Stan Van Gundy's underachievers...

[Fresh]

I'm sorry, but all year I've been saying this. Miami's most overrated member of this team(coaches included, obviously) is Stan Van Gundy. His preparation just doesn't do the trick for me, neither does some of the plays he draws up in clutch situations. He seems like a strict guy, but really & truly....does he have control over this team? I don't think so. Apart from TWO players, Miami has half-azzed 80% of the games this season. It seems like there is only a team effort when we go against a team like the Pistons, Spurs, or Suns, and that's outright pathetic. I'm sorry, but there's no way Pat Riley's team ever does anything like this, and the same should be said about a guy like Larry Brown(example). I just don't think it's proper for SVG to be mentioned as arguably a top coach in the NBA.

Let's look at tonight's game. We play the 8th seeded Sixers(they are now #7 after this victory) and guess who shows up to play? Two players. Dwyane Wade & Udonis Haslem - that's it. Dwyane Wade played his azz off with 48 points on 55% shooting(18/33, 2/3 from three), 10 boards, 6 assists, and only 3 turnovers in 48 minutes. Haslem is a guy who I never care to look at his stats, because you really don't have to. He's always out there scrapping. If he's playing 25 minutes, you're getting 25 hard-working minutes from the PF position. The same goes for 30 minutes, 35 minutes, etc.

As for the half-azz guys? Well, the first name that always comes to mind is Shaquille O'Neal. Sure, he's just coming off an injury, but I don't care. It's not the fact that he wasn't the same old Shaq, it's the fact that he screwed up 3-4 rebounds in OT that were all secured in his hands and then he forces up a couple bad shots and turned the ball over 9 times. If you're gonna turn that ball over 9 times from the center position, you had better be giving your team something like 40/15, not 13/12 on a half-azzed effort. Eddie Jones obviously is not a clutch guy. I mean, in OT....he misses two wide open triples, he takes a ridiculous baseline jumper that eventually gets the Sixers on a long run, then he makes the worst inbounds pass in Miami Heat history which leads to a Kyle Korver triple and puts Philly up 7. Damon Jones' numbers were excellent at 15 points, 5 assists, and 0 turnovers on 7/15 shooting. However, his OT performance led to him being a liability. He displayed awful defense, forced up about 3-4 big time misses with 8+ seconds left on the shot clock, and picked up a technical foul for nothing. I don't know man, I really don't care since we have the East clinched.....but these guys need to realize that it would be damn nice to make it to the Finals and have homecourt over San Antonio.

This Heat team needs to stop taking the smaller teams for granted, that's for damn sure. SVG is part of the problem and it's funny that he's gonna snatch some Coach of the Year votes. Sorry, but I'm trying to look outside of being a Heat fan...

 

[d-day]

I'm sorry, but all year I've been saying this. Miami's most overrated member of this team(coaches included, obviously) is Stan Van Gundy. His preparation just doesn't do the trick for me, neither does some of the plays he draws up in clutch situations. He seems like a strict guy, but really & truly....does he have control over this team? I don't think so. Apart from TWO players, Miami has half-azzed 80% of the games this season. It seems like there is only a team effort when we go against a team like the Pistons, Spurs, or Suns, and that's outright pathetic. I'm sorry, but there's no way Pat Riley's team ever does anything like this, and the same should be said about a guy like Larry Brown(example). I just don't think it's proper for SVG to be mentioned as arguably a top coach in the NBA.

Let's look at tonight's game. We play the 8th seeded Sixers(they are now #7 after this victory) and guess who shows up to play? Two players. Dwyane Wade & Udonis Haslem - that's it. Dwyane Wade played his azz off with 48 points on 55% shooting(18/33, 2/3 from three), 10 boards, 6 assists, and only 3 turnovers in 48 minutes. Haslem is a guy who I never care to look at his stats, because you really don't have to. He's always out there scrapping. If he's playing 25 minutes, you're getting 25 hard-working minutes from the PF position. The same goes for 30 minutes, 35 minutes, etc.

