The AP reports: Arron Afflalo, starting in place of the injured Richard Hamilton, had a career-high 15 points as the Pistons clinched the Central Division title with a 85-69 victory over the Miami Heat… Miami, which has lost 13 of 15, dressed nine players, including four rookies and two second-year players… Reserve Jason Maxiell had 15 points for Detroit, while Billups added 13 points and 11 assists… Detroit outscored Miami 42-24 in the second half, holding the Heat to 27 percent shooting.
Category: Miami Heat Blog
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Mar. 26: Knicks 103, Heat 96
The AP reports: Jamal Crawford scored 24 points, including the go-ahead jumper with about 2 1/2 minutes left in overtime, and the New York Knicks ended their longest home losing streak in nearly 45 years by beating the Miami Heat 103-96 on Wednesday night… Zach Randolph had 16 points and 14 rebounds, and Lee added 15 points and 16 boards for the Knicks, who had dropped a franchise record-tying seven in a row at home for the first time since Nov. 26-Dec. 17, 1963. Rookie Wilson Chandler had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who had lost five straight overall and 12 of 13… New York outrebounded Miami 69-42… Miami, without Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and almost every other recognizable player on its roster, got 21 points from Daequan Cook and 14 from Kasib Powell, who was called up on Saturday.
Mar. 24: Heat 78, Bucks 73
The AP reports: Chris Quinn stepped into the starting lineup and gave the Miami Heat a huge boost. The second-year guard from Notre Dame, a late replacement for the injured Jason Williams, scored a career-high 24 points to lead the Heat past the Milwaukee Bucks 78-73 on Monday night… Quinn shot 8-of-13 and added four rebounds, four assists and four steals… Michael Redd, who scored 24 points to lead the Bucks, had his shot blocked by Joel Anthony on the ensuing possession.
Heat sign Blake Ahearn to 10-day contract
The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed guard Blake Ahearn to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Ahearn, a 6’2”, 190-pound guard, has appeared in 41 games (15 starts) with the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Development League averaging 19.0 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 48.6 percent from the field, 43.9 percent from three-point range and 96.0 percent from the free throw line in 29.5 minutes of action. He leads the team in three-point field goals made (108), is second in points (778), field goals made (239), free throws made (192), assists (142) and is third in minutes played (1,208) and steals (30).
Since entering Dakota’s starting line-up 15 games ago, Ahearn has averaged 29.1 points, 5.7 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.07 steals in 43.3 minutes of action while shooting 53.7 percent from the field, 50 percent from three-point range and 97.1 percent from the line. Additionally, Ahearn hit 78 consecutive free throws finishing 102-of-105 over that span.
Ahearn was undrafted out of Missouri State where he played four seasons appearing in 128 career games and averaged 13.1 points and 1.8 assists while shooting 42.3 percent from the field, 40.8 percent from three-point range and 94.6 percent from the line. He finished his collegiate career as the all-time leading free throw shooter in NCAA Division I history while finishing as Missouri State’s seventh all-time leading scorer with 1,677 points.
After being granted two special roster exemptions by the NBA, the HEAT roster currently stands at 17.
Ahearn will wear number 6.
Udonis Haslem has left ankle surgery
The Miami HEAT announced today that forward Udonis Haslem underwent ankle arthroscopy and debridement surgery to remove a large bone spur in his left ankle today.
The procedure lasted 90 minutes and was performed by HEAT team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick and assisted by Dr. Jim Losito at Baptist Doctors Hospital in Miami.
Haslem will be in a walking boot, then on crutches before beginning rehab. Haslem is expected to return to full basketball activity in mid-May.
Haslem has appeared in 49 games (48 starts) for the HEAT this season, averaging 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in 36.8 minutes per game.
Haslem, the team captain, has recorded a team-high 11 double-doubles this season while shooting 46.7 percent from the floor and 81.0 percent from the foul line.
Heat give Lasme a shot
The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward Stephane Lasme to a 10-day contract. Lasme, a 6’8”, 215-pound forward, has appeared in 37 games (14 starts) with the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League averaging 10.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.57 blocks while shooting 52 percent from the field in 29.0 minutes of action. He leads the team in rebounds (276) and blocks (95) and is second in minutes played (1,072), field goals made (140), free throws made (113) and steals (38).
At this point the Heat just have to consider the future, since this season was a horrible disaster. Lasme seems close to getting his foot firmly planted in the NBA. I think he definitely has the physical and athletic ability to stick around. He’ll probably fall in and out of the league and then eventually land a small but real deal as a backup on someone’s bench.
But for now, he gets to quickly try to impress the Heat.
Wizards-Heat team connections
Wizards forward Caron Butler was drafted by the Miami with the 10th overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft.
As a rookie in Miami, Butler averaged 15.4 points per game and was named to the 2002-03 NBA All-Rookie First Team, but was later dealt to the Lakers in the trade that brought Shaquille O’Neal to South Beach.
Butler, 28, and Miami’s Dwyane Wade, 26, have been friends and rivals since their AAU days in the Chicago-Milwaukee area.
Washington’s Andray Blatche and Miami’s Dorell Wright attended the same Connecticut prep school, South Kent Prep, but missed playing together by a year.
Blatche played at South Kent in ‘04-‘05 during Wright’s rookie year with Miami.
Dwyane Wade has shock wave therapy on left knee
The Miami HEAT announced today that guard Dwyane Wade underwent shock wave therapy on his left knee yesterday. The procedure lasted 20 minutes and was performed by HEAT team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick.
Wade will be limited to passive exercise for the first 30 days after which he can slowly return to basketball related activities. Wade initially had surgery on the left knee on May 15, 2007 and has been bothered by tendinitis in the knee.
Wade has appeared in 51 games (49 starts) for the HEAT this season, averaging a team-leading 24.5 points (5th in the NBA), a team-leading 6.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.71 steals in 38.3 minutes per game.
Wade, who made his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance earlier this season, has shot 46.9 percent from the floor, 28.6 percent from three-point range and 75.8 percent from the foul line.
Heat sign Bobby Jones to 10-day contract
The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed free agent forward Bobby Jones to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Jones, a 6’7”, 215-pound forward, has appeared in 80 NBA games (seven starts) averaging 2.9 points and 1.5 rebounds while shooting 43.9 percent from the field in 8.6 minutes of action. During the current 2007-08 season, Jones appeared in four games with the Houston Rockets, nine games (two starts) with the Memphis Grizzlies and 23 games with the Denver Nuggets. Prior to that, during the 2006-07 season, Jones appeared in 44 games (five starts) with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jones was originally drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 37th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. His rights were then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a second round pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and cash considerations. Jones played four seasons at the University of Washington appearing in 125 career games (106 starts) and averaged 9.8 points and 4.9 rebounds. He earned Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 honors as a senior and finished as the 20th all-time leading scorer in Washington history with 1,226 points while also ranking fourth all-time with 134 career steals.
Heat waive Smush Parker
The Miami HEAT announced today that they have requested waivers on guard Smush Parker.
No word yet on the exact buyout agreement, but we’ll post it here and on our rumors page when it’s known.
There is no guarantee Parker gets signed by another team. Not after such public disagreements with Pat Riley and Lakers coach Phil Jackson, two of the game’s most respected coaches.
Parker, who was signed as a free agent by the HEAT on July 27, 2007, appeared in nine games for Miami this season, averaging 4.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20.3 minutes per game.
The HEAT roster currently stands at 14 players.