also getting ready for the playoffs with the Heat.

Odds & Ends: Heat, Benson, Pacers, Williams

April 22nd, 2012 at 12:37pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Knicks and Hawks are underway in Atlanta with Tyson Chandler receiving the afternoon off in hopes of getting himself healthier for the playoffs. In making his decision to give his center an opportunity to take a breathier, Knicks head coach Mike Woodson decided that there was little chance of catching the Magic for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. With a full slate of Sunday NBA action ahead, let's first take a look around the league to catch up on the latest news and headlines.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel says the Heat should consider signing a point guard for the playoffs and cut Eddy Curry to make room on the roster. Winderman suggests Anthony Carter or Antonio Daniels as viable options to solidify the Heat's backcourt. Carter, 36, was waived by the Raptors on March 15 after posting 2.0 PPG and 1.4 APG in limited action.
Tom Benson's decision to purchase the Hornets is nothing short of a blessing for the city of New Orleans, writes Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post. The Saints owner will ensure the franchise remains in New Orleans, is given a nickname more reflective of the culture of the Crescent City and will foster a commitment to winning thanks to his deep pockets and love for his hometown. Hochman does concede, however, that the team must improve the New Orleans Arena and sign a more favorable television deal in order to reach profitability in what is still a small-market NBA city.
Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star wonders if the Pacers can win an NBA championship without having a superstar on their roster. While the Pistons were able to win it all with a star-less starting lineup in 2004, Kravitz mentions that the 1979 SuperSonics were the most recent team prior to Detroit that didn't feature at least one truly dominant player like a Tim Duncan or Kobe Bryant. The Pacers should be able to knock off a Magic squad riddled with injuries, but will be tested if they face the Heat in the second round of the playoffs.
Calling this season the toughest of his career, Deron Williams chats with Andy Vasquez of The Bergen Record about free agency and his future with the Nets.

Odds & Ends: Curry, Hornets, Hollins, Bulls

April 20th, 2012 at 12:53pm CST by Luke Adams

As the NBA season enters its final week, the race for playoff berths and the jockeying for seeding will be the primary storylines. For out-of-contention teams though, the jockeying for draft spots and lottery balls will be the main focus of these last few games. Be sure to check out Hoops Rumors' tentative draft order to keep tabs on the shuffling standings this week.

Here's a grab-bag of links from around the Association:

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is interesting in having Eddy Curry return to Miami next season, but Curry isn't sure whether he'll re-sign with the team, says Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida.
John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune examines a number of decisions facing the Hornets in the offseason, including the free agencies of Chris Kaman and Carl Landry and the possibility of amnestying Emeka Okafor.
Both the Grizzlies and Bobcats passed on Lionel Hollins after he interviewed for their coaching openings in 2007, but Memphis didn't make the same mistake twice, writes Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Sam Smith fielded a number of questions on the Bulls and the rest of the league in a lengthy mailbag for Bulls.com.

Odds & Ends: Celtics, Raptors, Brown, Draft

April 16th, 2012 at 10:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

It's an eventful night in the NBA with 11 games, many of which have playoff implications. There's been plenty of draft news as well, as teams look past the playoffs, and one item concerning the distant future, with the NBA announcing the Hornets will host the 2014 All-Star Game, just six years after hosting the 2008 event. The new ownership of Tom Benson had plenty to do with that, though he's already come up short in his quest to get the Jazz nickname back from Utah, as Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune notes. If Benson ditches the Hornets name, it'll be a while before Charlotte could use it again, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. While nicknames won't be moving for a while, there's plenty of movement on other fronts, and here's the latest:

A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com doesn't think free agents Roy Hibbert and Eric Gordon will switch teams this summer, but says the Celtics have interest in both (Twitter link).
Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun breaks down the Raptors' roster and predicts who'll be there next season and who won't.
Longtime coach Larry Brown is pursuing the Blazers GM job even as he zeroes in on the SMU coaching gig, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
ESPN.com's Chad Ford discusses the possibility that Kentucky senior Darius Miller, currently projected as a second-rounder, could climb up the draft board and make it six first-round picks for the Wildcats (Insider only).
Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday rounds up Carmelo Anthony's comments on multiple radio shows today about the way new Knicks coach Mike Woodson has held him accountable (Sulia links).
Mavs cast-off Lamar Odom leads Sam Smith's list of the biggest disappointments this year on NBA.com
Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida shares the results of an informal survey of 11 former MVPs, who give a slight edge to Kevin Durant over LeBron James in this year's race. The former players won't have official votes for the award; instead, writers and broadcasters will make the selection.
Roland Beech of 82games.com crunches the numbers and determines Gilbert Arenas, taken in the second round by the Warriors in 2001, was the shrewdest draft choice in recent years (hat tip to Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld).

