HEAT Produced: Miami 103, Minnesota 101

The numbers explain why the Miami HEAT needed a game-winning alley oop to prevent the Minnesota Timberwolves from stealing a win at home.

NBA Fanalyst Rankings: Eastern Conference on New Year's Eve

Since the preseason Fanalyst Rankings were such a hit, Mrs. NBA returns to the Miami Heat Index to play good cop/bad cop with the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference for the first week of the season.

HEAT Produced: Miami Escaped First Back-to-Back 2-0

LeBron James, Chris Bosh and James Jones shined the brightest as the Miami HEAT swept their first back-to-back set of the season by holding off a Boston Celtics team playing without Paul Pierce and by stealing a win from the Charlotte Bobcats.

HEAT Produced: 2011 Celtics Retrospective

A look back at the numbers and stories for the Boston Celtics and Miami HEAT rivalry in 2011 to prepare for their first meeting of the 2012 NBA season.

HEAT Produced: Miami Dominates Dallas Mavericks for Three Quarters on Christmas

The Miami HEAT expected to make spectacular plays against the Dallas Mavericks but they couldn’t have expected the same fourth quarter problems that were an issue in the Finals.

Dwyane Wade: Best Christmas Player in the NBA Has the Biggest Beef, Too

There will be a lot of big stars with big beefs taking the court this Christmas, but none of them will be better - or have more beef - than Dwyane Wade.

Pay What You Owe: Fuck Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa

It’s time to try something different since the Miami HEAT didn’t get the free agents they wanted for Christmas.

HEATcast: Everything You Need To Know About the 2012 NBA Season Before It Happens

If you knew everything that would happen in the 2012 NBA season, then would you still watch it?

If not... Spoiler alert: bloggers from the Miami Heat Index, HeatFreak.com and Section 357 Show analyzed and predicted everything about the NBA from the pre-season to the 2012 Playoffs.

2012 NBA Western Conference Preview: Fanalyst Rankings

There are two sides to every NBA Power Ranking: the Fanalytical and the Fanatical. The Miami Heat Index and Mrs. NBA played "bad and evil" to predict the top eight teams in the Western Conference for the 2012 season.

2012 NBA Eastern Conference Preview: Fanalyst Rankings

There are two sides to every NBA Power Ranking: the Fanalytical and the Fanatical. The Miami Heat Index and Mrs. NBA played good fan/bad fan to predict the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference for the 2012 season.

LeBron James and Miami HEAT Need Hater Therapy for the 2012 NBA Season

Since Dwyane Wade and LeBron James said playing off the hate cost them a championship last season, the Miami Heat Index and a Mental Health Counseling major discussed the psychological impact of haters on job performance and what the Miami HEAT can do about it this season.

HEATcast: 2012 Season Preview with the Queen of HEAT News

The Queen of HEAT News joined the Miami Heat Index to discuss the top five news stories for the Miami HEAT as they prepare for the 2012 NBA season.

NBA Free Agency: Where Golden Showers Happen

Some NBA fans are so happy the lockout is over they’re allowing NBA executives and the mainstream media to piss on their heads and tell them it’s sunshine.

HEATcast: What Red & Black Scrimmage Means for the Present and Why CP3 Matters to the Future

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed why HEAT fans should care about the Chris Paul trade fiasco, what to expect from Norris Cole and Dexter Pittman after the Red & Black scrimmage, whether the HEAT can win playing small with Shane Battier and what Erik Spoelstra's contract extension means for the coach in the long-term and Eddy Curry in the short-term. And Week 15 for the HEAT's favorite NFL teams was covered, too.

HEAT Check: Where's the Value of Shane Battier's Defense?

If Shane Battier's defense will be such a great benefit to a Miami Heat team that already has a great defense in the NBA, then why don't the numbers say the same?

HEAT Check: November 2011

Franchise players, the lockout and the NFL were the hottest topics in November at the Miami Heat Index until the NBA and NBPA reached a tentative agreement to bring basketball back.

HEATcast: David Stern Destroys the HEAT's Competition

One of Kobe Bryant's biggest fans and the Miami Heat Index discussed the impact David Stern's veto of the Chris Paul trade will have on the LA Lakers and the Miami Heat's chances to be a dynasty.

Dwyane Wade: Chris Bosh Was Most Consistent HEAT Player in Playoffs

Dwyane Wade said Chris Bosh was the most consistent HEAT star in the 2011 playoffs while talking to reporters and analysts at the release of his new Fly Wade sneaker.

