The Palm Beach Post (Chris Perkins) reports: The big picture for Miami should be going into training camp in 2009, about 18 months from now, with a team just a tweak or two away from winning the title. That’s possible with the talent that could be available at the trade deadline. Elton Brand and Corey Maggette of the Los Angeles Clippers could have expiring contracts going into next season and therefore be trade-deadline bargains. The same could be true for Sacramento forward Ron Artest and Washington guard Gilbert Arenas. And New Orleans guard Jannero Pargo, Philadelphia guard Andre Miller and swingman Andre Iguodala, Portland sharpshooter James Jones, and Toronto guard Carlos Delfino, to name a few.
Category: Miami Heat Blog
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Apr. 16: Heat 113, Hawks 99
The AP reports: Jason Williams scored 17 points, Mark Blount and Daequan Cook each added 16 and the Heat ended their disappointing season with a 113-99 victory over the playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks. Miami finished 15-67, matching the 1988-89 expansion team for the worst record in franchise history… The Heat had seven players in double figures, including Ricky Davis (15 points, nine assists, seven rebounds), Earl Barron (13), Stephane Lasme (12) and Chris Quinn (11)… Josh Smith scored 20 points for Atlanta, which got 17 points and five assists from Mike Bibby. Zach Pachulia and Salim Stoudamire each scored 14 for Atlanta.
Only Heat trainer ever is retiring
The Miami Herald (Sarah Rothschild) reports: Ron Culp’s 3,001st game will be his last. The only head trainer the Heat has known in its 20-year history is retiring. Culp, who also serves as travel coordinator, is leaving after Wednesday’s season finale. It will end his run of a record-setting 37 seasons on the job. He started with the 1970-71 Cleveland Cavaliers expansion team and went to Portland in 1974, where he was part of the 1977 championship team, and arrived in Miami for its inaugural season in 1988… Culp is a three-time winner of the NBA trainer of the year award and has two championships on his résumé (including 2006 with the Heat), but his devotion to the players is as much his legacy as his decades of service.
Apr. 14: Raptors 91, Heat 75
The AP reports: Rasho Nesterovic scored 20 points, Chris Bosh had 15 and the Raptors beat the Miami Heat 91-75 on Monday night. The win, coupled with Cleveland’s 91-90 victory at Philadelphia, gave Toronto the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and an opening round matchup with Orlando… Anthony Parker had 13 and Jason Kapono scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, when Toronto outscored Miami 21-11… Daequan Cook had 22 and Chris Quinn added 14 for the Heat, who lost for the 21st time in their past 24 games. Miami must beat Atlanta at home Wednesday to avoid the worst record in franchise history. The Heat went 15-67 in their inaugural 1988-89 season.
Apr. 13: Cavs 84, Heat 76
The AP reports: Daniel Gibson made a 3-pointer and three straight free throws early in the fourth quarter to give Cleveland some cushion while LeBron James rested, and the Cavaliers moved closer to the East’s No. 4 seed with an 84-76 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday night. Delonte West scored 18 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 14 and 14 rebounds and James finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Cavaliers, who didn’t play well again but had enough to hold off the pathetic Heat… Ricky Davis scored 17 points and Daequan Cook and Earl Barron had 13 apiece for Miami (14-66), whose dismal season is nearly over.
Heat to get worst record in league
The Miami Herald (Sarah Rothschild) reports: The Heat lost 96-91 to the Memphis Grizzlies at AmericanAirlines Arena on Friday, assuring itself of the worst record in the league when the season ends and, more importantly, the best chance to secure the top pick in the NBA Draft. By finishing with the fewest wins, the Heat has a 25 percent chance of getting the top overall pick and a 44 percent chance of landing the first or second pick. The team is guaranteed no worse than the fourth pick. The Heat will learn its fate May 20 in the NBA lottery drawing, which determines the order for the June 26 draft. A projected top pick, Kansas State forward Michael Beasley has scheduled a news conference for 5 p.m. Monday, when he likely will announce he intends to enter the NBA Draft. Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, another projected top pick, has not revealed his plans but is expected to turn pro.
Apr. 11: Grizzlies 96, Heat 91
The AP reports: Hakim Warrick and Kyle Lowry each scored 17 points, Mike Conley and Juan Carlos Navarro scored 15 points apiece as the Grizzlies shot 42 percent from the floor (33-of-78) while holding the Heat to 38 percent shooting (33-of-88)… Rudy Gay was quiet for most of the first half until his two-handed baseline dunk gave the Grizzlies a 52-36 lead. It was his first field goal of the game. Gay finished with 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting… Earl Barron scored 22 points to lead the Heat, who failed to win back-to-back games for the first time since Dec. 9-10, when they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns.
Heat sign Lasme for rest of season
The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward Stephane Lasme for the remainder of the season. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Lasme, a 6’8”, 215-pound forward, has appeared in 11 games for the HEAT averaging 4.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.55 blocks and 1.00 steals in 19.7 minutes of action. He scored a career-high eight points at Detroit on Mar. 27, grabbed a career-high seven rebounds at Indiana on Mar. 31 and blocked a career-high three shots on two occasions, first at Charlotte on Mar. 22 and then in his next game vs. Milwaukee on Mar. 24.
Lasme, the 2007-08 NBA Development League Co-Defensive Player of the Year, was originally signed to a 10-day contract with the HEAT on Mar. 21 and was then re-signed to a second 10-day contract on Mar. 31.
Apr. 8: Heat 95, Bulls 88
The AP reports: Back in the NBA, Kasib Powell gave the Miami Heat the type of effort they’ve lacked most of the season. Powell scored a career-high 18 points, leading the Heat to a 95-88 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night that snapped a seven-game losing streak. Ricky Davis and Chris Quinn each added 16 points as five players scored in double figures for the Heat, the day after coach Pat Riley was elected to the Hall of Fame… Luol Deng led the Bulls with 25 points, 19 of which came in the first half. Ben Gordon and Joakim Noah each added 16 points.
Heat sign Kasib Powell for rest of season
The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed forward Kasib Powell for the remainder of the season. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Powell, a 6’7”, 215-pound forward, has appeared in six games (three starts) for the Heat averaging 6.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.33 steals in 25.7 minutes of action. He scored a career-high 15 points at Indiana on Mar. 31 surpassing his previous career-high of 14 points which he set earlier this season at New York on Mar. 26. Additionally, in his three starts with the Heat, Powell has averaged 7.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.67 steals and 2.3 assists in 35.7 minutes of action.
Powell, the 2007-08 NBA Development League MVP, was re-signed after the Heat was granted an injury exemption from the NBA for forward Shawn Marion. Powell was originally signed to a 10-day contract with the Heat on Mar. 22.
The Heat roster currently stands at 17.