NBA Draft Early Entrants and Miami’s Defining Player
Dwight Howard (photo. Mannion)
Alonzo Mourning had his #33 retired during halftime of Heat/Magic, the first player in Miami franchise history to get the honor — if you don’t count when the Heat retired #23 for Michael Jordan or #13 for Dan Marino — and the right player to get the honor. After Glen Rice set the foundation and before D-Wade came around, ‘Zo has been the heart of the franchise and was its defining player for a long time … Dikembe Mutombo, Big John Thompson, Riles and Tim Hardaway (towel draped over his shoulder for some reason) were among those in attendance. Patrick Ewing also came out from the Orlando locker room for the ceremony, along with the entire Miami team. Feel-good moment all around, from the tribute video to seeing ‘Zo cry as they raised his jersey, although it was CRAZY long. The whole thing was seriously like 45 minutes … As for the game, D-Wade scored 42 points (16-34 FG) and had Miami in the lead with about three minutes left in the fourth quarter, but a Dwight Howard free throw, a Rashard Lewis three, and another Howard bucket inside put the Magic ahead for good … During the game Dwight (22 pts, 18 rebs) broke Wilt Chamberlain’s record for the youngest player to grab 5,000 rebounds. Dwight is a full two years and a few days younger than Wilt was when he recorded five grand … Bad news for the Heat: Luther Head suffered a broken hand during the game and will be out at least through the first round of the playoffs. Head was giving the team some decent minutes at PG for the second unit, but now it’s back to D-Wade and Mario Chalmers as the primary ballhandlers … Should the Jazz be concerned that they’ve blown two 20-point leads in the span of three days? On Saturday they were up 21 on the Suns, somehow fell behind, but rallied to win in overtime. (With a lot of help from crucial Phoenix turnovers and Deron Williams‘ ice-water clutch jumpers.) Last night Utah was 20-piecing the Knicks at halftime, but Al Harrington sparked NY’s comeback. The Knicks led by one midway through the fourth before the Jazz got their act together and put together a mini-run to close it out … Once again Harrington (24 pts) lost his head and cost his team down the stretch, nullifying what had otherwise been a good game for him. The Knicks were down six with about 20 seconds left — still breathing, at least — when Harrington started arguing with a ref and got two techs. After Al got the boot, Kyle Korver iced it with free throws …
Vince Carter, Dime #21
Not sure if they’re mathematically eliminated or not, but the Nets are game-over. They got ran by 31 at home by the Bucks, collectively looking like they’d rather be anywhere else than on that court … Play of the game that summed everything up: Dan Gadzuric picked Trenton Hassell in the backcourt, then shook Hassell (who’s a solid defender) with an ugly/awkward behind-the-back dribble and dunked on him. You could see dudes on the Nets’ bench all sink into their chairs at that moment … A couple underclassmen declared for the NBA Draft yesterday: Florida PG Nick Calathes and Georgetown SF Dajuan Summers. Calathes left open the possibility of going back to school, but Summers is already looking for an agent. Summers came into G’town expected to be the next Jeff Green — a do-everything forward who could flourish in JT3’s Princeton-like system — but in what was supposed to be his breakout year, he (and the Hoyas in general) was a disappointment. Calathes is a big point guard (6-6) who can pass, shoot and rebound for his position. They’re probably both first-round picks … Did you catch the McDonald’s H.S. All-American dunk contest? Avery Bradley, a 6-3 guard headed to Texas, took the crown, but we couldn’t get over Mason Plumlee. Everything about Plumlee says he didn’t even belong in the contest — he’s a 7-foot Eric Montross-looking kid who’s headed to Duke and does basket-weaving in his spare time — but he was pulling off some of the most creative and impressive dunks. Dunk of the night, though? Peyton Siva, a 5-11 PG headed to Louisville, had his boy toss it off the shot clock and caught a backwards dunk off the lob … We’re out like Summers …
March 31st, 2009 at 5:33 am
solomon (el latino machismo) says:
alonzo mourning is the 1st
March 31st, 2009 at 5:36 am
ToAn says:
so did the Heat retire No. 23?, for a player that never played for them. well, that’s really weird. never heard of anything like that. hope the standings in the west don’t change the spurs and the hornet in Rd. 1 as well as houston utah. let the playoffs begin. it’s really boring right now.
March 31st, 2009 at 5:47 am
knoc says:
now if the young fella can just learn some post moves from patrick chewing.