HEATcast: The Good, the Battier & the Curry of NBA Free Agency

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of the Miami HEAT's free agency moves.

HEAT Check: 2012 Schedule Analysis

The compressed, 66-game schedule released by the NBA Tuesday night should have little impact on the Miami HEAT's performance this season.

LeBron James Interview with Rachel Nichols: HEAT vs. Hate, Against All Odds

Can LeBron James resist the dark side to help the Miami HEAT win a title this season?

HEAT Check: Why I Hate Shane Battier

Why do I hate Shane Battier? Let me count the ways...

HEAT Check: NFL Week 13

LeBron James and Kevin Durant played a flag football game on Wednesday, but how will the Heat players' favorite NFL teams fare in Sunday's games?

HEATcast Flashback: Free Agents

Five months ago, bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed which players should be targeted in free agency to give the HEAT “more than enough” to win an NBA title next season. The conversation's still pretty relevant.

NBA Max Salary: Mo' Money, Mo' Problems for Stars and Haters

The new max salary provision from the tentative agreement between the NBA and the Players Association illustrates two key points: star players are underpaid and no other team will have three max players to compete with the Miami Heat.

HEAT Check: NFL Week 12

LeBron James was rooting against the Miami Dolphins instead of playing for them on Thanksgiving and his favorite NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys, rewarded him with a win. Will the rest of his teammates get to enjoy watching their favorite NFL teams win on Sunday?

HEATcast: Power & Money in the NBA Lockout

Screenshot from youtube

The Miami Heat Index joined sports economist David Berri and bloggers from the Wages of Wins Network to discuss the struggle for power in the NBA Lockout and lessons the National Basketball Association could learn from Major League Baseball’s new collective bargaining agreement.

Erik Spoelstra: Let's Go HEAT

Erik Spoelstra shows Team HEAT is worldwide.

HEAT Check: NFL Week 11

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James enjoyed some college football between Oregon and USC last night, but their real passion is for the game on Sundays. Will their favorite NFL teams reward that passion with wins?

Lessons from the History of NBA Labor, Part 3: Antitrust & Decertification

The History of NBA Labor and the disclaimer of interest filed by the National Basketball Players Association on Monday shows that decertification and antitrust lawsuits transitioned from an offensive collective bargaining strategy to a defensive one.

Juan Marquez Showed Manny Pacquiao Not In Floyd Mayweather's Class

Manny Pacquiao’s performance in his third fight against Juan Manuel Marquez showed two flaws: his trainer Freddie Roach is overconfident and Pacquiao is only half as good as Floyd Mayweather.

HEATcast: NBA Lockout Fatigue, Jerry West Dream Game, Hall of Fame for Tim Hardaway & Week 10 NFL Picks

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed NBA lockout boredom, Jerry West's dream game featuring the top 20 players in NBA history, whether Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning will make it into the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Week 10 picks for the Heat players' favorite NFL teams.

Off the Index: Joe Paterno, the Distinguished Gentleman

Summing up the Joe Paterno and Penn State sex scandal in 140 characters or less...

NBA Lockout Theme Music: I See by Medina Green feat. Mos Def

There's a simple, but powerful, message for the National Basketball Players Association in the lyrics of the song "I See" by Medina Green and Mos Def.

HEAT Produced Classics: The Comeback

Billy Thompson and Pat Cummings fueled the Miami Heat’s comeback from a 29-point deficit to defeat the Indiana Pacers in another HEAT classic from the franchise’s first season.

HEAT Check: U.S. Tax Law Proves Bryant Gumbel Was Right About David Stern

United States tax law called professional ballplayers chattel before Bryant Gumbel accused David Stern of treating them like slaves.

HEATcast: NBA Lockout Drama, Heat vs. Hate, LeBron's Top 5 NFL Players & Week 9 Picks

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed the latest drama in the NBA Lockout, Dwyane Wade's comments about hatred costing the Heat a title, LeBron James' top five NFL QBs and Week 9 picks for the Heat's favorite NFL teams.

NBA Lockout Cinema: David Stern's Last Dance

The 2011 NBA Lockout is going to be David Stern's last dance with the NBPA and it's not going to end well for him.

HEAT Check: How Will Miami Heat Beat the Hate to Win a Title?

The difference between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals was not the difference between love and hate, it was the difference between Dwyane Wade being healthy and Wade struggling with a hip contusion courtesy of the hockey goon, Brian Cardinal.

