**Official HEAT Media Day Thread**

[RexBoyWonder]

Beas is still a gifted scorer when his head is right. Everything he sais makes me think he'll do whatever he can to make this work, He'll ork hard and be serious this time. But the biggest challenge is for Spo - It's Spo's job to find a way to make Beas play smart and play with confidence, and find him the right role and help him be productive. Beas does have a useful skillset, it's just a question of utilising it in our system.

[SmushedPennies]

The confidence thing is also on the vets. Wade, LeBron, UD, and Ray seem up to the task, though.

[caliban]

Some Beasley clips and talk for us who doesn't have local Florida TV

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNa3ROnSkg0[/youtube]

[mopper8]

Going back and reading through training camp articles, and a lot of guys talking about having lost weight, the need to reinvent the team identity again, etc, and I get the feeling we might not play small nearly as much this year. Both Lebron and Battier seemed to hint at expecting to play more on the wing. Andersen losing 10 lbs could mean he'll have an easier time pushing past 15 mpg towards 20ish. If we are expecting to get 10-15 from Oden, then you're looking at 30-35 mpg from those guys at the C spot. Obviously we could still play 4 perimeters with either of those two (and we did with Andersen at times last year), but I just get the sense we will be doing that less. Also given that Beasley could be taking some of those minutes at the 4 as well and providing plenty of stretch at the spot, might further mitigate the need to play Battier/Lebron there.

Should be interesting to see how that all plays out.

[SmushedPennies]

Yeah I was reading that Ira article today. Hard to tell if they all answered similarly because of an evolved team approach or leading questions, though. I guess the question is whether or not we see more Bird/Bosh or Bird/UD lineups this season. I think the answer is yes, at least for the former.

I was messing around with some probable lineup combinations and realized that the only lineup really where LeBron is entrenched as the four would be the Big 3 + Ray/Rio. It's kind of exaggerated how much 4 he plays, especially now that Mike's gone and Michael's back. Usually Battier is taking the 4 assignment defensively when we go LeBron/Bird + shooters.

[Mars]

Repeating the question again for Spoelstra

By Michael Wallace | ESPN.com
Oct 6, 2013

MIAMI – This time a year ago, coach Erik Spoelstra tried to ban the term "repeat" from the Miami Heat's vocabulary as they set out to capture back-to-back NBA titles.

Now, Spoelstra is publicly embracing the challenging burden as the Heat try to become only the fourth team in league history to win three consecutive championships.

So why the tweak in approach?

Perhaps a lucrative contract extension, an even deeper confidence in a LeBron James-led roster that returns almost completely intact and a collective determination to chase history yet again all have something to do with it.

“They understand what we're playing for,” Spoelstra said as the Heat enter Sunday's scrimmage at AmericanAirlines Arena. “There's a level of excitement leading up to the season. We understand this season does mean something. It's not insignificant and it's not dreadful. If you don't have passionate guys that love the game, that love to play for something significant, then yeah, the mental fatigue and all the excuses you can come up with can be an issue.”

The Heat play their preseason opener Monday night at home against Atlanta. But Spoelstra, entering his sixth season and now the longest-tenured coach in the Eastern Conference, is already in mid-season motivational mode.

It seems nearly impossible to top a historic season that saw the Heat win a franchise-record 66 games, establish the second-longest winning streak in NBA history at 27 straight victories and then notch Game 7 wins in both the conference and NBA Finals. Don't tell that to Spoelstra.

From LeBron's next frontier to closing in on the league's latest dynasty, here's Spoelstra's take on 10 key topics as the Heat gear up for what could be another magical ride....

Link

[SmushedPennies]

1. It hardly seems like the Miami Heat are desperate to make a move after three straight Finals appearances (and back-to-back titles), but word is they’ve explored what backup point guard Norris Cole may bring in return. Cole is entering his third season, and while inconsistent offensively, is one of the league’s staunchest on-ball defenders.

2. As an aside, the Heat are vying to become the first team to make four straight Finals appearances since the Boston Celtics did it from 1983-87.

3. Nor has any team won three straight titles since Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers (200-02). “The Heat stand a chance, which is kind of a shame, because (coach Erik) Spoelstra has gotten his butt kicked every time,” an opposing general manager told FOX Sports Ohio. “But you gotta have the stars, and he does.”

http://www.foxsportsohio.com/story/the- ... eedID=3725

[aquaadverse]

1. It hardly seems like the Miami Heat are desperate to make a move after three straight Finals appearances (and back-to-back titles), but word is they’ve explored what backup point guard Norris Cole may bring in return. Cole is entering his third season, and while inconsistent offensively, is one of the league’s staunchest on-ball defenders.

2. As an aside, the Heat are vying to become the first team to make four straight Finals appearances since the Boston Celtics did it from 1983-87.

3. Nor has any team won three straight titles since Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers (200-02). “The Heat stand a chance, which is kind of a shame, because (coach Erik) Spoelstra has gotten his butt kicked every time,” an opposing general manager told FOX Sports Ohio. “But you gotta have the stars, and he does.”

http://www.foxsportsohio.com/story/the- ... eedID=3725

More like a butt hurt GM. I'm pretty sure Spo didn't sit Hibbert and Duncan with the game in balance or not foul up 3 with 5 seconds left.

[SmushedPennies]

Not to mention he wiped the floor with Brooks in '12.

Clearly this GM had an agenda. Why go out of your way to call out Spo and call it a shame? This game has always come down to great players, anyway.