March 31st, 2009 at 5:50 am
sans says:
Wilt did play 4 years at Kansas then a year with the Globetrotters–how long was he a pro before hitting 5,000 boards? A year and a half? Dwight might be a manchild, but he also had a five year headstart on Wilt…
I’m out like losing a footrace with a five mile headstart…
March 31st, 2009 at 6:01 am
John says:
@ 2 -
…”so did the Heat retire No. 23?, for a player that never played for them. well, that’s really weird. never heard of anything like that.”…
Because Michael Jordan is the GOAT, thats why they did that ,,,
March 31st, 2009 at 6:12 am
John says:
@ 4 -
Good Point, here is Wilt´s rebs :
1 year - 1941 rebs - 27.0 reb/game
2 year - 2149 rebs - 27.2 reb/game
3 year - 2052 rebs - 25.7 reb/game
So its safe to say that Wilt got his 5000 reb around the half of his 3 season …
By the way, the nunbers are insane ,,,
Link
March 31st, 2009 at 6:32 am
solomon (el latino machismo) says:
wow… excellent @ post 4 & 6… 25 rpg is as unbreakable as it gets…
numbers don’t lie…
March 31st, 2009 at 6:40 am
ToAn says:
@John
well, wilt has the records, russel has the rings and nobody is going to retire their numbers when they didn’t play for them…i’m not saying that MJ wasn’t the best but for me it’s still weird. nobody is hanging No. 99 in the NHL arenas except those teams where Gretzky played…
March 31st, 2009 at 6:45 am
ToAn says:
@John
in the NHL number 99 has been retired league-wide. that’s ok with me, i just find it weird when only Miami retires Mike’s number
March 31st, 2009 at 6:51 am
solomon (el latino machismo) says:
should’ve been a league wide thing… do it stern
March 31st, 2009 at 7:36 am
John says:
Thats say a lot about Pat Riley. Wilt and Russel were amazing, Dr. J, Bird and Magic : amazing. But Jordan put NBA in the World. Dont get me wrong, but as a Brazilian that lives in Europe, things arrive here diferent that in America. Jordan has the numbers, won chips, explode at the right time, with the right sponsor … If you asked my 5 year old neighboor if he know 1 basketball player, he will say : Mike Jordan , I saw him in Space Jam ,,, Here in Europe, every soccer fan knows ho Jordan is, and nobody knows who Lebron, Kobe, D-Wade is ,,, Thats the impact that Jordan had all around the World. So if Stearn missed, Pat didnt ,,,
March 31st, 2009 at 7:37 am
knoc says:
@10
Agreed
March 31st, 2009 at 7:38 am
bullet380 says:
To sans:
I couldn’t have said it any better. I started to post here, but read yours. You beat me to the punch.
March 31st, 2009 at 7:40 am
bullet380 says:
Not gonna discount your post either John. Numbers don’t lie.
March 31st, 2009 at 7:48 am
foolio_iglesias says:
Oh,the towel was to wipe away the tears of a clown…
March 31st, 2009 at 7:52 am
Kudabeen says:
Wilt is/was the Truth…
The real G.O.A.T. ~
March 31st, 2009 at 7:52 am
SwedishMooze says:
Of topic… but did you guys see this sh*t? Dude from Wyoming nearly breaks his back on an otherwise kinda nice dunk for a white kid..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvY7zv9St4w
March 31st, 2009 at 7:53 am
Kudabeen says:
“tears of a clown”…lol
March 31st, 2009 at 7:56 am
ToAn says:
@John…i get your point. I’m an european living in europe so i know what MJ means to the basketball community here. we should agree that the number should be retired league-wide but i guess it’s too late now. With gretzky’s number that was easy ’cause nobody wears 99 anyway. But with No. 23 in basketball it’s different, A LOT of players have this number so you just can’t take the number away from them. well you could but it’s not happening, stern doesn’t want to mess with lebron.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:15 am
YOUNGFED..."Yeah I said it, fcuk the Celtics" says:
Check out Jimmy Kimmel showing everybody just how easy Lebrons underhanded halfcourt shot was. I could do it blindfolded though.
http://blogs.sohh.com/sohh_tv/2009/03/012853.html
March 31st, 2009 at 8:16 am
TJ 2 says:
i wouldve like to see Siva in the finals instead of derrick favors (i think? the big forward going to Geaogia tech) him and bradley could get up! it was funny because some of the dunks werent that spectacular and the commentators were going crazy for them! LOL!
March 31st, 2009 at 8:21 am
mavs all the way says:
how come the Rockets clinch a playoff spot already while being on the 4th spot? and the 2nd and 3rd teams are still not yet in the playoffs technically?
March 31st, 2009 at 8:36 am
Amar says:
I think the jazz have problems with teams that are built for offensive homerun type numbers that have nothing to lose. that’s why phoenix and ny have been tough games as of late.
The jazz handled houston with little difficulty, and they are a much better team over-all than either the suns or the knicks.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:38 am
Kobeef says:
Nick Calathes is not a first round pick. He is not an NBA caliber PG…think Jared Jordan but 3 inches taller.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:39 am
rangerjohn says:
@mavs
espn doesnt show rockets already clinching a spot but i would guess it has to do with number of games. SA has 1 more game and by the math they could still miss the playoffs, if they lost every game and the suns won the rest of theirs then the spurs would miss out.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:14 am
Big Aaron says:
Why does everyone have to take the shine off of Dwight’s achievement? Give the guy the credit where it’s due.
