Category: Miami Heat Blog

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Haslem happy to have Wade back on Heat

Here’s the Miami Herald reporting on one veteran happy to have a longtime buddy back on the Heat:

Nobody might be happier about Dwyane Wade coming back to the Miami Heat than Udonis Haslem.

In fact, go ahead and mark it down. Nobody is happier about Wade, 36, heading home than his best friend.

“I bet you probably want to hear me say I knew it all the time, don’t you?” Haslem said through a grin Thursday outside the Heat’s locker room inside AmericanAirlines Arena. “No, it’s good, man. I’m happy for him. I’m happy to have the opportunity to play the game of basketball with him and compete with him, to lead with him. The guys are excited about the opportunity. Hank is still doing his job from above.”

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Hawks trade Luke Babbitt to Heat for Okaro White, who was then waived

The Miami Heat have traded Okaro White to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Babbitt.

Babbitt, who was originally acquired by the HEAT on July 10, 2016, has appeared in 37 games (nine starts) with the Hawks this season averaging 6.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 15.4 minutes while shooting 47.6 percent from the field, 44.1 percent from three-point range and 77.3 percent from the foul line. He led Atlanta in three-point field goal percentage (minimum 50 attempts) and shot at least 50 percent from beyond the arc in 17 games this season. In his lone season in Miami during the 2016-17 campaign, he made a single-season career-high 87 three-point field goals and hit multiple treys in a game 23 times, also a single-season career best.

Babbitt has appeared in 368 career NBA regular season games (102 starts) during his eight-year career averaging 4.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 14.1 minutes while shooting 41.3 percent from the floor, 41 percent from three-point range and 74.7 percent from the foul line. Including this season, Babbitt has shot at least 40 percent from downtown in four consecutive seasons.

White, who was originally signed by the HEAT as a free agent on July 15, 2016, has appeared in 41 career games with Miami (four starts) averaging 2.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.4 minutes while shooting 38.8 percent from the field. He appeared in six games with the HEAT this season before having surgery on November 16 to repair a fifth metatarsal fracture in his left foot.

UPDATE: The Atlanta Hawks, after the above trade, requested waivers on forward Okaro White.

Hassan Whiteside playing fewer minutes this season

Talented Heat big-man Hassan Whiteside is receiving fewer-than-expected minutes per game from the Heat this season, and is often finding himself watching 4th quarter action rather than participating in it. He played 29.1 minutes per game in 2015-16, 32.6 minutes per game last season, but this season he’s at 25.5 minutes per game through Monday’s action. Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting:

Back from a one-game absence following a stomach ailment, Whiteside again found himself as fourth-quarter spectator in Monday night’s 111-109 loss to the league-worst Orlando Magic at AmericanAirlines Arena.

“I played my average minutes, you know. I average, what, 22 minutes, 23 minutes? So that’s pretty much how it’s been,” said Whiteside, who was utilized for 22 minutes, 44 seconds, nonetheless closing with 19 points and 14 rebounds.

With the emergence of rookie center Bam Adebayo and the addition of Kelly Olynyk, Whiteside is averaging 25.3 minutes per game this season, down from his 32.6 last season, when the Heat’s primary backup big man was journeyman center Willie Reed.

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Goran Dragic replaces Kevin Love in 2018 NBA All-Star game

 

 

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Heat guard Goran Dragic has been selected by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Cavs forward/center Kevin Love on Team LeBron in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played in Los Angeles on February 18.

This will be Dragic’s first-time as an NBA All-Star.

Dragic is the first player from Slovenia to earn the honor.

The Southeast Division-leading Heat (29-22) have the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference through games of January 31, 2018, and Dragic, a 10-year veteran, has been a big part of their success. He’s averaging team-highs of 17.0 points and 4.8 assists per game.

Dragic joins Kyle Korver (2015), Tyson Chandler (2013) and Sam Cassell (2004) as the most recent players to be named an All-Star for the first time in their 10th season or later.

Love will miss the 2018 NBA All-Star Game due to a fracture in his left hand.

Heat surprised that Bam Adebayo did not make Rising Stars Challenge roster

Being named to All Star weekend teams and events matters. To the players who make it, to those who don’t, and to their fans who support them. It’s great exposure, and for the bigger events, it’s a real honor. In this case, the Heat were rooting for their own, for Bam Adebayo not to make an All-Star team — he’s nowhere near that — but to be added to the Rising Stars game, which includes the rookies and sophomores worth watching. Here’s the Palm Beach Post reporting:

For the most part, the Heat brushed off the fact they won’t be represented in this year’s All-Star Game. But when rookie Bam Adebayo’s name was not on the list of players voted into the Rising Stars Challenge, the Heat were surprised.

“That’s crazy. I really didn’t see that coming,” Udonis Haslem said in advance of Thursday’s game against the Kings. “There was no doubt in my mind Bam was definitely going to have a chance to represent the Heat in the rookie game. That’s very unfortunate.

“It’s hard to understand what those things come down to. I don’t know how they pick it. I don’t know if it’s popularity. But the body of work that Bam has put in when [Hassan Whiteside] was out and even with the opportunity he gets when H is in, he’s had a heck of an impact on us and this run that we’ve made. We couldn’t have been able to do it without Bam.”

