Miami Heat Confidence Meter: 8.8 (Ridiculous pronouncements)
• The Miami Heat this week followed a unengaged first half effort versus the New Orleans Hornets with a first quarter explosion in Milwaukee to score the most points in a quarter (40) than they had all year. The Heat then proceeded to play selfishly, and sloppy to drop a second game to Brandon Jennings and the Milwaukee Bucks. What happened in that game won’t be rehashed in this column, but what happened afterwards will. A Team meeting was apparently called by team captains and coaches at the Philadelphia 76ers practice facility. What was said, nobody but players and coaches know. What we do know was the effort and crispness that they played with the following night in what was supposed to be a showdown game. The Heat continue their domination of the 76ers, and there is plenty to suggest why that is. The Sixers rely on “small” ball and speed down the stretch, and it plays right into what the Heat wants to do. When your opponent is just better than you at many positions, and you decide to matchup with the same style, it doesn’t make for much success. The Heat also confirmed what many thought in the first place. This team has an arrogance problem and finds it difficult to play their “A game” night in and night out. When there are moderate stakes at hand, you see the results. The Miami Heat this year is running over and through the very best competition. The Miami Heat is currently 10-2 versus playoff opponents. Do you remember last year’s narrative, when it pertained to the Heat’s play versus so called “elite” teams?
• A little free agency news was made this week, as Kenyon Martin chose to sign a 1 year $2.5 mil contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Heat was rumored to have offered a contract for the vet minimum, and it is easy to see why he would turn them down. The Clippers can guarantee K-Mart a rotation spot, plus more money. So his decision was rather predictable. Another name out there is Joel Pryzbilla, who the Heat has also rumored to have offered a deal to. I can confirm that the Miami Heat extended a training camp invite to Pryzbilla, who then floated the idea of retirement. What surprises me is that they would still pursuit him after he chose not to attend training camp. That is not consistent with Pat Riley’s style. Pryzbilla can still rebound, and will play physical basketball. His six fouls would be useful in a prospective matchup with Dwight Howard.
(We are having a truncated Week in review this week, due to Super Bowl Sunday., A full week in Review returns next week, and every week till after the all-star break, when game recaps take it’s place on this front page.)
Heatfreak.com Power Rankings
(These power rankings are devised from a formula taking into account: Win%, Off. And Def. Eff., Reb. Rate, TO’s, SOS and PACE.)
Team Team Score
1. Chicago Bulls 104.0
2. Miami Heat 102.7
3. OKC Thunder 101.9
4. Denver Nuggets 101.2
5. Philadelphia 76ers 99.8
6. Portland Trailblazers 96.0
7. San Antonio Spurs 95.0
8. Los Angeles Clippers 94.2
9. Indiana Pacers 91.5
10. Dallas Mavericks 91.2
11. Atlanta Hawks 90.0
12. San Antonio Spurs 89.8
13. Utah Jazz 89.2
14. Los Angeles Lakers 89.2
15. Boston Celtics 89.0
16. Orlando Magic 88.8







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