- 22 hours ago
Previewing the Miami Heat regular season with Miami Heat beat writer Ira Winderman. His take on the team includes high praise for Giannis and Coach Spo.
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00:00So I'm super excited.
00:01I think all of us on the show are super excited about the upcoming season.
00:04I'm more excited than I've been in a long time going into a heat season,
00:08but Stan Van Gundy is not.
00:10And so I'm wondering who's right, me or SVG?
00:16I don't know.
00:17I got to find out who's signing the paychecks,
00:19then I'll get back to you.
00:20But you know what?
00:22Stan has an interesting point as far as when you think of the great NBA teams
00:28and big threes, you think of great perimeter players, right?
00:31We think of Dwayne and LeBron.
00:33We think of Scottie and Michael.
00:35We think of, you look at the Nets try to do with Kyrie and Durant and Harden.
00:39The Heat are doing it such a different way.
00:41They're doing it with two bigs.
00:43I'm not so sure.
00:43I can tell you great dominant NBA teams where they said,
00:48we're building around the forward and we're building around the power forward.
00:52So I understand Stan Van Gundy's concerns.
00:55Channing, to me, this is like a team saying,
00:56we are going to have two great edge rushers, but God help our secondary.
01:01So if the edge rushers get there on time, you don't need a secondary.
01:04Otherwise, you're in trouble.
01:05I understand Stan's doubts because this hasn't been done before with the double big.
01:10But I got to tell you, if I'm going to take two bigs in this league,
01:14I would argue the Heat have the best one-two power combination in the entire NBA,
01:19which can't be a bad place to start.
01:22And Ira, talking about, and I guess a narrative or something that's coming out is like,
01:26they're teaching Giannis how to pass.
01:28He's going to be Magic Johnson and all.
01:31Like, is his game going to change?
01:33Is Spoh just this magician that's going to make a former MVP play better or something like that?
01:38Like, what is the real story of Giannis learning to pass?
01:42His game damn well better not change.
01:44He's one of the top five players.
01:45You don't get one of the top five players in the NBA and then change your game.
01:48What you do is you tell the other 14 guys, he's one of the top five players in the NBA.
01:54You change your game.
01:55You run.
01:57You funnel the defense into him.
01:59You make him better.
02:00It's a game where only five play at a time.
02:02You're telling the other four, you adjust.
02:04I don't want Giannis to change a goddamn thing except be out on the court more often than he hasn't
02:10in recent years.
02:11You don't get greatness and alter greatness.
02:13You alter everything else around the greatness.
02:16What is that level of greatness right now, though, Ira?
02:19Because it felt like coming into the year, there were a lot of people pining that Giannis has lost his
02:24fastball.
02:25He's coming off the season where he was injured.
02:27He's too old.
02:28I don't understand those criticisms when he's 31 years old as well.
02:33What can he be?
02:34Because I'm ready to plan the parade already watching him in preseason.
02:37But I'm also ready to say he's getting back to top three, top four player in the NBA caliber after
02:43what I've seen.
02:44Can he get back in that conversation?
02:46Let's start here.
02:47I would, you know, and again, your listeners can chime in, your text line or whatever.
02:51But I would posit that Giannis Antetokounmpo right now is the best player in the Eastern Conference.
02:57God bless Jalen Brunson and all five feet, 11 inches of him.
03:02God bless Jason Tatum who gets to take all the shots in Boston.
03:06But God bless Joel Embiid if he could ever stay healthy.
03:08But right now, I think any team in the Eastern Conference would trade their best player, Kawhi Leonard included, for
03:16Giannis Antetokounmpo.
03:17So again, get me to the finals like Jimmy Butler did.
03:20Just get me there.
03:21But I would say right now, there's still talent, still got Jokic, still got Shea out west.
03:26I get all that.
03:27Got Wemby out there.
03:29But when you have the best player in your conference, think about that.
03:32Every single Eastern Conference game, the Miami Heat play this season, they will have the best player on the floor.
