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EIGHT wins and 33 losses. A 15-game losing streak. A line-up
depleted by injuries. Last place in the Southeast Conference. These
are just some phrases used in the lead sentences by sportswriters
when they write about the Miami Heat. With their recent
heartbreaking loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the Miami Heat are
nearing their franchise record for futility. They lost 17 straight
games during their expansion season (1988 to 1989). Truly, it is sad
to see a proud franchise humbled so quickly just 19 months after
they bagged their first championship.
One of the main reasons for the Heat’s
downfall is the loss of key players in the off-season. They let go
of defensive ace James Posey and scoring threat Antoine Walker,
versatile veterans who play numerous positions. The Heat also lost
two deadly shooters from their ranks in Jason Kapono and Eddie
Jones. While the Heat tried to compensate for the personnel loss,
the new players they brought in simply could not fill up the gap.
Injuries have also plagued the Heat’s key
players. Both Shaquille O’Neal and Dwayne Wade are currently
playing through injury. The ever-dependable Alonzo Mourning suffered
a season-ending knee injury. Wade injured his shoulders last season
and while he seems to have fully recovered, his body is taking a
beating since he has been carrying a lot of the load and is playing
many minutes.
O’Neal, meanwhile, has seen his best playing
days. He is averaging career lows in scoring and rebounding and is
no longer as dominant as he once was. At 35, Shaq can still control
games during certain stretches but his injuries and age have slowed
him down. Shaq is now sidelined again with hip injuries and will be
out for a few weeks. It must be noted that in the past two seasons
alone, Shaq has missed nearly 70 games due to injuries.
And speaking of Shaq, his salary over the next
two seasons ($40 million) is making it hard for Miami to sign
players. They simply do not have the cap space to get quality
players to help Wade. And no one wants to take on the contract of an
aging Shaq.
If I were Pat Riley, I would start thinking of
just resting Shaq for the season to prepare him for next. I would
also start cutting down on Wade’s minutes to protect him from
further injury. The Heat are already out of the playoff race and
they may even have a chance at getting the first-round draft pick
next season. This may seem unprofessional to most but it makes sense
if the Heat plan to be a force again next year.
Please e-mail your comments and suggestions
to raffyrledesma@yahoo.com.
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