Miami Heat Blog – Page 169 – NBA Blog

Deron Williams wins Skills Challenge

It’s 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend and the Saturday Night events are on. Now up is the Skills Challenge competition.

Deron Williams went first, missing a straight-in pass and one of the top-of-the-key shots, finishing in 31.2 seconds.

Jason Kidd went second and was flawless until shooting the top of the key shot, which he missed five times (after five misses a player can stop shooting and continue with the course), finishing in 39.7 seconds.

Chris Paul was up net, missing a bounce pass, but otherwise running the whole course perfectly, flying in at 29.0 seconds.

Last up was Dwyane Wade, who fumbled the ball during the obstacle-dribble in the beginning and had to go chase it, then missed three from the top of the key and quickly fired the next two up just to get through it, blew some passes, and slowly dribbled to the end, but then missed the layup, and missed the follow, for a disgustingly awful performance of 53.9 seconds.

CP3 and D-Will advance to the second and final round.

In the final round, D-Will went first. He dunked the first shot, ran the dribbling, hit the straight-in pass, and the bounce pass, swished the top-of-the-key jumper, hit the next straight-on pass, and ended it with a dunk, finishing with in terrific 25.5 seconds time, setting the all-time record best time for this event.

Paul is up and has to be virtually perfect for a shot at winning. He hit the first layup, dribbled the obstacles, missed the first straight-on pass, hit the bounce pass, missed once from the top of the key, hit the last straight-on pass, and hit the layup, getting 31.2 seconds — a respectable time but D-Will wins it with a brilliant performance.

Wade speaks on Shaq trade

Here’s Dwyane Wade at All-Star weekend:

Q: Talking about the trade … what does Shaq bring to the Suns and Marion bring to your team?

Dwyane Wade: Well, first of all, Shaq … is really made for the Playoffs — to slow the pace down for them and really give them a halfcourt dominance. He’s really going to make Amare [Stoudemire] and them tougher. They’re really going to be able to compete with guys on a different level than they have been in previous years. But what Shawn [Marion] brings to us is excitement and consistency. He’s a guy that’s going to give you what he gives you every night and he’s a guy that, with myself, is [part of] the rebuilding tools … for the future. Two totally different directions: Phoenix is looking to win now and we’re looking to rebuild now.

The interview is short and the rest is about All-Star stuff, but read more here.

Melo loves battling rivals

NBA.com reports: Carmelo Anthony can not get enough of playing against the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade. Melo was at it again on Tuesday, posting 22 points and 11 rebounds as the Nuggets won a one-point overtime thriller for their seventh straight win over Miami. Anthony has won eight of 10 meetings against D-Wade since both entered the league in 2003. Melo was fresh off a 27-point performance in Sunday’s win over the Cavaliers and LeBron James, also part of the draft class of 2003. While Wade and James have enjoyed more postseason success, Anthony has gotten the better of the two in the regular season. He is 8-2 against LeBron’s Cavs, the reigning Eastern Conference champs. Melo has rebounded nicely from an ankle injury that slowed him in late January. In his previous five games entering Tuesday’s action, Anthony averaged 31.6 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 55.7 percent from the field.

Shaq meeting with media Thursday morning

New Suns center Shaquille O’Neal, who on Wednesday was traded from the Heat in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, will be meeting with the media Thursday morning, 10 a.m. Pacific time (1 p.m. ET). So, expect lots of interview quotes shortly after that time.

With Shaq at center, Amare Stoudemire gets to play his natural position of power forward, while Grant Hill and Boris Diaw split time at small forward.

Heat waive Luke Jackson

The Miami Heat announced today that they have requested waivers on forward/guard Luke Jackson.

Jackson, who was signed as a free agent by Miami on Dec. 12, 2007, appeared in 14 games (one start) with the HEAT and averaged 5.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 16.3 minutes while shooting 32.5 percent from the floor, 36.7 percent from three-point range and 69.6 percent from the foul line.

The Heat roster now stands at 15.

It’s official: Suns trade Shawn Marion, Marcus Banks to Heat for Shaquille O’Neal

The Miami Heat announced today that they have acquired four-time All-Star forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks in a three-player trade with Phoenix in which they sent center Shaquille O’Neal to the Suns.

Marion, a 6’7”, 228-pound forward, has averaged 18.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.89 steals, 1.35 blocked shots and 37.8 minutes in 660 games during his nine-year NBA career played entirely with Phoenix. The ninth pick of the 1999 NBA Draft, Marion has averaged double figures in scoring in each of his nine seasons while shooting 48.1 percent from the floor, 34.2 percent from three-point range and 82.4 percent from the foul line. Additionally he has connected on at least 80 percent of his free throw attempts in each of his first eight seasons. Since the 2005-06 season, the 29-year old forward has averaged 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.98 steals, 1.58 blocks and 38.4 minutes while shooting 52.4 percent from the floor. Marion, who earned Third Team All-NBA honors in 2004-05 and 2005-06, averaged a career-high 21.8 points during the 2005-06 campaign. Additionally, he teamed with Dwyane Wade as a member of the bronze-medal winning U.S. Olympic Team in 2004 and earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2000. A six-time NBA Player of the Week and one-time Player of the Month, Marion finished fourth in the voting for the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year Award after leading the NBA in steals (156).