NBA Lockout: Nike Ads Indicate There Won't Be Any NBA For A Long Time

The difference between Nike's Basketball Never Stops ad campaign during the NBA lockout and the "Start the Season" commercials run during the 1998 lockout tell fans what they don't want to hear: get used to life without NBA basketball.

NBA Lockout: Wages of Wins Network Renegade

The fact that the Miami Heat Index is the only renegade blog on the Wages of Wins Network that thinks the NBPA will "win" in negotiations during the NBA lockout is a good thing.

HEAT Check: Washington Post Predicted 2011 NBA Lockout in 1998

Multiple posts at the Miami Heat Index said the National Basketball Players Association was following a similar strategy the Major League Baseball Players Association used in 1994 but none of them were 13 years ahead of the curve like Washington Post columnist Thomas Boswell.

NBA Lockout: Derek Fisher and the Passion of Uncle Ruckus

Jason Whitlock’s claim that NBPA President Derek Fisher had a side deal with David Stern was as false and ludicrous as the prophecy of Uncle Ruckus in The Boondocks cartoon.

HEAT Check: More Evidence Players Could Start Their Own League

Kevin Durant's charity game in Oklahoma City is just another example of how the players don't need the NBA franchise owners.

HEAT Check: October 2011

The silence of superstars, exhibition games, haters, clutch performances and the NBA lockout were the hottest topics in October at the Miami Heat Index.

NBA Lockout Cinema: You Can’t Win? Basketball Never Stops

If you think the National Basketball Players Association can’t win in collective bargaining with the NBA, then you need more brains than the Scarecrow in The Wiz.

HEAT Check: Where NBA Owners Stand After Canceling November

Since they canceled all games in November, have the bargaining positions of NBA owners changed in the last 120 days?

HEATcast: Nas vs. Jay-Z & Dwyane Wade vs. Kobe Bryant, HEAT Classics, Week 8 NFL Picks, NBA Lockout

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed similarities between Nas vs. Jay-Z and Wade vs. Kobe debates, the first team in Miami HEAT history, the NBA Lockout and Week 8 for the HEAT players' favorite NFL teams.

HEAT Produced Classics: Miami 89, LA Clippers 88 on December 14, 1988

Billy Thompson and Rory Sparrow powered the Miami Heat to the first win in franchise history.

HEAT Check: Occupy the NBA, Part 1

Pictures from a trip to the Occupy Wall Street protest illustrate obvious similarities to the NBA Lockout.

NBA Lockout: History of NBA Labor Shows Weekend Back-to-Backs Are Bad for Television

Anyone suggesting more back-to-back games on the weekend missed an important lesson from the history of NBA Labor.

NBA Lockout: Lessons From the History of NBA Labor, Part 2

The History of NBA Labor teaches two important lessons about the modern NBA schedule.

NBA Lockout: Lessons From the History of NBA Labor, Part 1

Three lessons from the History of NBA Labor teaches plenty about the impact of race, superstars and referees on the National Basketball Players Association.

NBA Lockout: San Antonio Spurs Owner Peter Holt Wants Competitive Imbalance

It seems San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt wants to give “small market” owners less incentive to win, based on comments he made during Thursday’s press conference after mediation between the NBA and NBPA broke down.

HEAT Check: Is the NBPA Strategy in the NBA Lockout Irrational?

NBA reporters and analysts that say the players should give in to the owners are missing three key points.

HEATcast: NBA Lockout Facts & Fiction

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed the impact of the NBA Lockout on the employees and economy in Miami with Ethan J. Skolnick from the Palm Beach Post and separated fact from fiction in the issues being put through the NBA's spin cycle.

NBA Lockout: Why the NBPA Strategy Can Bring Basketball Back

The NBA's marathon collective bargaining sessions with the National Basketball Players Association and a federal mediator this week were just posturing to save themselves from ultimately being defeated by the NBPA's lockout strategy.

HEATcast on iTunes

The HEATcast, a podcast by the Miami Heat Index, is now available on iTunes.

Black Sports Bloggers: For Pride or Paper?

The need for black sports writers is never more apparent than when the mainstream media parades its latest boogeyman in front of its white fan base. Most weeks, it's LeBron James, but this week it's Bryant Gumbel.

LeBron James: The Problem with Clutch & Stephen A. Smith

Jerry West’s struggle with depression illustrates why the argument about “clutch” in basketball is stupid and LeBron James doesn’t need to worry about it.

