Crossroad for the Miami Heat

January 17, 2008

My favorite team lost again!

 

And I really mean again..

 

.. for the 11th time in a row!

I’m not really a team fan but rather a player fan.

 

I started to like Shaquille O’Neal when he was still playing for the Orlando Magic and during the year that he led the NBA in scoring and led his team to the Finals against Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon’s Houston Rockets. When he was signed by the LA Lakers and became a 1-time regular season MVP and Finals MVP for three consecutive seasons along with 3 championship rings, I liked him even more. And again when he was traded to the Miami Heat, his leadership rubbed off to Dwyane Wade and helped the team win its first NBA title ever.

 

So, whatever team Shaq is, that’s my team! I will root for that team no matter what!

 

The Heat started the season badly, losing game after game and even to teams that they used to dominate in the past.

 

This may be partly due to Shaq experiencing his worst NBA season ever as he averages career lows in points, rebounds and blocks. His role in the Heat offense also diminished, as he attempted only 10 field goals per game, in comparison with his career average of 17. In addition, O’Neal was plagued by fouls, and during one stretch fouled out five consective games! That’s two short shy of the NBA record! (But Shaq is Shaq saying that he would welcome breaking that record because not anyone is given the chance to break an NBA record.)

 

When he was injured last December 28, 2007, the Heat is riding on a 2-game losing streak. And as expected, without “The Diesel” at the helm to provide offense, they accumulated 8 more losses. For today’s game against the Chicago Bulls; which is also having a bad season, I expected that somehow, they will have a turnaround but alas! A loss again! It’s 11th in a row! I don’t know if Shaq ever experienced that in his previous stints with the Magic and the Lakers.

 

The box score read Chicago 126, Miami 96.

 

Yes, that’s a 20-point drubbing! Shaq delivered giving out 24 points and 10 rebounds but the team as a whole lost its steam in the 4th quarter for the nth time this season. Shaq also, well.. fouled out.

 

Man, the Heat is on  a crossroad. With an 8-29 record, it should produce a last stand. It should manage to win 33 of its next 45 games in order to crawl back to .500 and probably hold a No. 7 or 8 seed in the playoffs.

 

Is that possible? Of course it is? It’s now up to the team to live to that.

 

I will be on watch with my team until playoffs time.

 

 

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