The four-time NBA All-Star (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007) has started each of the 47 games in which he appeared this year for the Suns and has averaged 15.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.02 steals, 1.49 blocks and 36.4 minutes while shooting a career-high 52.6 percent from the floor, 34.7 percent from three-point range and 71.3 percent from the foul line. He has led the Suns in scoring five times this year and topped the squad in rebounds on 27 occasions. Marion was the Suns’ leader this season in minutes played (1,713), defensive rebounds (378), total rebounds (464), steals (95) and starts (47) and ranked second in field goals made (304), field goal percentage, offensive rebounds (86) and blocked shots (70). He joins Kevin Garnett as the only players in the NBA this season that rank in the Top 20 in both rebounds (14th) and steals (8th). Marion currently leads the NBA in steals-to-turnover ratio (1.94) and is also ranked among the league leaders in field goal percentage (17th), blocks (21st) and minutes (39th). Marion, who has recorded at least 30 double-doubles in each of the past seven seasons, has registered 23 double-doubles this season. One of his double-doubles this season was a 17-point, 24-rebound effort against the HEAT on Nov. 9 at Miami. The 24 rebounds were a season-high for Marion and tied as the fifth-highest single-game total against the HEAT in franchise history.

Marion finished his Suns career among Phoenix’s all-time leaders in minutes played (2nd-12,134), three-point field goals made (2nd-652), three-point field goals attempted (2nd-1,905), rebounds (2nd-6,616), steals (2nd-1,245), field goals made (3rd-4,879), field goals attempted (3rd-10,136), blocked shots (3rd-894), points scored (4th-12,134) and games played (5th-660).

In postseason play, Marion has appeared in 65 games and has averaged 17.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.52 blocks, 1.49 steals, 1.4 assists and 40.6 minutes while shooting 46.3 percent from the floor, 34.6 percent from three-point range and 81.1 percent from the foul line. He departs Phoenix as the Suns’ all-time postseason leader in rebounds (706) and among the team’s playoff leaders in blocks (2nd-99), steals (3rd-97), three-point field goals made (3rd-63), three-point field goals attempted (3rd-182), points scored (5th-1,109), games played (5th-65), field goals made (7th-446) and field goals attempted (7th-963).

Banks, a 6’2”, 200-pound guard, has averaged 6.1 points, 2.2 assists, 1.6 rebounds, 0.82 steals and 16.7 minutes in 289 career games while shooting 42.6 percent from the floor, 33.1 percent from three-point range and 77.0 percent from the foul line in a five-year career spent with the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves and Suns. Originally selected by the Celtics with the 13th pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, Banks who played in both Boston and Minnesota with current HEAT teammates Ricky Davis and Mark Blount, was signed as a free agent by the Suns on July 20, 2006. He split the 2005-06 season between Boston and Minnesota and set career highs in scoring average (10.0 ppg), assists (3.8 apg), rebounds (2.3 rpg), field goal percentage (.468), free throw percentage (.803) and minutes (25.8 mpg). In 24 games this season (one start), Banks is averaging 5.2 points, 1.0 assists, 0.8 rebounds and 12.9 minutes while shooting 40.4 percent from the floor, 38.5 percent from three-point range and 75 percent from the foul line. He has seen action in 13 postseason contests and has averaged 4.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 13.3 minutes while connecting on 42.6 percent of his field goal attempts, 41.7 percent of his three-point attempts and 75 percent from the charity stripe.

O’Neal, a 7’1”, 325-pound center, was acquired by the HEAT from the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-player trade on July 14, 2004. In three and a half seasons with Miami, O’Neal averaged 19.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.88 blocks and 31.1 minutes while shooting a franchise-record 59.6 percent from the floor and helping lead the HEAT to the 2006 NBA championship. During his 16-year NBA career he has averaged 25.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.45 blocks and 36.4 minutes while shooting 58.0 percent from the floor. A 14-time All-Star (including three All-Star appearances with the HEAT) and four-time NBA champion, O’Neal has appeared in 198 postseason contests and has averaged 25.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.19 blocks and 38.9 minutes while shooting 56.6 percent from the floor.

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Shaq to Suns is ‘done deal’ reports ESPN

ESPN.com reports: Diesel will be chugging out West. In one of the most improbable trades in NBA history, the Miami Heat traded Shaquille O’Neal to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, sources close to the situation told ESPN.com. O’Neal had traveled to Phoenix Wednesday morning to take a physical, which he presumably passed. The Miami Herald first reported on its Web site Tuesday night that the Heat informed O’Neal that they were shopping him and that talks with the Suns were serious.

Yet another report says Suns, Heat talking trade

The Arizona Republic (Paul Coro) responds to report that Heat may trade Shaq, possibly to Suns: The Miami Herald reported tonight that the Suns are in “serious,” “ongoing” discussions to send center Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix in exchange for forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks. Two league sources close to the situation were unaware of the report and remained skeptical of the news but another league source said the Suns have been in trade talks with Miami for the past two days. The Herald reported that O’Neal’s representatives were told to be prepared for the possibility of a trade and that Phoenix was a possibility. Dallas was also mentioned.

Report: Shaq thinks he’ll be traded

The Ap reports: Shaquille O’Neal is prepared for the Miami Heat to trade him, a confidant of the 14-time All-Star center told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. O’Neal’s associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to reveal anything publicly, indicated a move could be imminent. “Shaq thinks something will happen,” the associate said.

Shaq out at least 2 weeks

The Miami HEAT announced that center Shaquille O’Neal underwent an MRI today which revealed acute left hip and quadriceps inflammation. He will be sidelined two weeks before being re-evaluated and will continue with treatment during that span.

O’Neal, currently in his 15th NBA season, has appeared in 32 games (all starts) for the HEAT this season, and has averaged 14.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.66 blocks in 28.5 minutes per game while ranking sixth in the NBA in field goal percentage (.581).