NBA Lockout Cinema

If the NBA lockout was a movie, then which one would it be?

HEAT Check: NFL Week 6 Preview

The numbers say LeBron James may need to suit up for his Cowboys to beat the Patriots, but what do they say about the rest of the Heat's favorite NFL teams?

HEATcast: NBA Lockout Politics & Media Bias

How long will star players like Dwyane Wade and LeBron James stand with role players like James Jones in the NBA Lockout?

HEATcast: Big 3 Classic to End the Lockout

Will the Miami Heat play a game at American Airlines Arena this season?

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed whether there will be an NBA season, the lockout's impact on American Airlines Arena employees and local businesses, an NBA 3-on-3 tournament in Las Vegas, the difference between MLB and NBA playoffs, Stephen A. Smith's rant about LeBron James and Week 6 picks for the Heat players' favorite NFL teams.

HEAT Shit List: Anniversary Edition

This week marked the one-year anniversary of the Heat Shit List, and the Miami Heat’s biggest haters — the Dallas Mavericks, Charles Barkley, Dead Basketball Poets Society and ESPN — show no signs of slowing down.

HEAT Shit List: Fake Ass Fans

LeBron James gave props to some of his true fans after the South Florida All-Star Classic. What should he have said to his fake fans?

HEATcast: South Florida All-Star Classic Preview, NBA Lockout & Week 5 NFL Picks

Image from ballislife.com

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com previewed LeBron James and Dwyane Wade's exhibition in the South Florida All-Star Classic, updated their analysis of the NBA Lockout and provided predictions for the Heat players' favorite NFL teams in Week 5.

HEAT Check: Best Seasons in Miami History By the Numbers

A review of the best seasons in Miami Heat history by the numbers reveals the 2011 Heat were the best.

NBA Lockout: Dollars, Dwyane Wade & De-Certification

Who needs a dollar in the NBA Lockout and what’s the difference between what players deserve and what they negotiate?

Heat Check: September 2011

Beef, friendship, free agency, the NBA Lockout and Troy Davis were the hottest topics on the Miami Heat Index in September.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas: Retrospective by the Numbers

A statistical summary of Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ career with the Miami Heat after his retirement.

Troy Davis Memorial

Troy Davis was murdered by the state of Georgia on Septermber 21st and buried by his family and friends like Dick Gregory on October 1st.

Chris Paul Charity Game More Evidence Players Don't Need Owners

It's time for NBA players to cut out the middlemen.
Image courtesy of http://youtu.be/Rwv98gGN-no

Tim Reynolds from the Associated Press tweeted that 1.1 million people watched the live video stream of the CP3 All-Star Pickup Game starring Chris Paul, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, John Wall, Kevin Durant and Rudy Gay. Basketball stars should cutoff negotiations with the NBA and cutout the middlemen between them and the fans.

LeBron James & Dwyane Wade: 10 Thoughts From Their Show at CP3 Charity Game

LeBron James and John Wall showed why they are the two best athletes in the NBA at the CP3 All-Star Pickup Game on the campus of Winston-Salem State University last night. Check out the game’s highlights here.

NBA Lockout: Dwyane Wade Puts David Stern In His Place

Billionaires vs. millionaires?
Wade had a different kind of confrontation Friday.

Dwyane Wade took a brick from the NBA Players' Black Wall of Silence and threw it at NBA commisioner David Stern during Friday's meeting between the National Basketball Players Association and the NBA.

HEATcast: NBA Lockout Rumors, Sports Media Report Card, Week 4 NFL Picks

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed rumors of the NBA Lockout coming to an end, gave grades to the sports media for their Heat coverage and predicted how the Heat players' favorite NFL teams would do in Week 4. Plus, an unexpected video surprise.

NBA Players’ Black Wall of Silence

“Athletes today are scared to make Muhammad Ali type statements.”

Carmelo Anthony told Michael Tillery from The Starting Five blog that athletes are scared to speak their minds on important issues. Why is that?

Heat Check: NFL Week 3

"Great day for Cowboy fans even at the airport in Ohio"
LeBron James on Twitter

Alfredo Arteaga went 4-2 in his NFL predictions on last week's HEATcast and LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Mario Chalmers have NFL bragging rights this week.

Udonis Haslem and the Greatest Gators in the NBA

Udonis Haslem is the latest men’s basketball player to be inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame, but where does he rank among Gators in the NBA?

NBA Cares About Troy Davis?

