The Bucks are going to sweep the Heat. OK, I’ve gotten your attention. I am only joking. This series should be a joke in and of itself, with the best team in the entire NBA taking on the team that finished with the 18th-best record in the league. [Read more…]
Perkins: Heat’s Win Streak Shows Their Mental Toughness
MIAMI – LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat are riding high on their historic-but-not-yet history-making 27-game winning streak. What every NBA follower wants to know now is which the game the Heat is most likely to lose — Chicago tomorrow? San Antonio over the weekend? The Knicks in the game after that? Those are the toughest obstacles in the way of the Heat eclipsing the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers’ record 33-game winning streak. I’m not sure whether the Heat will
Perkins: Heat fans are feeling a bit queasy
MIAMI – HeatNation is worried again. Yes, the Heat (23-9) have the best record in the Eastern Conference and the fourth-best record in the NBA. And, yes, they still have LeBron James, whose 26.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.9 assists allow him to maintain his title as Best Player on the Planet. But there’ is grave concern among fans that their defending champion Heat are playing subpar, non-championship basketball. We’ll see if the six-game road trip that starts tonight at Indiana does
Perkins: Heat has no reason to be concerned right now
MIAMI – When is it appropriate to sound the alarm of concern during the regular season? The Miami Heat are struggling with that question right now. [Read more…]
Perkins: Knicks-Heat will offer more insight on whether Stoudemire is needed
MIAMI – LeBron James. Carmelo Anthony. Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks. The NBA’s next big Thursday Night game is right around the corner. Forget about San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and his $250,000 act of defiance. That’s sooooo last week. The Knicks are coming to South Beach. And this game has meaning. It will give us another chance to consider how much New York needs Amar’e Stoudemire, and in what role. [Read more…]
Perkins: Only TNT is entitled to be mad at Popovich
MIAMI – Those weren’t the San Antonio Spurs that visited AmericanAirlines Arena and lost to the Miami Heat, 105-100, on Thursday. But that doesn’t give you reason to hate. We all know those weren’t the real Spurs, not the team that’s won four titles with its Big Three of forward Tim Duncan and guards Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. They were all in San Antonio, chillin’, relaxin’. [Read more…]
Perkins: LeBron is better, but why?
MIAMI – LeBron James is averaging 23.9 points, 10 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. And all things considered, this might end up being the best statistical year of his career. James, the undisputed leader of the Miami Heat’s Big Three, has averaged more points and dished out more assists per game (it’d be a career-best in rebounds). He’s looking like a better player this season. The thing is, it’s tough to say for sure why he’s so good right now. Is
Bernucca: Forget the championship, Thunder want a “sustainable team”
When the Oklahoma City Thunder traded James Harden on Saturday night, they revealed to everyone that they are a team far more concerned with the bottom line than the top of the heap. Probably a bit ahead of schedule, the Thunder reached the NBA Finals last season. As we have said before, they were a questionable foul call away from opening a 2-0 lead on the mighty Miami Heat that would have cultivated the doubt and derision that has swirled around