Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics - 1/2/2015 1:00 PM EST

[Paz]

Hi everybody. First time I'm posting on the entire forum.

Not a specific fan of the Heat, but watching a lot of games since the season started. First, to see how the post-Lebron era would be, then pumped up by the Whiteside signing.

Then Whiteside breaking out. So freakin' good.

I was really interested in watching Tyler Johnson the last two games and I've noticed that he's a better and more polished creator than the other supposed PGs on the roster.

Is he a point guard? Or a shooting guard, but with a great timing and knack for passes? I've seen a very good IQ from the guy, finding Whiteside so well. Making a good D-Wade impersonation with those passes.

The guy is so much better than Cole apparently and the developing staff very wise and careful to their young players, I'm hoping he makes the team for the season when the 2nd 10 day contract is up.

Welcome aboard

[Italian Job]

Thank you.

I was just thinking now...

http://www.sportstats.com/basketball/china/cba/" target="_blank

The CBA Regular Season ended today.
Xinjiang ended with a 38-13 record, good for 9th seed, out of Playoffs.

And you know what?

That team featured Andray Blatche and Jordan Crawford. They're now both available, I think.

Regarding Blatche, I read that he already was linked to the Heat in january.

Any possibility he is signed to get some big men depth (and a nice spark off the bench, of course) and scoring ability?

Crawford would be nice too, as a backup for D-Wade. He could provide more than actually Granger/Ennis/Chalmers actually do in the minutes they log at SG.

[IggieCC]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esvyPBMTofo[/youtube]

He must be 6'4 with shoes, more I see him he is not very tall.

But he has great hands. He is quick to the ball and he catches well... not sloppy or clumsy like our other guards. It's a highlight video so I should take it with a grain of salt, but he looks solid. Well done TJ!

[HEAT111]

A win is a win. Still on the Mavericks game loss. I wish we were healthy to see the potential.

[IggieCC]

A win is a win. Glad still on the Mavericks game loss. I wish we were healthy to see the potential.

On a flip side, I'm not sure if Wade and Deng were healthy TJ and Ennis got this much burn.. TJ might not have re-upped his 10 day at all. Thanks to our horrible health.. we are seeing more potential so to speak.

When we get Wade and Deng back, Spo can weed out real weaklings i.e. Cole (or Napier if he keeps up) and Granger.

[Zasterror]

The most impressive thing I see from TJ was his defense. He was a nuisance out there; his man D was special today.

[RexBoyWonder]

A win is a win. Glad still on the Mavericks game loss. I wish we were healthy to see the potential.

On a flip side, I'm not sure if Wade and Deng were healthy TJ and Ennis got this much burn.. TJ might not have re-upped his 10 day at all. Thanks to our horrible health.. we are seeing more potential so to speak.

When we get Wade and Deng back, Spo can weed out real weaklings i.e. Cole (or Napier if he keeps up) and Granger.

Injuries killed our season, but in the same time it's a blessing in disguise.

If Mcbob and Wade don't miss time - Spo never play Brightside or TJ. And I mean NEVER.

Hell, they don't even make the roster. We wouldn't even have known what we missed.

Whiteside alone is such a huge game changer, it's was worth it to struggle for half a season just to find him.

Whiteside looks like a top 3 draft pick, TJ like a good first rounder. For an old team in shortage of picks, that's unbelievably valuable for our future. We found 2 good draft picks out of nowhere, That's more then the Celtics got for Rondo for example. It's a huge addition of young cheap talent.

[DWadeno3]

A win is a win. Glad still on the Mavericks game loss. I wish we were healthy to see the potential.

On a flip side, I'm not sure if Wade and Deng were healthy TJ and Ennis got this much burn.. TJ might not have re-upped his 10 day at all. Thanks to our horrible health.. we are seeing more potential so to speak.

When we get Wade and Deng back, Spo can weed out real weaklings i.e. Cole (or Napier if he keeps up) and Granger.

Injuries killed our season, but in the same time it's a blessing in disguise.

If Mcbob and Wade don't miss time - Spo never play Brightside or TJ. And I mean NEVER.

Hell, they don't even make the roster. We wouldn't even have known what we missed.

Whiteside alone is such a huge game changer, it's was worth it to struggle for half a season just to find him.

Whiteside looks like a top 3 draft pick, TJ like a good first rounder. For an old team in shortage of picks, that's unbelievably valuable for our future. We found 2 good draft picks out of nowhere, That's more then the Celtics got for Rondo for example. It's a huge addition of young cheap talent.

The way I see it, we'll be a low-playoff seed this year with a team that has clearly underperformed but due to that with potential for an upset or two. Even if we do get bounced in the first round, I see this season as an opportunity to really build a set team for next year. Whiteside and Ennis have proven they belong into our rotation as it is, Johnson, if he continues his current path, has shown similar potential and early on, Napier looked promising as a solid role-player as well. If those four prove that they're reliable contributors the rest of the way, it could give us nice, cheap young long-term assets. This is a large part of why the Spurs always stay competitive. They find these players nobody wanted and give them an opportunity to turn their career around.