Heat Win! The Miami Heat Defeat the Orlando Magic 101-99

The Story:

The Miami Heat faced the Orlando Magic for the second time in as many games, this time though the game was a lot closer than the previous match up. The Heat had handled the Magic 120-92 on Wednesday night in Orlando but on Saturday night they had their hands full with the Magic. The Magic controlled most of the game on Saturday, a game which the Heat trailed for the majority of the time. When push came to shove though the Heat turned up the pressure with defensive intensity and were able to steal the win away from the Magic. LeBron James led the Heat with an MVP like state line of 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assist. None of those 22 points were more important than the last basket James made to give the Heat the lead 101-99. With the victory the Heat extended their win streak to 6 games thus leading this superstitious blogger to use the same celebratory Lelbron GIF I've used for every victory.

Play of the Game: 

You would think that the LeBron game winning jumper would be the play of the game but you thought wrong. Whenever Norris Cole breaks Big Baby Davis' ankles it automatically becomes our play of the game. So here it is, in all its glory. Big Baby looks like a falling tree, tiiiiiiiiiiiiimber.

 

Up Next:

The Heat hit the hardwood again on Monday night as they host the Phoenix Suns. This is another winnable game for the Heat as they look to continue to extend their win streak. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM from the American Airlines Arena on Monday night. 

Preview: Orlando Magic @ Miami Heat Saturday 7:30 PM

The Miami Heat host the Orlando Magic at the American Airlines Arena tonight at 7:30. This is the second match up of a back to back series for the two interstate rivals. The Heat easily beat the Magic on Wednesday night without starting shooting guard Dwyane Wade and look to do the same tonight in Miami. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 PM tip off so if you are lucky enough to be attending the game don't be late.

What to watch for:

- After sitting out the previous two games, Heat guard Dwyane Wade makes his return to the line-up. He will match-up agains rookie guard Victor Oladipo in what should be a fun match-up to watch.

- The Heat are going for their sixth consecutive win and fourth consecutive win at home. Not only is the team in a nice groove but their upcoming schedule is against opponents with losing records. This could be the beginning of a long win streak for the team.

- The Heat are set to wear their new red jerseys for the first time this season tonight. Not only will the team feature a new jersey but a new intro video will be played at the beginning of the game. You can watch the new intro video HERE.

Match up of the game:

                     Victor Oladipo                                  VS                                         Dwyane Wade

As a fan of basketball this is a match up I have personally been waiting to see since Oladipo got drafted by the Magic. The two players were both coached by Tom Creen in college and both have very similar skill sets. Wade missed the game on Wednesday so we did not get to see the two battle it out on the court. This should be a fun battle between two players that fill the box score.

Wise Guys:

The wise guys in Vegas have the Heat as a 13 point favorite in this contest. On Wednesday the Heat were a 7.5 point favorite on the road and missing one of their best players. The Heat blew out the Magic and easily covered the spread. Look for the Heat to put on a similar performance and cover the spread against a Magic team that turns the ball over at a high rate.

Prediction time:

The Heat look like a team that is now on a mission. Their slow start against teams was starting to become a problem and worrisome but they seem to have started to hit a groove. I believe the team will be extremely focused and get a lift from Dwyane Wade being re-inserted into the line-up.  The Magic turn the ball over a lot and turnovers are something that the Heat thrive off of. I think the Heat win this one easily 105-89, taking their win streak to a season high of six games.

Heat Win! The Miami Heat defeat the Orlando Magic 120-92

The Story:

On a second night of a back to back the Miami Heat traveled north and defeated their instate rival, the Orlando Magic. The Heat handled the Magic 120-92 lead by LeBron James' 21 points 6 rebounds and 7 assist. James was coming off his least spectacular game the night before, and as this blogger pointed out, was not going to have a second consecutive off night. The Heat were without the services of starting shooting guard Dwyane Wade once again so they needed production from their supporting players. On this night James Jones stepped up and filled in for Wade not only in the starting line-up but in the scoring department as well. Jones tallied 17 points making 5 of his 7 three pointers attempted. The Miami Heat the past two games have shown how deep their player rotation is, a scary thought for the rest of the NBA. Although it came in a losing effort Magic rookie Victor Oladipo had a strong first showing against the two time defending world champions tallying 20 points with 4 rebounds and 5 steals.