"The diameter of your knowledge is the circumference of your activity"
-Ras Kass, "Soul on Ice" Remix

How many NBA players joined Mario Chalmers on the Troy Davis issue?

HEATcast: Troy Davis, Floyd Mayweather, NBA Lockout & NFL Week 3 Picks

Image courtesy of World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (http://flic.kr/p/5wViDW)

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed Troy Davis, Floyd Mayweather and the NBA Lockout with a Harvard political scientist and predicted how the Miami Heat's favorite NFL teams would do in Week 3.

Dwyane Wade vs. Ron Artest: Dance-Off

Ron Artest was voted off Dancing With The Stars this week, but is he still a better dancer than Dwyane Wade?

Heat Check: One Love to Heat Fans

This is a shout out and thanks to all the Miami Heat fans that did their part to spread the word on Troy Davis.

Troy Davis: What I Wish Miami Heat Would've Said...

This is video of an incredible speech given by rapper Mike Bigga at a church rally before he and Big Boi from Outkast went to protest the murder of Troy Davis outside Georgia's death row.

Troy Davis & Miami Heat: Silent But Deadly

September 21st began with a plea for Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and the Miami Heat to help save Troy Davis from execution but it ended with silence and a “RIP” from Mario Chalmers.

Heat Check: Too Quiet on Troy Davis?

Why have the Miami Heat been so silent on the injustice of Troy Davis’ pending execution?

"Murdered You On Your Own Shit" Award Series: NBA Playoffs Edition, the Complete Set

If you haven't already read all four parts of the "Murdered You On Your Own Shit" Awards: NBA Playoffs Edition, then here's your chance.

NBA Lockout Alternative: 3-on-3 Tournament

The Miami Heat had the best trio in the NBA last season and would be prohibitive favorites to win a 3-on-3 tournament if the NBPA organized an event similar to the FIBA 3x3 Youth World Championships during the NBA Lockout. Of course, they would have to come up with a better entrance than the one they made on July 9, 2010 to compete with the kids from New Zealand.

Off the Index: Floyd Mayweather Sets Record Straight On Victor Ortiz and Manny Pacquiao

Floyd "Money" Mayweather went into his post-fight press conference and explained why Victor Ortiz got what he deserved in the ring, why Larry Merchant should be fired by HBO and why Manny Pacquiao needs to take a drug test.

HEAT Check: NFL Week 2

NFL bragging rights among Miami Heat players belong to LeBron James and Chris Bosh after Week 2.

Heat Shit List: Does Floyd Mayweather Have More Haters Than the Miami Heat?

#FuckLarryMerchant

If you're not down with Floyd Mayweather, then you're not a real Miami Heat fan.

HEATcast: NCAA Shame, NBA Lockout, Threesomes, Murders, Chris Bosh and Week 2 NFL Predictions

Would this trio do better in a 3-on-3 tournament
than Wade, LeBron and Bosh?

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed the "Shame of College Sports", NBA Lockout, a 3-on-3 tournament for NBA players, the Murdered You On Your Own Shit Awards, Chris Bosh on First Take and Week 2 predictions for the Heat players' favorite NFL teams.

NBA Playoffs: "Murdered You On Your Own Shit" Awards, Epilogue

Dwyane Wade murdered the Dallas Mavericks on their home floor for the Miami Heat to win their first NBA championship. The Miami Heat Index wraps up the "Murdered You on Your Own Shit" Award Series: NBA Playoffs Edition with some interesting stats about when and where the 20 best playoff performances on the road in the last 20 years happened.

NBA Playoffs: “Murdered You On Your Own Shit” Awards, Part 4

LeBron James murdered the Boston Celtics on their own floor in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the Miami Heat the same way he murdered teams for the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron's playoff games with the Cavs made the Top Five of the "Murdered You on Your Own Shit" Award Series: NBA Playoffs Edition for the 20 best performances on the road by NBA players in the last 20 years.

NBA Lockout: The Death of Optimists Prime

One shall stand, one shall fall

The optimists covering the NBA lockout took a big blow after Tuesday’s meeting between the National Basketball Players Association’s (NBPA) Executive Board and the NBA’s Labor Relations Committee.

NFL Predictions After Week One For Miami Heat's Favorite Teams

Will the Miami Heat players’ favorite NFL teams make the playoffs this season?

NBA Lockout: Have Owners' Bargaining Positions Changed?