As for the half-azz guys? Well, the first name that always comes to mind is Shaquille O'Neal. Sure, he's just coming off an injury, but I don't care. It's not the fact that he wasn't the same old Shaq, it's the fact that he screwed up 3-4 rebounds in OT that were all secured in his hands and then he forces up a couple bad shots and turned the ball over 9 times. If you're gonna turn that ball over 9 times from the center position, you had better be giving your team something like 40/15, not 13/12 on a half-azzed effort. Eddie Jones obviously is not a clutch guy. I mean, in OT....he misses two wide open triples, he takes a ridiculous baseline jumper that eventually gets the Sixers on a long run, then he makes the worst inbounds pass in Miami Heat history which leads to a Kyle Korver triple and puts Philly up 7. Damon Jones' numbers were excellent at 15 points, 5 assists, and 0 turnovers on 7/15 shooting. However, his OT performance led to him being a liability. He displayed awful defense, forced up about 3-4 big time misses with 8+ seconds left on the shot clock, and picked up a technical foul for nothing. I don't know man, I really don't care since we have the East clinched.....but these guys need to realize that it would be damn nice to make it to the Finals and have homecourt over San Antonio.

This Heat team needs to stop taking the smaller teams for granted, that's for damn sure. SVG is part of the problem and it's funny that he's gonna snatch some Coach of the Year votes. Sorry, but I'm trying to look outside of being a Heat fan...

you are right about this post - let's face it there are only so many elite teams in the league and the heat with shaq have a match-up advantage over most - they have won most of their games at home this year and that concerns me - it seems to me that if they like playing at home so much that they would have turned it up a notch w/ or w/out shaq these last 10 games, (especially without shaq), so they could secure home court throughout the entire playoffs - but they haven't - are they just coasting now that they have wrapped up the east? or are there some serious coaching problems - maybe it's a little of both - here's hoping they are just thinking ahead to playoff time and will turn it up then - not that it's the way i would want it - imo the heat are going to the finals or they are going to get knocked out real early on

 

[Ferretsquig]

This Heat team needs to stop taking the smaller teams for granted, that's for damn sure. SVG is part of the problem and it's funny that he's gonna snatch some Coach of the Year votes. Sorry, but I'm trying to look outside of being a Heat fan...

First off...pass the blame to Shaq if you want to but not the coach. Shaq has always played this way and probably always will. You have some completely different personalities on the team in Shaq vs. Haslem/Wade. Wade/Haslem will give 100% effort every play while Shaq takes games off whenever he feels like it. Being a Lakers fan all those years...thats what eventually began to grate on Kobe's nerves.

Playing for homecourt throughout the playoffs obviously just wasnt enough motivation for Shaq. He took his yearly post all star game break to rest up for the playoffs and I doubt you will see him really try untill the real games begin.

Its nice to think Van Gundy has some control and I'm sure he does over young players like Haslem and Dorell, but Shaq does what he pleases. Frankly he has earned the right to play however he wants. Until he loses, how can you question him?

 

[Whatsdatson20]

Miami has half-azzed 80% of the games this season. It seems like there is only a team effort when we go against a team like the Pistons, Spurs, or Suns, and that's outright pathetic.

You gotta be kidding me. Our record against the East this year is crazy. And knowing that about 90% of the east is bad teams or teams with bad records thats big. They have called us the "Beasts of the East" for a reason. Dude we clinched the East home court advantage throughout the eastern conference playoffs a while back. Its not like we are still scrapping to do so. We knew what we had to do and we did it. Yes I admit that the past 4 games haven't been great effort games but they were all to teams that were fighting for thier very lives to make the playoffs. So to say that "Miami has half-azzed 80% of the games this season" is just a statement thats way off base.

 

[Fresh]

You gotta be kidding me. Our record against the East this year is crazy. And knowing that about 90% of the east is bad teams or teams with bad records thats big. They have called us the "Beasts of the East" for a reason. Dude we clinched the East home court advantage throughout the eastern conference playoffs a while back. Its not like we are still scrapping to do so. We knew what we had to do and we did it. Yes I admit that the past 4 games haven't been great effort games but they were all to teams that were fighting for thier very lives to make the playoffs. So to say that "Miami has half-azzed 80% of the games this season" is just a statement thats way off base.

