HEAT | Conf-Finals - Game #6 - Rose shoots 1-14

[Martti.]

It'd D-Wade's team. If anyone takes a backseat, it's LeBron.

I prefer Wade too, even though LBJ is a better player. I meant to say in my Association that is what I have noticed in 2k11, strangely enough.

Yeah, I know what you meant. At least I'll know when Wade goes down, I should be fine.

[Axel The Great]

What's your big hate towards "LeBrick" Valor? WTH is that? Just curious.

I don't like self-loving, attention-seeking, egoistic, classless narcissists, that's all.

Never liked his self-proclaim title of being the "King", all of his actions on and off the court (quitting on his team before the game ended, not shaking hands and the self justification, numerous travels and laughable denies - crab dribble? the dunk tape thingy at the camp, all the comments on new york while he was still a cleveland cavalier, quitting in the playoffs and making excuses for it...oh, and embarrassing his home-state on national tv has to count)

I also hate all the media hype he has received before he has done anything in the league. He didn't deserve those MVPs, he's not a winner that everyone says he is, and he certainly is no "next michael jordan", he's not even better than Kobe and Kobe is still far away from the GOAT.

It's not like I'm just being a non-reasonable, blinded "hater" that a lot of people are. It's the numerous, repeated actions that has caused my dislike for that player, or person in general.

Understandable. All that you mentioned is enough to get tons of people to dislike you, yet, I find myself not disliking him, but not a fan, either. I guess the fact that I don't like the Lakers makes me like LeBron more.

[Martti.]

Played against the Celtics on All-Star, won by 30. I shot 52% and had 17 turnovers, but still. I still have to edit the opponents FG% sliders, Celtics shot just 35%. Then I'll play again.

[Valor]

Played against the Celtics on All-Star, won by 30. I shot 52% and had 17 turnovers, but still. I still have to edit the opponents FG% sliders, Celtics shot just 35%. Then I'll play again.

2K11 sliders sound like a pain in the ass to get right...

[Martti.]

I'm gonna try one on the hardest level, maybe that will make things more intriguing.

Valor, also, Korver for 6thMOY!

[hova-]

I like my sliders pretty much right now. The only thing which is tough to get right is the stamina, as I have it at zero and still could play Evans 48 minutes per game most of the time.

I hope you start this soon. Really looking forward to see how you will play with the Heat.

[Axel The Great]

Definitely will follow if Martti. doesn't bench Joel Anthony like Spo did in real life.

[Valor]

I'm gonna try one on the hardest level, maybe that will make things more intriguing.

Valor, also, Korver for 6thMOY!

I'll be happy if either him or Odom gets it

EDIT: In Real Life i mean

[Martti.]

Valor - Actually I hope Haslem gets it.

Sorry about the delay, I have the settings/sliders worked out, it's just a matter of starting it. Next week will be busy too, just stay tuned.

[Martti.]

Miami Heat's sacrifices are for love of the game
By DAN LE BATARD, Miami Herald



There's an uncommon story pulsating at the heart of this Miami Heat team, somehow buried beneath the angry noise and burning jerseys smoldering all around LeBron James.

What about the other hour? The one that wasn't televised?

Is it possible in this hostile climate, around the most hated team in America, for people to even notice the love story?

"It's confusing and unfortunate to me that people don't really see what we did,'' Miami's Udonis Haslem said.

Haslem, loyal employee, team player and proud Miamian, was on the way to what he thought was his exit interview, to thank Pat Riley for discovering him and to say goodbye. The Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks were offering him $34 million, and Haslem was telling his buddy Dwyane Wade by text that all his good time in Miami was now done.

Haslem knew Miami didn't have enough money remaining to compete with Dallas and Denver after signing James, Wade and Chris Bosh, and he couldn't take a one-year minimum contract in Miami with his ill mother dying and family members to support. He had taken millions less once to re-sign here and remain near his beloved Liberty City. He couldn't ignore an extra $30 million now, on perhaps his last contract, no matter how much he loved this city and organization and Wade.

"You'll always be my brother,'' Haslem texted Wade as he walked into Riley's office to say goodbye.

UNPRECEDENTED

Something that doesn't have a lot of precedent in American sports happened then. Wade called Bosh and asked him to cut $15 million off his salary for Haslem. Wade called James and asked him to do the same. Bosh and James barely knew Haslem. Just a few short conversations here and there. But Wade told them this team needed someone hungry and gritty and unselfish like Haslem, and promised to cut $17 million out of his own contract to make it happen, too.

