Battier injury (sprained knee)

[caliban]

(Update: LeBron James said at Monday's practice that Battier would be out a few games).

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamih ... er-injured


If it's turn out to be just a few games, it's not that bad.

But i want to start the "give Jorts a chance" bandwagon.

Lewis needs to get more minutes and he will, but he should come off the bench.
UD will get some minutes, but he aint never coming back to being the old UD.

Harrellson Can be exactly what we need, if he'll just get a chance. He seem to have good instinct for rebounders, he's big and quite mobile. i really think he can get rebounds just as good as UD.
He's shooting 3's, so we know he has a jump shot and can spread the floor (that's more then we can say about UD lately). and he's big, tough, hard worker on defense. (that's more then we can about Lewis). Give the Kid a **** chance.

With that said, just watch how Spo gives UD all Battier's minutes.

I'm aboard on the 'give Harrellson a chance' wagon. If Battier is out 3 games it's a good opportunity to see what he can contribute with. Maybe he's looking good out there and if he doesn't, at least we know. What harm can it possibly do, it's the beginning of the season and we're sleepwalking half of the time on defense anyway. Maybe the egos of the roster-vets like Haslem and Lewis are too fragile, what do i know. Having a hard time picturing Jorts not out-working them in the gym. It could serve as a wake up call for them as well.

[Shv3d]

Has Lewis become the James Jones of this Heat roster? I just really dont understand why hes not getting more time in the rotation...

Because Spo isn't convinced that UD is washed up yet.

[420]

This will be a good opportunity for James Jones and Terrell Harris to show that they can contribute.

[This IsMy House]

This will be a good opportunity for James Jones and Terrell Harris to show that they can contribute.

I'd rather that be for Lewis, Jorts, and Harris. JJ is such a defensive liability, worse than Allen.

[xStanton27]

Its Rashards time to show that he deserves significant time. Main guys off the bench in the playoffs need to be Allen and Lewis. I feel like he should be getting just as much time as RayRay off the bench.

[SweetTouch]

So now were back to being stuck with one good perimeter defender above 6'4'

And we got the Spurs next?

My body ain't ready

[ricochet]

how long is he out?

I hope its just days issue.Dont want weeks or months.be ready for playoffs battier!

day to day.

He'll be Fine. The Miami Heat as an organization has always handled injuries well.

No need to rush in back in november.

AMEN to that

[narmerguy]

Seriously let's see some Jorts. I just want to see him in a game for us. Why not give the dude a shot?

[Heat fan06]

Surprised he hasn't..

[DefenseWins]

Spo should just give Rashard some minutes.... not give UD all of them, please no. I can feel the clutterness when UD is in there. Just no spacing.

Lewis has been fine from 3 and offensively this year. I don't understand why he fell out of the rotation. We have been winning though... so who knows...

Heat have a lot of time off these days so... it should be ok. Early in the season too. When he gets back he would have to try to be in a groove again... his 3 point shooting has been better than last year at the start. He might have a period again where he struggles.

[krikor]

I thought lewis had minor injuries and we were careful.I couldnt imagine him falling out of rotation..

[krikor]

So now he missed 2 games, any timetable for return?

[Heat fan06]

Shard has played well when given chance.. Just his D isn't great that's why Spo doesn't play him enough

[Mars]

Battier patient

Heat forward Shane Battier said he was uncertain if he would be able to return for Tuesday's road game against the Washington Wizards, after missing the past two games with a sprained right knee.

"I feel good. I'm staying with the rehab," he said. "I really haven't tested it. You don't really know until you really test it and get after it."

The Heat had Sunday off and return to practice Monday.

"The conservative play is the wise play right now," Battier said.

Link

[Tony15]

That sounds like he's going to miss the Wizards game. It's fine though, I'd rather him back against the Knicks anyhow. That's IF the injury isn't serious.

[narmerguy]

It's not really a pressing need for us to have Battier back ASAP. He can heal up and we can still probably beat any team in the league.

[Pimpwerx]

Shard has played well when given chance.. Just his D isn't great that's why Spo doesn't play him enough

Sad to say, but I don't think it's a coincidence that our defensive performance improved once Shard dropped from the rotation. I feel like we were also worst defensively while he was on the court last night. I didn't think anything of it, because it's not like we were getting beaten up by forwards, but I guess the numbers must reflect that somehow. Until he gets his defensive mindset right, I don't expect to see him too much. PEACE.

[-MK-]

Shard has played well when given chance.. Just his D isn't great that's why Spo doesn't play him enough

Sad to say, but I don't think it's a coincidence that our defensive performance improved once Shard dropped from the rotation. I feel like we were also worst defensively while he was on the court last night. I didn't think anything of it, because it's not like we were getting beaten up by forwards, but I guess the numbers must reflect that somehow. Until he gets his defensive mindset right, I don't expect to see him too much. PEACE.

http://www.82games.com/1213/1213MIA2.HTM

Interestingly enough, if you look at points per possession allowed among the top five-man floor units that have played at least 20 total minutes (the top 7 units), the best defensive unit has been Cole-Wade-Allen-Lewis-Haslem (in 49.7 minutes, 2nd highest).
That unit has also allowed the least opponent shots from close range, has the best net turnover percentage, the 3rd best REB% and the 4th lowest effective shooting percentage allowed to opponents.

But it's a small sample size and the last 2 games are not included there yet. And there's a good chance that unit played mostly against opponents' bench players.