03:39That's a pretty damn good place to start.
03:42Wow.
03:42I hadn't really considered that, but I think you're right.
03:44They have the most talented player, the most well-rounded player in the entire Eastern Conference.
03:52Yeah.
03:52So I don't get why people are sleeping on them.
03:55And maybe, again, I'm just pulling out specific.
03:59I mean, Stan Van Gundy, he was pretty clear.
04:01He thinks Giannis is oft injured, right?
04:03I think it was an aberration last season, but that was one of his criticisms.
04:08Who else did we see?
04:09Solana, was it John Hollinger?
04:11Had a ninth place.
04:12Yeah, ninth place.
04:13The general managers had the Heat seventh place.
04:16I understand this is different.
04:18Most GMs go, according to Hoyle, they try to say, this is how you build a team.
04:22Again, no team has been built like this in recent years.
04:25I can remember.
04:26Even the Knicks, when they had two bigs, didn't play Mitchell Robinson next to Carl Anthony Towns.
04:31It is different.
04:31But I'll say this one thing.
04:33To all these equations that you throw in there, the Heat have Eric Spolstra and the other teams don't.
04:40And you might downplay a coach in the NFL where you have 22 starters or an MLB where it's up
04:45to the pitchers.
04:46But in the NBA, I think the coach matters more than any other sport.
04:50And again, so here's what I'm saying.
04:52You have the best player in the East.
04:53I think we have a consensus there.
04:55And the coaches, the GMs voted you have the best coach in the NBA.
04:59That's a pretty damn good place to start, isn't it, guys?
05:02Best player, best coach?
05:04And I was with some Knicks fans, so, you know, take it for what it is.
05:07But their joke was, oh, the Heat are going to win games 72 to 70.
05:12Their defense is going to be set.
05:13How are they going to get to 100?
05:15And we've talked to a number of people.
05:16Giannis is going to give you 30.
05:18Bama will give you mid-20s.
05:19I got my math, Ira.
05:20That's 55.
05:21Like, there's questions about this offense.
05:23To your point about having your team based around two bigs.
05:27They will get their points through some of the best three-point shooting in the NBA.
05:31Who knows?
05:32Maybe some of the best in history.
05:33Look, I mean, they have Klay Thompson, top 10 all time.
05:36They have Tim Hardaway Jr.
05:37People forget, top 10 all time in threes.
05:39You have Bobby Portis, best percentage by a regular last year in the NBA at 46%.
05:45You have Andrew Wiggins, top, was a 40% shooter last year.
05:50It's going to be a lot of inside-outside.
05:52Jason Jackson and Amy Otterberg were up in Orlando with Eric Spolster today.
05:56And they talked about how everything's either been layups or three-point shots this year.
06:00That's what they want.
06:00So, it might not look dynamic as a dipsy-doodle, double-pump layup by a driving guard.
06:06They don't have that.
06:07But it'll look like a lot of guys wide open in the corner when they're triple-teaming and building a
06:13wall against Giannis
06:14and a double-team against Bam and hitting shots.
06:16There will be a lot of over-the-top excitement for the Heat this year.
06:20As a matter of fact, I checked with Eric Reid, and he just called Amazon today and ordered another two
06:25cases of kabooms
06:26because I think they're going to make that many three-pointers.
06:29It's a big preseason order for Eric Reid.
06:34Speaking of Amazon, I know Solana has a question.
06:36Speaking of Amazon, so Solana had told us, Ira had told me this morning, to bring you behind the curtain,
06:42Ira had told us this morning that he had a new microphone.
06:44He wanted to check it out.
06:45So, Solana said, I'll jump on with him this afternoon, and I'll test out his new mic.
06:49And Solana texted us, and he said, Ira's new mic looks like the PA mic at Publix.
06:56And so, I thought that was a very funny comment.
06:59I sent that to my thread with Whittingham and Appel.
07:04And Appel has tuned into this segment on YouTube, and he said, you look like Bill Kennedy giving a replay
07:12review explanation.