The bargaining positions of NBA owners reported by Henry Abbott from ESPN last week differ from those reported by Mark Heisler for the LA Times at the all-star break.

HEATcast: Impact of Sportswriting on NBA Lockout, Miami Hurricanes & Heat Free Agency

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com return from summer vacation to discuss how bad sportswriting makes it hard to know who to believe in the NBA Lockout and Miami Hurricanes scandal. Other topics of discussion include the best sneakers of all-time, Floyd Mayweather, Chris Bosh vs. Basketball Wives and what happened behind-the-scenes of Heat free agency last summer.

NBA Playoffs: “Murdered You On Your Own Shit” Awards, Part 3

The Miami Heat Index's "Murdered You on Your Own Shit" Award Series: NBA Playoffs Edition continues counting down the 20 best performances on the road by NBA players in the last 20 years. Part Three features Chicago Bulls' star Derrick Rose, who went from murdering the Hawks in Atlanta to getting killed by LeBron and Wade in Chicago during the last four minutes of Game 5 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Heat Check: Murdered You On Your Own Shit Awards Interlude

"The Murdered You On Your Own Shit" Award Series: NBA Playoffs Edition will return tomorrow. For now, here's my take on HipHopSite.com's 20 Best Show-Stealing Verses.

Erik Spoelstra and the Heat Shit List Dilemma

Should Erik Spoelstra’s dad be put on the Heat Shit List?

NBA Playoffs: "Murdered You On Your Own Shit" Awards, Part 2

Rex Chapman went from a bad playoff run with the
Heat in '96 to an immortal run with the Suns in '97.

The Miami Heat Index's "Murdered You on Your Own Shit" Award Series: NBA Playoffs Edition continues with the 20 best performances on the road by NBA players in the last 20 years. Part One began the countdown with the players ranked 16-20. Part Two keeps it going with the players ranked 11-15.

NBA Playoffs: “Murdered You On Your Own Shit” Awards, Part 1

The Miami Heat Index's "Murdered You on Your Own Shit" Award Series: NBA Playoffs Edition begins with the 20 best performances on the road by NBA players in the last 20 years. Part One begins the countdown with the players ranked 16-20.

Dwyane Wade & LeBron James: Did the King Murder Wade On His Own Shit?

Classic Nas quote from his Jay-Z diss record, "Ether"

Was LeBron James’ performance last season better than Dwyane Wade’s?

Heat Check: August 2011

August 2011 at the Miami Heat Index was all about appreciation and hatred; lockouts and lineups; the Philadelphia Eagles and Mob Week; Kings, Princes, Paupers and Chalmers; Greatness, ‘The U’; role players and no trade clauses; coaching and contracts; and a search for the best in the world from Baltimore in 2011 to London in 2012.

Mario Chalmers: Point Guard Competition Is None

How does Mario Chalmers compare to eight other options at point guard for the Miami HEAT?

Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh or Kevin Durant: Who Will Be B.I.W. in 2012?

Kevin Durant outscored LeBron James in a summer league game but it will require another superhuman effort for him to claim the title of “Best in the World” from Dwyane Wade.

Mario Chalmers: Ghost of Point Guard Past, Present and Future

Mario Chalmers is the past, present and future solution for the Miami HEAT at point guard.

Heat Shit List: The Worst Contracts in Sports

The NBA will try to convince the NBPA to take a pay cut when they meet this week. Who do you think has the worst contract in sports?

Erik Spoelstra Earned an Extension, Not a Pink Slip

The "Fire Spo" crowd does not understand the masterful job Miami HEAT head coach Erik Spoelstra performed during the regular season and the playoffs last season.

LeBron James vs. Dwight Howard

It doesn't make sense to trade LeBron James for Dwight Howard after the two-time MVP outplayed the three-time Defensive Player of the Year head-to-head last season.

HEAT Check: Role Players are Niceties, Three Kings are Necessities for Championships

The Miami Heat need Three Healthy Kings, not role players, to win multiple championships. 

Heat Shit List: Difference Between Dwyane Wade & Grant Hill Is More Than a Ring

From: @NerdNumbers
Sent: Aug 16, 2011 12:54a

@ArturoGalletti @UptownReport @mia_heat_index At this point Wade is Grant Hill+a title.. We'll have to wait to see if his knees hold up.

sent via web
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/NerdNumbers/status/103328880659660800

Off the Index: NCAA & “The U” = Guns & Butter

Reporters like Charles Robinson, the Yahoo! writer that published the story on Nevin Shapiro and the University of Miami, are leeches sucking players dry just like the NCAA system they claim to expose.