"They said `I'm in' without hesitating,'' Wade said Sunday.

What?

"No questions asked,'' Wade said.

None?

"Not one,'' Wade said. "They respected UD as a player. And they trusted me as a leader and friend.''

Haslem was in the middle of what he thought was his exit meeting with Riley when Haslem's agent came into the room. Heat owner Micky Arison walked in, too, with Heat numbers savant Andy Elisburg, all of them working to figure out how to get Haslem to $20 million and make room for Haslem's ex-University of Florida teammate Mike Miller, too. Haslem was asked to please leave the room.

"Everything changed in that one hour,'' Haslem says. "I was outside, and I didn't know what was going on. I figured I was pretty much gone.''

Then his agent emerged with an offer $14 million less than what was being offered in Dallas and Denver.

"It took me less than five minutes to accept it,'' Haslem says.

Haslem reached out to James and Bosh after his agent explained what they had done. "Thank you,'' he told them. "You didn't make a mistake. I won't let you down.''

And he called Wade with words not often heard in this muscled world.

"I love you,'' he said.

This was hardly about charity. Wade was very close friends with Dorell Wright, too, and he didn't do this for him. Wade wanted someone on his side who, like Matt Damon's friends in Goodwill Hunting, would take a bat to the head for him. He figured this team -- "the most hated sports team of my era,'' as Haslem calls it -- would need a rugged man like that.

"This wouldn't have felt complete or whole without him,'' Wade says. "The bigger picture is about sacrifice. We are sacrificing recognition, shots, minutes, money. People say athletes are selfish and care only about money, but they're going to have to find another way to criticize us here.''

FAMILY FIRST

Haslem is a hard, tough man covered in scowls and muscles and tattoos. He has been Miami's scrappy enforcer for years. He doesn't do a lot of smiling and is not a man prone to syrupy expressions of affection in this world of testosterone and machismo. But you can hear his voice give a little when talking about what Wade and this team did for him.

"Our bond is beyond basketball,'' Haslem says. "It's love. It's not business. It's family. I would do anything for Dwyane. That gesture has no price. Family has no price. Fourteen million dollars doesn't add up to what I would have been leaving behind.''

Haslem had been an emotional mess for months, as his ill mother withered away, shuttling her between doctors and nurses and appointments. He had discussed with her the possibility that he might leave Miami, and, like all good mothers, she implored him to do whatever made him happiest.

When he returned to her hospital bed after what was supposed to be his exit meeting, to tell her what the new members of her favorite team had done, his mother, a woman of profound faith, closed her eyes and gave praise to God. She felt so grateful and blessed that her son was surrounded by so many people who loved and supported and valued him.

"It was the last time,'' Haslem says, "that I got to see her smile.''

You don't forget things like that, not as long as you live. You don't forget the friends who gave and loved and sacrificed and let you lean on them when you were weak. You don't forget, at your mother's wake, when Riley walks into the room trailed by Heat employee after Heat employee and Heat teammate after Heat teammate.

Denver and Dallas had more money under the salary cap, millions more, but they didn't have anything at all that could compete with that.

-- via Miami Herald.

[Valor]

come on, you're better than that Martti. write up something of your own

[Martti.]

Valor, just wanted you guys to know the love in Miami, that it's not just 3 guys playing together to win 35 titles.

[Valor]

Valor, just wanted you guys to know the love in Miami, that it's not just 3 guys playing together to win 35 titles.

Some quotes in that article shouts the word "homo"

Either way, Miami still has the biggest asshole in the world

[Martti.]

This will get off some time in December. My cousin from the States is visiting and I'll show her around. Sorry. In the meanwhile, keep seeing the real Miami Heat losing games.

[Martti.]

Heat sign Dampier



The Heat signed Dampier to a veteran-minimum contract today.

The Heat waived the non-guaranteed contract of Jerry Stackhouse in order to make room on the roster for Dampier.

Dampier is expected to make his debut with the rest of the team against the Celtics, despite missing training camp.

[Martti.]

Heat (103) - Celtics (96)

The Heat fell behind 6-0 and missed their first 5 shots, but got their act together as the game wore on and were able to hold off the Celtics, 103-96.

The Big Three made their debu and all scored at least 19 points, Wade led the way with 24. LeBron had 22 points and 9 assists, but also committed half of Miami's 14 turnovers. Bosh shot just 5-14, but got to the line 10 times, sinking 9 of those. The trio combined for 65 points and 16 assists.