07:14And you really do.
07:15You look, especially because it's got, you know, the backdrop behind you looks like a stadium.
07:20You look like you're leaning in and giving a replay review explanation.
07:23You know, and like I told the guys during the break, I carry so much crap on the road that
07:27basically I look for two things.
07:28The lightest microphone that will be better than my computer.
07:31And also, like I told the guys, I'm going to be honest here, when you scroll through Amazon, you start
07:35at the left at the cheapest and the right at the most expensive.
07:38And I'm a left-hand guy.
07:39So, I'm like, oh, let's see what audio sound might sound like for $14.97, which is why I did
07:45try it out with Solana.
07:47But I have so much crap in my work bag, and I carry so much into the arena with my
07:51electronics and my hotspot in case the wireless doesn't work.
07:55There's so much going on.
07:56So, I thought I'd get something in the middle.
07:57Well, I am able to announce BOGOs ahead of anyone.
08:01I honestly was at Publix earlier, the Trident gum in the package, and Goldfisher both buy one, get one free.
08:07So, you want to be there.
08:08And again, if you're going to make a return, I need the complete package.
08:12Ira, did you take that from the scores table at the Kaseya Center?
08:15Be honest.
08:15Yeah, it's looking bad.
08:16It's exactly.
08:17It's like I said, if they're going to retire Mike Biamonte, I'm taking the Biamonte microphone there exactly.
08:22Come on, give us a little replay.
08:23All of a sudden, I feel like Bill Kennedy.
08:25Yes.
08:25Give us an explanation.
08:26Give us an explanation.
08:27I got to tell you, if it's not Bill Kennedy, and Solana knows this, I don't want to be the
08:33other end of the spectrum where Tony Brothers says what happened on a play.
08:37And even my wife goes, what the hell did he just say?
08:40Some guys are made for this.
08:42I mean, Zach Zarb is great at it also.
08:44You know, Monty McCutcheon started it.
08:46He's in charge of the referees.
08:48So, I just want to be in that middle group right there.
08:50But if you're saying I sound like Tony Brothers, I will send it back to Amazon and get another one
08:54next week.
08:56So, Ira, how is it that you think this season's going to start for Miami?
09:00Because about two weeks ago, I was telling Hawken Crowder, hey, defensively, this team is going to be so good
09:08that they're going to beat up on teams early on in the season.
09:10And I thought the offense, it would take some time to really get to where they want to be.
09:14I don't know.
09:15I mean, the pace has been there.
09:16They're the fastest team in the NBA again in the preseason.
09:19And Giannis has looked unbelievable in three preseason games.
09:23Do you feel like the Heat are going to jump out of the gate like they did a season ago
09:27and have a really strong start here based on the defense, sure, but also how good the offense has looked?
09:33Well, I mean, obviously averaging 120, having all these 35, 40-point quarters, there's two things I want to see,
09:38and we'll see it in the first two weeks.
09:40What happens on the back-to-backs?
09:41First week of the season, you have the opener Wednesday against the Timberwolves.
09:45Friday, you host the Pistons.
09:47Saturday, you're at Charlotte.
09:48Second week of the season, you have a game where you're at the Clippers the next night at the Warriors.
09:53Can this pace hold up on back-to-backs?
09:56Do you push Giannis on to – everyone's 30 years old here.
09:59Bam's just about there.
10:00Giannis is there.
10:01Wiggins is there.
10:02Hardaway is there.
10:02Clay is there.
10:03So this whole run through the preseason is great when you've had five games over three weeks.
10:08But what happens when you hit the back-to-backs?
10:10They will have to run.
10:11That's what they're built for.
10:13It's Giannis at full speed.
10:14But I do wonder, and I even put this in my AskIra at sunsetable.com today, can Clay Thompson at
10:1936 keep up this pace?
10:21Can the older players keep up this pace?
10:24Spoke and tell him all he wants.
10:25He wants him to run.