Odds & Ends: Magic, Randolph, Kings, Irving

April 15th, 2012 at 9:59pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Earlier this evening, an ESPN report (via the Associated Press) indicated that Stan Van Gundy is prepared to handle the rest of the season and playoffs without Dwight Howard. To make matter worse, forward Glen Davis hyper-extended his right knee today during the first quarter against the Cavaliers and did not return for the rest of the game. Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel tweeted that Davis is unsure about when he'll be able to play again this year, which currently leaves Daniel Orton as the only true big man on the Magic roster. It should be noted that if the Magic decide to find replacements for their big man rotation through free agency, the only playoff-eligible players at this point are those who have not already played in an NBA game this year. You can find tonight's other significant stories here:

Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press writes that the determining factor in Anthony Randolph's future with the Timberwolves will significantly hinge on his ability to remain consistent as the team finishes out the year. Randolph is set to become a restricted free agent this summer, and even with his brilliant performance over the last three games, coach Rick Adelman feels that the jury is still out on whether he can be counted on for a full season.
Ken Berger of CBS Sports writes that a Sacramento group including mayor Kevin Johnson is hinting at proposing new ownership for the Kings. The Maloof brothers had recently pulled out of a deal to finance a new arena with the city, much to the chagrin of the city members who are working hard to keep the team in Sacramento.
Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott will proceed with caution with regards to the health of Kyrie Irving, says Tom Reed of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Irving is recovering from a sprained right shoulder, and Scott would rather have him focused on being ready for off-season workouts than returning for the team's final weeks.
Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated examines the role of Chris Bosh as the key to Miami's playoff success.
Raymond Felton has likely seen his last minutes of the season with the Trail Blazers, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Interim GM Chad Buchanan said that he and Felton agreed that this would be an opportune time to properly evaluate their other young guards, namely Nolan Smith and Jonny Flynn. Haynes also wrote another article in which he asked Kings GM Geoff Petrie about being linked to the Blazers vacant GM position, to which Petrie replied: “That's something I can't really comment on. I have a job.”
Ten things you need to know about Derrick Favors, according to Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune.
Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post spoke with coach George Karl to reflect on how he has handled coaching while prioritizing his life during this season.

Odds & Ends: Boykins, Sixers, Frank, Heat

April 15th, 2012 at 12:28pm CST by Daniel Seco

Let's catch up on the latest news and happenings from around the league as Sunday's afternoon action gets underway…

Mark Berman of FOX 26 Sports reports the Rockets have signed Earl Boykins for the remainder of the season.
The Sixers have reached the do-or-die moment of the season where they are fighting for their playoff lives, writes John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press says Pistons head coach Lawrence Frank is excited for his young players to have the opportunity to further their leadership skills during the NBA Summer League.
Changes may be coming for the Heat depending on how the team does during the playoffs, suggests Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
According to an official press release from the Cavs, the team has assigned Luke Harangody to the Canton Charge of the D-League after appearing in Saturday night's victory over the Wizards.
There was no way NBA commissioner David Stern was going to let the city of New Orleans lose another professional basketball team, writes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune.
Frank DiGiacomo of the New York Daily News says Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov fully supports forward Kris Humphries as the Russian billionaire ripped rapper Kanye West for stating in a song that he could get Nets minority owner Jay-Z to cut Humphries from the team.

Knicks Notes: Atlantic, Heat, Shumpert, Woodson

April 15th, 2012 at 8:45am CST by Daniel Seco

On a Sunday chock full of NBA action, let's first head to Madison Square Garden to check in on the latest news from the Knicks.

While some pundits question if the Knicks will even make the playoffs, the team has its sights on stealing the Atlantic Division title from the Celtics, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Knicks head coach Mike Woodson wants his players hungry and believing in themselves that they can make up the three games that separate the Knicks and the Celtics in the standings. The Knicks are 9-0 at home since Woodson took over as the interim head coach of the team on March 14th and would be the fourth seed in the playoffs if they win the Atlantic.
Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News says the Heat would face the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs if the season ended today but do not view them as an easy opponent. Lawrence contends LeBron James has too much respect for Carmelo Anthony as a player to publicly dismiss the Knicks' chances of giving the Heat a competitive series. The Heat head to the Garden Sunday afternoon in their lone Manhattan appearance of the season.
Knicks rookie Iman Shumpert sat down with New York Post columnist Steve Serby and expressed his confidence in the Knicks with the playoffs looming. Not only does Shumpert believe the Knicks will make the playoffs, but the former Georgia Tech star expects his team will be able to compete with the Heat if the two teams are matched up against each other in the first round. In what proves to be a compelling interview, Shumpert discusses his love for defense and what it's like to guard some of the top players in the league.
Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News makes the argument that Mike Woodson should remain the head coach of the Knicks heading into next season given his body of work. He's led the team to a 13-4 record since taking over the team and has gotten more out of beleaguered superstar Carmelo Anthony than Knicks fans ever thought possible. Lupica says Woodson has held the team accountable and developed a sound defensive system that was non-existent under former head coach Mike D'Antoni.

Odds & Ends: Blazers, Pacers, Heat, Harangody

April 14th, 2012 at 5:54pm CST by Daniel Seco

With six more games yet to be played this Saturday evening, let's take a look at the latest news and happenings from around the league before tonight's action gets underway.

Comcast SportsNet NW's Chris Haynes tweets the Blazers have not yet interviewed the team's acting general manager Chad Buchanan for an opportunity to secure the position for next season and beyond.
While the Pacers are on track to secure the third seed in the Eastern Conference, the team hasn't enjoyed the same kind of success with selling tickets to home games this season, writes Benjamin Hoffman of The New York Times. Hoffman points to the fact that the Pacers lack a superstar talent like a LeBron James or a Kobe Bryant that helps drive ticket sales. The team's lack of popularity also exists on the road where fans are more likely to be wearing a Reggie Miller jersey than one featuring Danny Granger's name on the back.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, writing in his mailbag column, believes this offseason will be critical to the Heat's development of Dexter Pittman, Norris Cole and Terrel Harris. The trio will be able to play in the Las Vegas summer league unlike last summer in which the lockout kept basketball from being played in Sin City. Only Cole, as a first-round pick from last year, has a guaranteed contract for next season.
The Cavs will send Luke Harangody back to the D-League after tonight's game against the Wizards, reports Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer via Twitter.