Play of the Game: 

Today is a special day for the reader as we bring you not one but two plays of the day. LeBron put on a clinic early in the first half of last nights game so we felt obligated to show you these two spectacular plays.

 

Up Next:

This game was the first of a back to back match-up against the Orlando Magic. The two teams square off in Miami on Saturday, tip-off set for 7:30.

Preview: Miami Heat @ Orlando Magic Wednesday 7:00 PM

The Miami Heat visit the Away Center to face interstate rival the Orlando Magic. The Heat are on the second night of a back to back as they defeated the Atalanta Hawks in Miami last night. This will be the first time the teams match-up this season and the first opportunity for the Heat get an up close look at the Magics promising rookie Victor Oladipo. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 PM tip-off from the Amway Center in Orlando.

What to watch for:

- After resting the first night of a back to back Heat guard Dwyane Wade will make his return to the line-up. Dwyane will have his hands full with Magic rookie Victor Oladipo, a player who plays with a similar style to Dwyane. It will be interesting to see how much energy Wade comes out with after having a nights rest.

- LeBron James had an off night for his standards last night against Atlanta scoring only 13 points on 6-13 shooting. The four time MVP normally doesn't put up two consecutive bad games so look for James to get into his groove again tonight.

- The Magic's center Nikola Vucevic is a force to be reckoned with and will again challenge Miami's lack of inside presence. In his first game against the Heat in Orlando last year Vucevic tallied 20 point and 29 REBOUNDS!! You read that right, 29 rebounds.

Match up of the game:

                   Nikola Vucevic                                  VS                                               Chris Bosh

Once again Chris Bosh finds himself in our match up of the game section. Bosh fared well against Al Horford last night but again has his hands full with another tough match-up. The scoring load should lessen for Bosh with the return of Wade. In order for the Heat to win this game Bosh must to his best to keep Vucevic away from rebounds, something that is easier said than done.

Wise Guys:

The wise guys in Vegas have the Heat as a 7.5 point favorite against Orlando. The Heat covered in last nights game against Atalanta and are facing a tough back to back match-up against a well rested Orlando team who is playing in the comforts of home. I see this game going down to the wire and would take the Magic getting 7.5 points.

Prediction time:

I believe the Heat are at the beginning of a Magical win streak and will continue their winning ways tonight. This game should be closer than the Vegas odds-makers suggest though seeing as the team is on the second night of back to back. The Magic are a much improved team with some impressive home victories this season against the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers. This game should come down to the wire and I have the Heat squeaking out a victory 104-99.

Heat Win! The Miami Heat defeat the Atlanta Hawks 104-88

The Story:

The Miami Heat defeated the Atlanta Hawks 104-88 at the American Airlines Arena on Tuesday night. The game was a battle between the top two teams in the South Eastern Division and the first time the two teams had this season. The Miami Heat were without Dwyane Wade as the team gave him the night off to get some rest, James Jones got the start in-place of Wade. The contest started off tight but the Heat blew the game open in the second half. Chris Bosh lead the way for Miami with a ridiculous 8-9 shooting performance. Bosh totaled 19 points and 5 rebounds and won the individual matchup against Hawks center Al Horford. LeBron James had a quite night but was still efficient as ever. This marked the fourth victory in a row for the Heat, the longest winning streak of the 2013-2014 season thus far.

Play of the Game:

In the third quarter Chris Bosh went diving into the stands for a lose ball which resulted in him tumbling over the first row of fans. In a very Chris Bosh fashion though he got up and gave a thumbs up to let the crowd know he was OK.

Up Next:

The Heat have a very quick turn around as they travel to Orlando on Wednesday night to face the Magic, another division rival. This will be the first match-up between the two teams. Tip off is set for 7:00 PM at the Amway Center in Orlando.

PREVIEW: Atlanta Hawks @ Miami Heat Tuesday 7:30 PM

The Atlanta Hawks soar into the American Airlines Arena to challenge your Miami Heat in a battle of the top two South East division teams. The Heat are in the last game of their first long home stand of the season and hope to finish it off strong. The game is scheduled for Tuesday November 19th at 7:30 PM, so if you live in Miami and are going to the game please don't be late (YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED).