Paul Pierce led the home team with 22, Kevin Garnett had 19. Shaq was huge, finishing with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Rajon Rondo had trouble finding his game, finishing with just 6 points and 6 turnovers. He did have 9 assists.

Despite Miami's hot start, the Heat reallied back behind LeBron and D-Wade. LeBron's dunk over Shaq was the first basket for the new-look Heat and got the team going. They responded with a 12-2 run from that point on and the Celtics needed a time-out. After a hard-fought first quarter, which ended with a three at the buzzer by Eddie House, the Heat held a 3-point lead.

House repeated himself, knocking down the game-winner before half, extending the lead to 7, 57-50. The Heat lead by as many as 13 in the second half, but the Celtics never let the deficit grow beyond that, coming back as close as 7 on many occasions.

Ray Allen's three with 1.13 left narrowed the margin to just 5, but Udonis Haslem scored a lay-up on the other end. It was Allen's only made three-pointer, he missed 2 after that make and the Heat were able to score in transition.

The Heat will visit Philadelphia next, while the Celtics face LeBron's former team, the Cavaliers.

Player of the Game : Dwyane Wade


| 24 PTS | 3 REBS | 5 ASTS | 2 STLS | 1 BLKS | 10-17 FG | 2-5 3 PT FG | 2-2 FT

Key Performers :

Heat :

LeBron James : 22 points, 9 assists
Chris Bosh : 19 points, 5 rebounds, 9-10 FT
Udonis Haslem : 7 points, 9 rebounds
Joel Anthony : 6 points, 6 rebounds

Celtics :

Paul Pierce : 22 points, 9-23 FG
Kevin Garnett : 19 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 blocks, 9-15 FG
Shaquille O'Neal : 11 points, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks





1-0 @ home | 2-0 @ road | 3-0 record


@ BOS | Played | POTG : Dwyane Wade


@ PHI | Simulated | POTG : LeBron James (30 points, 5 assists, 12-16 FG, 4-4 3PT)


@ PHI | Simulated | POTG : Dwyane Wade (37 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 14-22 FG, 9-9 FT)



D-Wade, Dirk named players of the week
Iverson blows off Turkey, signs with Phoenix
Grant Hill : This is my last season
Sonny Weems could be on the move

[dare]

Sucks that you win all three games, anyways hoping for a major injury on your team soon

[Martti.]

dare, yeah, I bet most of the followers do. I hope the sim engine can help me get a realistic record. With Albys's new roster, the Heat aren't that dominating too, so let's hope for the best.

[Martti.]

What do you guys think of the template?

[newc]

The template is great

I like Bosh's 5 rebounds against Celtics "How do you call a power forward with 5 rebounds? A shooting guard"

[Valor]

boo, I was hoping you'll go 0-3

[Clutch]

Stay healthy man and you should plow through many so-so teams (even though the Heat's ironically playing like a so-so team IRL)

[kibaxx7]

Stay healthy man and you should plow through many so-so teams (even though the Heat's ironically playing like a so-so team IRL)

+1 Liking the template man.

[john26]

Agree with newc, Thierry •, the template is nice. Great start maybe you could reach the 70 win mark?

[Martti.]

Thanks guys for the replies, I'll stick with this lay-out.

john26, it depends on what the sim engine does. I doubt I'll reach it in the first year, but we'll see. To keep things true to life, I'd have to win like 50 games.

Valor, hahaa. LeBron would be critized on every decision he made. Benji pointed it out somewhere.

LeBron stays in Cleveland: Oh, he can't handle the pressure from playing in Chicago or New York, he was too afraid of this, so he fled back home to mommy. Now he will never win a title and never be able to establish his potential and legacy.

LeBron goes to Chicago: LeBron is kidding himself if he thinks he can ever replace or stand up to Jordan. If he wins a title, he needed a superstar in Derrick Rose and a 20/10 big man in Carlos Boozer to do so. Jordan never needed a star PG or big man, LeBron will never be the greatest. And he really plunged the knife into the back of Cleveland by going to their greatest rival.

LeBron goes to New York: This betrayal was planned from the start, LeBron doesn't care about loyalty or winning, he only cares about his brand and that's why he went to the Knicks who are nowhere near good enough to ever win a title. (This one would be most reserved because of the obvious core sports media location.)

LeBron goes to the Clippers or Dallas: Who does he think he is thinking he can defeat Kobe Bryant in his own town/conference, LeBron doesn't have the winners mentality, he will always be in Kobe's shadow.