NBA Lockout: 360 Deals are a Thin Line Between Hoops and Hip-Hop

This classic quote from King of New York 
may be the NBA's new bargaining position.

NBA owners may talk like gangsters behind closed doors, but the more they try to push their hands into players’ pockets during the lockout, the more the NBA starts to look like the dying recording industry.

Dwyane Wade: Where Will He Play If There's a Lockout?

Where will Dwyane Wade's love of the game take him to play during the NBA lockout?

Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and the Art of Greatness

Greatness in the NBA is more of an art than science. It requires the artist to master four techniques: Performance, Presence, Perseverance and the pursuit of Perfection.

HEAT Check: Miami Has a King, They Don’t Need a Prince

LeBron James’ production on both sides of the ball makes Tayshaun Prince a free agent the Miami HEAT don’t need.

Dwyane Wade to China Is No Red Menace For Miami Heat

Screenshot of Jordan Flight Tour promo video

There don’t seem to be enough compelling reasons for Dwyane Wade to leave the Miami Heat for China.

Shaq Kept It Gangsta During Mob Week

Several recent news stories illustrate Shaquille O'Neal was Godfather of the NBA on, and off, the court.

Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia Eagles: The Difference Is Not Collusion

The differences between free agency for the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Heat are race and talent — not collusion.

ESPN the Magazine Mic Check: Talent and Health are the Ingredients of Playoff Success

Despite two current holes in next season's starting lineup, the Three Kings' talent will be enough to get the HEAT into the playoffs as long as they're healthy. NBA teams without talent or health go through a lot of different starting lineups to find that same success but usually only get a lottery ticket instead.

Miami Heat Won't Lose Fans From NBA Lockout

Despite all the criticism of Miami's reputation for casual basketball fans, the NBA lockout will not drive fans away from the Miami HEAT next season.

Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh Were Appreciated but Hated

Voting for the All-Star and all-NBA teams showed that fans and reporters respected how good Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh were last season but all that respect just fueled their hate for them.

LeBron James Shouldn't Take PR Advice from ESPN

Why aren’t black athletes more open and honest with the media? Because deconstruction for white fans is self-destruction for black athletes.

Off the Index: Looking for Answers from the Director of “No Crossover”

In a Q&A session last night, director Steve James revealed that the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, “No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson” wasn’t really about “The Answer” but the Hampton, Virginia community’s reaction to the search for answers about the bowling alley brawl and trial that landed its brightest star athlete in prison.

Heat Check: Best NBA Players, Coaches and Basketball Wives

Some people were really impressed by LaMarcus Aldridge in this loss.

The most overrated player, coach and basketball wife on HeatFreak.com's Offseason Power Rankings were LaMarcus Aldridge, George Karl and La La Vazquez.

Heat Produced: Cost Efficiency

LeBron signs his HEAT contract. He's ambidextrous.
(Picture from hiphophoney.com)

LeBron James was the most underpaid player on the Miami HEAT in 2011 and Joel Anthony was the most overpaid.

Heat Check: Curious Cases of Curt Flood and LeBron James

Teaser

HBO's documentary, "The Curious Case of Curt Flood" shows that LeBron James was right when he said race played a part in reactions to "The Decision."

Heat Check: Is Dave Chappelle the Dwyane Wade of Comedians after Zo's Summer Groove?

Dave Chappelle is still one of the greatest comedians of all-time despite a rough night at Zo's Summer Groove.

Heat Check: NBA Lockout and Inception of Conventional Wisdom « Wages of Wins Journal

When it comes to the NBA lockout, the only idea more resilient and obstructive than the owners' desire to take money from the players is the conventional wisdom of the lockout itself.

Heat Check: Mavs Played Like Hockey Goons Because They Were On Ice

No wonder the Dallas Mavericks played like Hockey Goons in the NBA Finals... They were on ice the whole time!

Heat Check: Miami HEAT Announce 2011-12 Regular Season Schedule

HEAT Announces 2011-12 Regular Season Schedule

I have no interest in the NBA schedule released yesterday. Why not? Two words: NBA lockout. But if you are interested in analysis of the NBA schedule...

Which Colleges Produced the Most Heat?

Which NCAA schools provided the most productive HEAT players?

Earlier this week, I answered the question, "Which colleges produced the most wins in the NBA?" at the Wages of Wins Journal and Bleacher Report. Now, I'd like to answer that question for Miami.