What to watch for:

-  These aren't your Tio Juan's Atlanta Hawks. The team went through a lot of changes in the off-season including a brand new head coach and parting ways with franchise cornerstone Josh Smith. The Hawks new head coach Mike Budenholzer, a long time Gregg Popovich assistant, hopes to change the culture in Atlanta and bring winning days back to Atlanta.

-  Heat point guard Mario Chalmers returns to the team after a controversial suspension. Chalmers was ejected from Fridays game and suspended a subsequent game for elbowing Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki. Chalmers was not very happy about the suspension voicing his displeasure through twitter and will be looking to take it out on the Hawks.

-  The Heat have been without the services of Ray Allen the past couple of days due to Allen having the flu. Although players such as Michael Beasley and Rashard Lewis have stepped up their production during Allen's abcence the Heat are optimistic Allen will make his return to the lineup Tuesday against the Hawks.

 Match up of the game:

                        Al Horford                                                                                Chris Bosh



                 VS






The strength of the Atlanta Hawks is their front line. Starting center Al Horford is off to a strong start in the 2013-2014 campaign averaging 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks a game. If their is a weakness to this Miami Heat team it is their size inside and their troubles rebounding the ball. Chris Bosh will have his hands full with Horford and the Hawk front-line but match-ups like these are why he is paid the big bucks.

Wise Guys:

The wise guys in Vegas have the Heat as a 9.5 point favorite against the Hawks. The Heat have looked absolutely dominant at times during the home-stand and Vegas expects the trend to continue. The last game they played was Saturday against Charlotte where they easily handled the Bobcats. Although 9.5 is a lot of points to give up I expect the Heat to come out and handle business.

Prediction time:

As I look into my crystal ball I see a victory for the Miami Heat. Things are finally starting to click for this team and they seem to be focused on getting better every single game. LeBron James has finally shaken his offseason rust off and is starting to play up to his MVP level. I think the Heat struggle to start the game but pull away from the Hawks in the second half. My prediction is Heat 108 - Hawks 94.

REMINDER: Miami Heat @ Toronto Raptors 7PM EST

Your Miami Heat travel north of the border to Toronto to play the Raptors and most importantly defend the United States of America's honor in what is being dubbed World War III. Well that might be a bit of an exaggeration but Miami will try to collect its first road win at the Air Canada Centre tonight at 7PM EST. Here is our not so in depth preview of what to look for in tonight's match-up of good (Heat) versus evil (Raptors).

What to watch for:

- Chris Bosh will not play against his former team tonight due to the birth of his daughter. Baby daddy Bosh will stay in Miami for the contest and did not travel with the team to Toronto.

- The Heat look to secure their first road victory of the season. Although Toronto is not the toughest of opponents but look for them to come out with energy and give the defending back to back champions their best shot.

- Up until Sundays victory against the Washington Wizards the Heat had struggled to get off to good starts in the first quarter of games. Look for the team to make a concerted effort to come out with energy at the begging of the game.

Match up of the game:

                


                VS



          Rudy Gay                                                                     LeBron James

It appears the Raptors are building their team around Rudy Gay. Tonight they will see if he can hang with LeBron James AKA The GOAT AKA 2 Time AKA Cobra D*ck.

Wise Guys:

The wise guys in Vegas have Miami as a 5.5 point favorite against Toronto. This may seem like a low number but remember the Heat are without All-Star center Chris Bosh. I like the Heat giving the points although I think the Raptors will give Miami their best shot. Miami will be focused to get this road victory as we are now a week into the season.

Prediction Time:

As my boy @ZaslowShow would say, tonight is BAD NEWS for the Toronto Raptors. The Heat will miss the presence of Chris Bosh but it will not be enough to push the Raptors to a victory over Miami. Hopefully the Raptors will play nice tonight and won't be 'Clever Girls'. My not so educated prediction is Heat 101 - Raptors 89. If I hit my prediction exactly I will be changing this name of this blog to NBA Nostradamus, so I better start drawing up plans for the new blog design.