Heat Team Report by Yahoo
After bypassing a move at the trade deadline, the Heat’s focus now shifts to the July start of free agency.
That’s when team president Pat Riley figures to make another play for Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire(notes), having been foiled at the deadline.
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“We did attack the opportunity of going after who we considered the most talented player that was out there, and we did everything we could to try to acquire that talent,” Riley said of his team’s pitch for Stoudemire.
That pitch, however, did not include second-year forward Michael Beasley(notes).
“In this particular situation, we feel like Michael is going to be a core component on this team for years to come,” said Riley, whose team completed a four-game road trip Saturday in Dallas and next faces Minnesota at home on Tuesday night. “He’s just got too much of an upside.”
Riley said the Heat showed at the deadline that it is willing to pay the price to succeed.
The Heat had the opportunity for a smaller deal, with the Grizzlies offering a protected first-round pick for forward Dorell Wright(notes). Dealing the emerging forward would have gotten the Heat below the threshold for the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax on excessive payroll, resulting in a $7 million windfall for the franchise.
“We decided against that because we want to win,” Riley said. “We approach this on trying to get better, trying to improve our team, not trying to eradicate personnel or salaries.”
Now the priority turns to retaining guard Dwyane Wade(notes) in free agency.
“We feel very strongly that Dwyane Wade is going to be back with the Heat,” Riley said. “We feel very comfortable that Dwyane feels very comfortable in a city that’s embraced him, that he likes.
“We feel very confident that we’re going to be able to build this team back. And we put ourselves in position to do that.”
Heat 97, Mavericks 91: The Heat’s season-best five-game winning streak ended with Dallas solving the zone defense that had fueled the Heat’s revival. Again playing without ailing backcourt starters Dwyane Wade and Rafer Alston(notes), the Heat lacked needed punch, as forward Michael Beasley was limited to 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting a night after scoring a career-high 30 in a double-overtime victory in Memphis. Center Jermaine O’Neal(notes) led the Heat with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
NOTES, QUOTES
• The Heat put itself in the NBA record book with Friday night’s 100-87 double-overtime victory in Memphis.
By outscoring the Grizzlies 15-2 in the second extra period, the Heat produced the largest margin of victory in league history in a multiple-overtime game.
The record had been 12 points, by Houston against Dallas in 1985 and then Golden State against Sacramento in 1992, both in double overtime.
The Grizzlies’ two points in the second extra period tied for the low in an overtime period by a Heat opponent.
The victory lifted Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to 7-3 in overtime games over his two seasons leading the team, including 3-0 in multiple-overtime games.
• The Heat’s recent defensive efficiency has come with an increased utilization of zone defense, an approach rarely employed since Pat Riley began his stewardship of the franchise in 1995.
Spoelstra has been increasing his use of the zone in recent games, after working on it for weeks in practice before unveiling the approach.
“It’ll be something that’ll be in our repertoire from time to time,” he said. “It’s been good for us the last few games.”
Spoelstra said the team has been working on the zone since training camp, but he only had confidence to use it in significant doses beginning with the team’s game in Atlanta before the All-Star break.
• F Udonis Haslem(notes) leads the league in double-doubles off the bench with 12. The next closest are Minnesota F Kevin Love(notes) with nine and Warriors F Anthony Randolph(notes) with five.
• The 43:26 guard Carlos Arroyo(notes) played in Friday’s double-overtime victory in Memphis was the longest stint of his career. His previous high was 42 minutes against Portland on Oct. 29, 2003, while playing for Utah. His previous high this season was 37 minutes Nov. 14 against New Jersey.
Quote To Note: “We were selfish. We gave it to them when we didn’t move the ball.”—Miami F Quentin Richardson(notes), on the Heat’s offense stagnating in a 12-point third quarter in Saturday’s 97-91 loss at Dallas.
ROSTER REPORT
Rotation: Starters—Point guard Carlos Arroyo, Shooting guard Dorell Wright, Small forward Quentin Richardson, Power Forward Michael Beasley, Center Jermaine O’Neal. Bench—Center Joel Anthony(notes), Guard Mario Chalmers(notes), Guard Daequan Cook(notes), Forward Udonis Haslem, Forward James Jones(notes).
Player Notes:
• The Heat went with its 12th different starting lineup in Saturday’s game against the Mavericks, giving G Dorell Wright his first start. With G Dwyane Wade out with a strained left calf, Wright started at shooting guard a night after G Daequan Cook had opened at shooting guard in Memphis. The move was more a factor of G Caron Butler(notes) starting at shooting guard for Dallas than Cook’s 1-of-7 shooting Friday in Memphis. Wright scored three points in 18 minutes Saturday.
• Asked if G Rafer Alston’s hand injury could lead to an altered approach at point guard upon his impending return, coach Erik Spoelstra said, “Let’s see what happens when everybody gets healthy. I don’t think there’s a need, right now, to change things. But we’ll see how things develop.” Against Dallas, G Mario Chalmers had his second consecutive solid effort off the bench, with G Carlos Arroyo again starting in place of Alston.
• G Carlos Arroyo, in his second start in place of Rafer Alston, had an uneven effort Saturday in Dallas, closing with four points and two assists.
Medical Watch:
• G Dwyane Wade is out with a strained left calf, listed by the team as day-to-day, with just an outside shot of returning in Tuesday’s home game against Minnesota.
• G Rafer Alston’s bruised right hand out has kept him out of the past two games, but he is likely to return Tuesday against the Timberwolves.