Heat Check: Best In Class

Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade have
led the Miami Heat on and off the court.
Picture from zsg.com

LeBron James did not need a college education to be a valuable player for the Miami HEAT, but Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade proved their time in college made them very valuable players. No HEAT players with three or four years in college have been more productive than Mourning or Wade in franchise history.

From college seniors to high school seniors, let's take a look at the best HEAT players in each class.

Heat Check: Value of a College Education in the NBA

Would LeBron James have played better in the NBA Finals if he played four years of college basketball?

Heat Check: Yes, LeBron James Still Made the Right Decision

A year gone by and a loss in the NBA Finals don't change the fact that the Miami HEAT were a better fit for LeBron James than the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Heat Check: James Jones Opted Out. The Sky Is Blue, Too.

It should not be a surprise that James Jones declined the option for the last year of his contract at the veteran’s minimum.

HEATcast: Will Norris Cole and a Few Free Agents Give the HEAT ‘More than Enough’?

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com spent two podcasts discussing the HEAT’s trade for Norris Cole; how some of the competitors did in the NBA draft; and which “young, energetic veterans” should be targeted in free agency to give the HEAT “more than enough” to win an NBA title next season.

Heat Check: What Position Should Be Addressed in the Draft?

Dexter Pittman was the 32nd pick of last year’s NBA draft because the Miami Heat needed help at the center position since Jermaine O’Neal was a free agent. What position does the team need to address with the 31st pick in tonight’s NBA draft?

Heat Check: Coach Admits Mavs Played Like Hockey Goons To Put HEAT On Ice

This is an "I told you so" moment...

Off the Index: Defending Allen Iverson

The 2011 NBA Draft is Thursday and the typical articles on draft busts have been popping up on the blog circuit. An article at Hoopism was very good but an article at the new Wages of Wins Network blog, Shut Up and Jam, could use some work.

Allen Iverson has been a popular target for criticism on the Wages of Wins Network because the statistical models published in the Wages of Wins illustrated that he didn’t have the winning impact the media claimed. There’s no denying that Iverson’s poor shooting percentage and turnovers created as many problems as his scoring and steals created highlights, but James Brocato made a mistake when he used wins produced to label Iverson a mistake as the first pick in the 1996 draft.

Yes, it’s a little silly to defend an 11-time All-Star and future hall-of-famer labeled a “bust” by a blogger, but it just takes a little context and the same statistical models to illustrate why Iverson was the right choice for the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer of 1996.

Happy Father's Day: Seven Great Fatherhood Moments from the 2011 Heat Season

On this week's HEATcast, I asked HEAT fans to send me their favorite fatherhood memories from this season. Well, I got some great ones from Ms. Zakeya and Frank Esnard. You can check out their favorite moments and the Wins Produced stats associated with them at the slideshow linked below.

Miami Heat: Seven Great Fatherhood Moments from the 2011 Season | Bleacher Report

HEATcast: Tupac and Father's Day Is Therapy for Losing the NBA Finals

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index, HeatFreak.com and Hot Hot Hoops celebrated Tupac Shakur’s 40th birthday, discussed how the Heat lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, the reactions of players and fans and Father’s Day.

Heat Produced: How the 2011 Finals Were Lost

The Miami Heat lost the 2011 NBA Finals 4-2. The first season of the Three Kings ended in disappointment and failure with two consecutive bad losses at home.

Yes, it was a failure. All the players expected to win Game 6 and said as much on camera after practice the day before. Jason Jackson, the Miami Heat television host and courtside reporter, said it on the Dan Patrick Show. The goal of this season was to win the title. They didn’t do that. They failed.

The NBA season isn’t high school and this blog ain’t a yearbook. There won’t be any “had a great year” talk here. They lost the NBA Finals to an inferior team. That’s the cold, hard reality of what happened.

Let’s take a cold, hard look at the numbers from the 2011 NBA Finals...

Heat Produced: Quick Links & Stats for Game 6 of the NBA Finals

The Miami Heat lost Game 6 of the NBA Finals 105-95 to the Dallas Mavericks. No title in the Three Kings' first season together.

Links to the Wins Produced stats for the last game of the season after the jump.

Heat Produced: Quick Links to Stats for Game 5 of NBA Finals

The Miami Heat lost Game 5 of the 2011 NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks 103-112 and head back to the American Airlines Arena on Biscayne Boulevard trailing 2-3 in the series.