When you have Shaquille O'Neal on your team, you can half-azz and still finish with the best record in the conference. Look how many close games we've played against mediocre teams. If you don't agree that this team half-azzed most of the regular season games this year, you haven't watched many full games.

Miami's stradegy for most of the season: Half-azz for three quarters and win it in the fourth. Every now and then we'll take over a game in the first half because one of the role players get hot, or take it over in the third. But for the most part, this team half-azzes for three quarters and tries to win it in the fourth. Sorry, but that has something to do with coaching......

Obviously, playing like this has landed us the top spot in the conference, but still...you'd like to see more effort from the guys on your team no matter who you're playing and what it's for(excluding preseason). Half-azzing against teams like the Raptors, Bobcats, Sixers, Blazers, etc. has caused us the oppurtunity to gain complete homecourt advantage. Udonis Haslem, Dwyane Wade, and probably Keyon Dooling are the only guys who bring it & play to the best of their abilities every night. You'd like to see Shaquille O'Neal(would never happen), Eddie Jones, and Damon Jones' names being thrown in there.

 

[Dolphin1184]

When you have Shaquille O'Neal on your team, you can half-azz and still finish with the best record in the conference. Look how many close games we've played against mediocre teams. If you don't agree that this team half-azzed most of the regular season games this year, you haven't watched many full games.

Miami's stradegy for most of the season: Half-azz for three quarters and win it in the fourth. Every now and then we'll take over a game in the first half because one of the role players get hot, or take it over in the third. But for the most part, this team half-azzes for three quarters and tries to win it in the fourth. Sorry, but that has something to do with coaching......

Obviously, playing like this has landed us the top spot in the conference, but still...you'd like to see more effort from the guys on your team no matter who you're playing and what it's for(excluding preseason). Half-azzing against teams like the Raptors, Bobcats, Sixers, Blazers, etc. has caused us the oppurtunity to gain complete homecourt advantage. Udonis Haslem, Dwyane Wade, and probably Keyon Dooling are the only guys who bring it & play to the best of their abilities every night. You'd like to see Shaquille O'Neal(would never happen), Eddie Jones, and Damon Jones' names being thrown in there.

We aren't the only team playing mediocre against bad teams. It seems like this is a disease this year for many of the good teams in the league.

Also we beat the bucks by almost 40. So we don't always play bad against bad teams.

 

[Pink_Dove]

I just think Shaq packed up for the playoffs 40 games ago.
He's been injured and will not be giving his all at this stage of the season, he might've done it when he was a young diesel with the Magic but he knows that the real games are played in the playoffs. He's coasting and if your leader is coasting, odds are so will the majority of your team. Follow the leader.
It'll be very interesting to see how Wade steps up in the playoffs, I wonder if his relentless energy, driving to the hoop all season long, will hurt him. He rarely takes a play off, if ever, and while that to be applauded, it might come back to haunt him and the Heat in the playoffs. He's carried an awful heavy load (partially due to Shaq's injuries and his lack of energy at times) for such a young guy this season.

 

[Muck]

I'd like to see Wade take more jumpers (and make them). It's as if his goal on every possession is to drive to the hoop. And sometimes that causes him to leave open shots on the floor.

 

[Fresh]

I'd like to see Wade take more jumpers (and make them). It's as if his goal on every possession is to drive to the hoop. And sometimes that causes him to leave open shots on the floor.

I actually want to see Wade take 2-3 triples a game. Hopefully, McAdoo helps him in that area and he does so next season.

It's funny, because it seems like Wade only takes three's when he has to, and he's not a bad three point shooter at all, although he's not Damon Jones or anything like that. Wade's ATLEAST on the Francis level as a three point shooter, and I'd like to see him take more three's throughout games. Eventually, I think he'll be more like Iverson from three.