Congratulations Dwight and mad respect to Alonzo Mourning. Zo really was an absolute warrior. They don’t make them like him anymore.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:25 am
that's whats up says:
@ post 8
42 - Jackie Robinson in the MLB - all teams.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:59 am
Rare Air says:
MJ should have his number retired there after the way he baptized the Heat all throughout the 90’s!
March 31st, 2009 at 10:07 am
Bron42 aka Had springs before slamball says:
@TJ2, ya my boy Jay Will was hyping up EVERY dunk last night like he hadn’t seen them before meanwhile none of them were anything special. Favors did a between the legs dunk and got a “omg hes 6′9 yadda yadda, we havn’t seen someone his size do that” meanwhile both gerald green and blake griffin are 6′8+ and did it better and easier. But then again they told Jay to hype the stuff. All the dunks were overrated. Plumlees side of the back board dunk and sivas dunks were normal alleys, the passes were better than the actual dunk. I mean throwing it off the shot clock is cool but it doesnt make the dunk any harder, since it still comes off at the same exact point in front of the rim as tossing it off the backboard. Same with the side of the backboard dunk. Plumlee caught it by the box like a normal alley. I understand their in high school but none of these guys were elite dunkers like the last few years have been.
@kobeef….ya tru but you know the nba is lookin for the next great white hype (one of the greatest sports movies) lol Calathes will go in the first round and be d-league material.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:42 am
Bruce says:
When I was in Vietnam, they know about Jordan too. They know the Jumpman symbol, the number, and the man. There was no Internet then but I was surprising shocked. That was 18 years ago. Now, all the kiddos know about Kobe and Lebron but when asked about MJ, they all agreed he is the greatest of all time. I have to agreed with those little younglings.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:43 am
Max says:
The skepticism about Calathes is interesting, since there are several experts that disagree and think he can end up being very good. Whether he’s ready this year is another story, but the kid can pass and read defenses like an actual point guard — he’s not a TJ Ford-Tyreke Evans type “shooting” point (you know, pass only when there’s no way you’re going to get your shot off).
March 31st, 2009 at 11:44 am
MJAX says:
Tim “Marble Mouth” Hardaway had the towel over his head by request from all current and former announcers, commentators and analyst. They didn’t want him jackin’ up the ceremony by speaking on the mike with the camera on!
March 31st, 2009 at 11:54 am
Ian says:
at@16 agree
posts 4 and 6 yup
March 31st, 2009 at 12:08 pm
BROGDEN says:
PROPS TO DWIGHT!!!
Wilt and them was doing it at a different time, different era.
Wilt only had a handful of REAL COMP.
Everybody else was HOMOGENOUS LUNCHMEAT.
Now it’s a DIVERSE ASSORTMENT OF ALL TYPES!
So, Props to Dwight!
Even though Dwight probably couldn’t hold a flame to Wilt and Russel. But ya know, they aint playin’ no mo’!
March 31st, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Amar says:
@ # 30 — that’s because all those kids are making jordan’s shoes . . . that’s why they know the logo! duh!
March 31st, 2009 at 1:11 pm
doc says:
@sans-Wilt played 3 years at Kansas.Thats why he played for the Trooters they wouldnt let him in the league yet.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:19 pm
doc says:
Ima say the truth.If Dwight played like he do right now back then he would average 50 boards.And if Mike aint play for my team I dont want his damn jersey retired.He aint the first black player or no shit like that.I dont know what parts of Europe yall from,but where I been at they know Kobe,Lebron,Wade,and whoever else is the shit.Mike aint touched a ball in 10 years and yall talking about a 5 year old know him.I eat sleep and breathe ball and my 4 year old daughter know Bron and Kobe but if u pointed to Mike she would say who is that fat baldhead motherfucker smoking that unrolled dutch.
March 31st, 2009 at 1:24 pm
BROGDEN says:
“but if u pointed to Mike she would say who is that fat baldhead motherfucker smoking that unrolled dutch.”
WOW! Too funny!!
March 31st, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Austin Burton, "T.M.P." says:
Jay Williams after explaining the HS Skills Challenge rules: “That was a mouth-bunch!”
March 31st, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Big Aaron says:
@ doc 37: Preach!
March 31st, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Vinny says:
Just for the record Wilt only played 2 yrs at Kansas. freshman couldnt play then and he left after his jr. year becasue he was bored with the ncaa-he wrote a book about it.
March 31st, 2009 at 5:55 pm
sans says:
thanks Doc…
Amar, that was cold. Funny and true, but cold.
September 23rd, 2009 at 8:37 pm
oh_so_jersey says:
he is sexxxxyyyyyyy!