This game was a very disappointing game for the Miami Heat for a variety of reasons but one major one-expectations.  The Heat lost to the C's on opening night and while they didn't play well many (including myself) attributed that to the fact that they were a new team who had barely played together and needed time to gel especially after not having the benefit of a preseason to play together (well at least not Wade). After having 8 games under their belts and many other practices we expected to see progress on a offense that looked out of sync and disjointed on opening night. We expected to see progress on defense that was full of holes and soft in the middle on opening night and finally we expected to see the Heat play with passion, intensity urgency  and be ready to avenge that loss and punish the defending Eastern conference champs for the collapse vs Utah. Sadly non of that materialized and We were left we many questions and our collective hands drawing ever near to THE PANIC BUTTON!

The Heat lost this game on Defense giving up more points in the paint 38-30, giving up more fastbreak points 19-10 and the most alarming allowing the Celtics to shoot 9-16 from trey to the 3-16 that the Heat shot with Ray Allen shooting (7-9) while allowing the Celtics to shoot 54% from the field for the game

If the Heat are going to compete for a championship they MUST tighten up their defense. Rondo was living in the lane dishing out Assists like it was his sole mission in life he finished with 16 just 2 less then the entire Heat team! The Heat have to get out on shooters especially one that is ON FIRE!

The questions start to abound with this team Did Wade board the Plane? Is there nothing we can do to get a player of his caliber off? Where is the ball/player movement? Do they Run an offense here it looks like Clevland all over again Bron you create and the while the team watches! Where was there heart? Why don't they increase there tempo? Why didn't they switch defensive assignments Bron on Ray anyone? Where is the Hustle? How does Big Baby beat everyone down the floor for layups? Yes it was just the ninth game of the season but we wanted to see progress and didn't.  I'm Not quite ready to yet but if they lose another few games its going down (the button)

http://www.celticsblog.com/fanshots

Coach Nick?? Seriously?? So If I sit behind a video camera and make a home movie do I also get to become whoever I'd like to be? To be fair he does make some valid points................ HOWEVER IT WAS THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON and their first time playing with a player (Wade) who is a Crucial part of the offense and who missed the entire preseason I'm pretty sure that you shouldn't be grading them SOOOOOOOOO hard just yet.  No their spacing  isn't perfect their chemistry isn't quite there just yet and they need to Gel, but  this team is headed in the right direction ask the Magic, Sixers and Nets about how much improvement the Heat need after their respective 20 pt defeats.............I wonder if there will be a video made after Thursdays rematch?? Somehow I doubt it .

After just three games together the Miami Heat are beginning to round into form, and tonight's game verses the Magic was a CLEAR indicator of just that.  The Orlando Magic are Eastern Conference finalists from 2010 so obviously they are an excellent team and one who can provide a measuring stick as to how good the newly assembled Heat really are.

This game lived up to the hype and was closely contested........well at least until halftime. Great teams typically make a run in the third quarter and do not look back and the Heat did just that.  Outscoring Orlando 28-10 in that quarter.  

The most Impressive part of this win was the Heat's Stifling Defense holding Orlando to a poultry 30% from the field and just 16% form beyond the arc for the normally potent Last year league leading in trey's Magic While turning them over 16 times leading to 10 fast break points and even out rebounding them 51-40.

The most concerning part of the win was that the heat HAVE NO ANSWER for Dwight Howard individually and Probably Do Not have one for any skilled big they may face, However collectively they may be able to slow them down as they did in the second half using Lebron as a roamer

Overall the Heat looked great!  They are beginning to Limit their turnovers are getting out on the break more are sharing the ball better and most importantly are playing great defense and rebounding the ball well.  Bigger and Better is on the way as they continue to Gel become acclimated to one another and Spolestra figures out the best rotation.

Put the rest of the League on Notice! The Heat are here and are ready to not only compete but embarrass silence the Haters and most importantly CONTEND! BEWARE LA!!

First of all the Celtics are Eastern Conference champions, and they were one game away from winning the title.  Since then they have made several key acquisitions including Shaq who is a good fit for this slow down walk it up team (and who wait for it.........outscored Bosh who I might add he affectionately refers to as Rupaul).

The Celtics are a veteran laden team who play offense like a well oiled machine as witnessed by their shooting 46% from the field, and who also plays excellent team defense as witnessed by them only allowing 36% from the field.  Losing to them is not embarrassing by any stretch. 

The Heat's starters have not played together very much at all and it showed a 9pt 1st qtr and critical turnovers at inopportune times created a hole that was just a little to big for them to climb out of yet despite the in familiarity of the individual components of the team they still had a chance to win the game in the closing seconds should they make a few plays. 

This game was decided in the paint and in the pace-tempo of the game. The C's had a decided advantage in the paint 38-24  where the C's have Multiple Low post threats and a penetrating Rondo to bolster there stats. However as the season continues you would expect Bosh to have more then 2 yes 2 FT attempts. Its obvious that he is not being aggressive enough trying to find his place in the offense. Especially when you are shooting 3 for 11 from the field you would  think he would attack, sadly he did not. Wade also missed preseason. His timing was off and he was out of sync all night as he tried to find his rhythm. the normally aggressive wade who averaged double digit FT attempts last season had as many turnovers as he did free throw attempts.  As his health improves Its pretty safe to say he will return to his 6time allstar form. As far as tempo the young heat and the oldest team in the league had the same amount of fast break points.........yes a grand total of 11.....THIS HAS TO CHANGE.  They must up the tempo there is noway that the C;s should be anywhere near the heat in fastbreak points especially if they are also beating them up in the paint. You hear this Spolestra?? (Riley is already firing up his old clipboard)

All these things are easily correctable the Heat will be much better as the season wears on and as they continue to gel and develop better chemistry.