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Hassan Whiteside enjoys high school jersey retirement

Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting on Heat center Hassan Whiteside, who enjoyed an honor that probably feels truly wonderful to experience:

Hassan Whiteside enjoys high school jersey retirement

Hassan Whiteside was the guest of honor, but the Miami Heat center said it was the unexpected guests who made the retirement of his high-school jersey so special.

Whiteside’s No. 32 was retired Thursday at East Side High School in Newark, N.J., with teammates Goran Dragic, Bam Adebayo, James Johnson and coach Erik Spoelstra among those on hand.

“His face when he saw Coach Spo was ecstatic,” Johnson said.

The ceremony came on an off day for the team before Friday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center, the third stop on this five-game trip.

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Goran Dragic and Lou Williams named NBA Players of Week

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goran_dragic

The NBA announced today that Miami HEAT guard Goran Dragić was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for week 13 (games played Monday, January 8 through Sunday, January 14). It is the fourth time Dragić has been named Player of the Week in his career, including the second time this season after also earning the honor on November 27. He has now become just the fourth player in the Eastern Conference to earn the award on multiple occasions this season and the first HEAT player to do so since LeBron James during the 2013-14 campaign. It also marks the 57th time in franchise history a HEAT player has earned the honor.

Dragić led the HEAT to a perfect 3-0 record for the week, helping to extend their current seven-game winning streak and their NBA-best 14 consecutive victories in January dating back to last season, after averaging 23.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.00 steals while shooting 50 percent from the field, including 46.2 percent from three-point range. He led the team in points in all three games, in assists and steals twice and minutes once. He scored at least 20 points in each contest, matching his season high for consecutive 20-point games. Additionally, he has led the team in assists 19 times and in scoring on 15 occasions this season, both team highs.

Dragić led off the week with a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double at Toronto on January 9, helping Miami to a 90-89 win, handing the Raptors just their second loss at home this season. He also dished out a team-high four assists in the contest while his 12 boards tied his career high. On the second night of a back-to-back set on the road, he scored a team-high 20 points while dishing out a game-high nine assists in a, 114-106, victory at Indiana, helping Miami snap a 10-game road losing streak to the Pacers. Dragić capped off the week scoring a game-high 25 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter in a, 97-79, win vs. Milwaukee on January 14.

lou williams

And, the league announced that L.A. Clippers guard Lou Williams has been named Western Conference Player of the Week for Week 13 (games played Monday, Jan. 8, through Sunday, Jan. 14). Goran Dragic of the Miami Heat was the Eastern Conference winner. This is Williams’ second Player of the Week award this season (Week 11) and the third of his career.

Williams helped the Clippers to a 4-0 week behind averages of 35.0 points, 4.8 assists and 1.50 steals, while shooting 45.7% from three-point range and 96.7% from the free-throw line in 36.5 minutes. He tallied an NBA best 140 points and scored at least 30 points in three of the team’s four games last week, highlighted by a 50-point performance at Golden State on Wednesday, Jan. 10. It was the highest scoring effort by any Clipper in a single game since Charles Smith tied a franchise record with 52 points on Dec. 1, 1990.

Now in his 13th NBA season, Williams is averaging career-highs in points (23.1), assists (4.9), three-point percentage (41.4%) and minutes (31.7) this season. He is currently the NBA’s leading bench scorer, averaging 21.8 points per game as a reserve, the highest scoring average of any bench player since Ricky Pierce averaged 23.0 points per game as a reserve in 1989-90.

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Report: Dion Waiters may undergo season-ending surgery

Report: Dion Waiters to undergo season-ending surgery

The Miami Heat are having a very good season. With a 24-17 record, they’re 4th in the East, which is better than most observers expected. But they’re about to lose a key dose of backcourt scoring.

According to a report by Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, guard Dion Waiters, who has been out of action since December 22, “is expected to” undergo season-ending surgery on his injured left ankle.

Waiters’ stats aren’t mind-blowing: 14.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, shooting just 39.8% from the field and 30.6% from three-point range in 30 games played. But he’s provided heart, hustle and a confidence that’s helped the team formulate a winning culture this season.

According to the Palm Beach Post, “The Heat are 7-2 since Waiters was injured (8-2 including the Dallas game in which Waiters played 8:34 before being injured) and have picked it up offensively. In the last 10 games, Miami is averaging 104.3 points and shooting 46.4 percent as opposed to 99.9 points on 45.2 percent shooting the first 31.”

Heat waive Matt Williams Jr, sign Derrick Jones Jr

The Miami Heat said goodbye to one player and hell to another yesterday, waiving Matt Williams Jr and signing Derrick Jones Jr. to a two-way contract.

Jones Jr., a forward/guard, played for Phoenix’s G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns this season, and in 16 games (11 starts) averaged 15.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.88 blocks, 1.8 assists, 1.19 steals and 29.1 minutes, shooting 48.5 percent from the field. He also played in six Phoenix Suns games this season, for a total of nine points, four rebounds, four blocks, three assists and a steal in 33 minutes of action.

He will wear jersey No.5 for the Heat.

Williams Jr. played in 16 games (all 16 were as a starter) in the G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce this season, putting up 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists in 30.3 minutes per outing.