10:26But you know what?
10:27It's like those video games.
10:28When that power level goes down a little bit, all of a sudden you're not as sure if you're going
10:33to wind up being able to activate when you need to.
10:35So I think the running game is the preference game.
10:37The running game will get him to 120 a night.
10:40But can they keep the pace up?
10:41We'll find that out, I think, early with the back-to-backs.
10:44Real quick, before we run out of time, let me just look around the league for a second.
10:48The Sixers, what will they be in your opinion?
10:51They will be too much and over the top because everyone wants the ball.
10:55And you can talk all you want about sacrifice.
10:57But NBA guys want their touches.
11:00I am so curious.
11:01Jalen Brown, all he wanted to do was be a star and be a leading man, and he was loving
11:05it when Tatum was out from the perspective of being a number one guy.
11:09Well, what's he now in Philly?
11:11We know he's behind Maxie.
11:12We know if Embiid plays, he's behind him.
11:14He might be behind LeBron.
11:16I want to see Brown's body language and how that plays out.
11:20I want to see Joel Embiid, if he can make it through or if they'll have to slow play him.
11:24I want to see if Tyrese Maxie takes a step back because he was one of the ultimate emerging players
11:30last year.
11:30And you know what?
11:31You can talk about timeless LeBron all you want.
11:34But when you get to your 40s and you get up in age like that, I want to see.
11:38Yeah, on paper, most talented team in the NBA.
11:41But you can only play five at a time and there's only one ball at a time.
11:45I'm really curious to see usage-wise how that plays out.
11:49Is LeBron going to be heroic, though?
11:52Is he going to be beloved or is this going to be an abject failure?
11:55If this whole helicopter thing picks up steam like it is in the brutal Philly market,
12:00of the first thing he does after practicing games is get the hell out of there,
12:04what kind of city of brotherly love vibe are you sending off
12:07when the first thing you want to do is not be where your team is?
12:11Jenny, you know this.
12:12There's a whole bunch of talk about Dolphins players who don't live down here in the offseason.
12:15People scrutinize that to a degree.
12:17Fans want you to be part of them.
12:19And Philly fans who are bonkers about their team, they want him to be one of them.
12:24I think every time we see that helicopter shot, I think it's going to create some doubts in that market.
12:29And I just don't understand that between weather and the winter,
12:33and God forbid what happened to Kobe and the inherent dangers and all that,
12:36it just seems like a bit much.
12:38If you didn't want to be there, you shouldn't be there.
12:41And Ira, with the LeBron thing, wherever he goes, he's going to be the face of the team.
12:46He's LeBron James.
12:47But where could he have went where it wouldn't mess up the dynamic of it
12:51if he went to the Knicks like he brought up?
12:53Now Jalen Brunson gets less touches.
12:55Is Carl Anthony Jones upset?
12:56And he said that, and they won a title, and it made no sense.
12:58It should have been Cleveland.
12:59It would have been the perfect story.
13:01He could have stepped back, go back to his home grounds.
13:04They've struggled in the playoffs the last couple of years.
13:06That would have made the most sense.
13:08But I don't begrudge LeBron a goddamn thing for this reason.
13:11When you are him, just like when you're Michael or someone like that,
13:14if you want to play for the Wizards, Michael, at the end, God bless you.
13:17The Chief, Robert Parrish, if you want to go to Charlotte and Boston
13:20or Patrick Ewing to Seattle, if guys want to play, they should be able to play.
13:24But yes, it's going to look very awkward seeing him in that uniform,
13:27but I can't begrudge the greatest if that's what he wants to do.
13:31Read Ira Winderman's work in the Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel app,
13:35and make sure you subscribe to the Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel app as well,
13:40and follow him on social media at IraHeatBeat.
13:44Always appreciate your time.
13:45We'll speak with you throughout the season,
13:48and anytime there's a cleanup on aisle six.
13:51And I will need a receipt for all returns.
13:53Thanks, guys.
13:54Bye-bye.