SEASON OPENER: Miami Heat @ Orlando Magic - October, 26th 2016 7:00PM

[QUIZ]

It's not like Babbit being an awful defender is news. Why else would a 3pt shooting PF who can handle and pass never get any playing time anywhere else?

If we could somehow combine Sob and Babbit we might actually have a half decent player. Until then though I'm riding with my boy shaved James Johnson.

[Chalm Down]

McSob is not listed as "out" for Friday's game against Charlotte.

Yayyy

[KingDavid]

lol yeah i was listening to the duncd on pod and they mentioned orlando shot less than 33% from inside the paint, so whiteside and reed were doing work considering how often dragic and babbit got blown by last night. Dragic will do better - paytons an athletic dude.

Exquisite defense by Dragic and Babbitt, letting the Magic blow by them only to be met by Whiteside and Reed. Their plan worked to perfection.

Reminds me of when Michael Wilbon praised Derrick Rose a few years ago for bricking so many shots, reasoning that Rose's misses enhanced the Bulls' offense by generating more opportunities thanks to their excellent rebounding.

A thought on d rose : one of the most overrated players in a while at and around that flukey mvp season. He was awesome that year ill admit, but people were talking about that guy getting back to mvp level and blahbah like he was a top 10 player and stuff. I never thought he was on that level honestly. I thought he was about as good as john wall is now, and i think john wall is a top 15 guy, but not a superstar first team all nba lock kinda guy. Am I crazy?

You are crazy because you don't remember how fast he was. Everything about his game was surrounded by his athleticism. He was diminished to nothing against us in the playoffs against us because lebron locked him down and the Bulls entire offense was on his shoulders.

What was annoying was all the hero worship he kept getting although he did nothing to deserve that. If that guy didn't have to worry about his ligaments tearing up, he'd be one of the most difficult players to guard. Watch some highlight videos.

I'll never forget when he yammed on Dragic.

[Bishop45]

Any reason why DW didn't get any mins... did he hit spo's Dog House already.... or is he on that don't play him till January Spo BS, he does with guys (ala Stat)

He'll be back, they always come back. Specially cause Babbitt

[PizzaLord305]

Exquisite defense by Dragic and Babbitt, letting the Magic blow by them only to be met by Whiteside and Reed. Their plan worked to perfection.

Reminds me of when Michael Wilbon praised Derrick Rose a few years ago for bricking so many shots, reasoning that Rose's misses enhanced the Bulls' offense by generating more opportunities thanks to their excellent rebounding.

A thought on d rose : one of the most overrated players in a while at and around that flukey mvp season. He was awesome that year ill admit, but people were talking about that guy getting back to mvp level and blahbah like he was a top 10 player and stuff. I never thought he was on that level honestly. I thought he was about as good as john wall is now, and i think john wall is a top 15 guy, but not a superstar first team all nba lock kinda guy. Am I crazy?

You are crazy because you don't remember how fast he was. Everything about his game was surrounded by his athleticism. He was diminished to nothing against us in the playoffs against us because lebron locked him down and the Bulls entire offense was on his shoulders.

What was annoying was all the hero worship he kept getting although he did nothing to deserve that. If that guy didn't have to worry about his ligaments tearing up, he'd be one of the most difficult players to guard. Watch some highlight videos.

I'll never forget when he yammed on Dragic.

Yeah he was athletic as hell. I just thought he was overrated defensively, and pretty inefficient as a scorer. He never seemed like he could be the best player on a real title contender. Like to me guys like durant, bron, cp, dwight for a bit and d wade were certain cream of the crop all nba guys and rose was a step and a half under them, but those top tier guys are usually the mvp caliber players. The East was pretty weak back then. Then again, I was still in my teens when he was popping. Didn't watch ball from the same lens that I do now. I did used to like watching him play tho, just never understood why people thought his "MVP" level was something so crazy.

[HIF]

This is the type of game Miami needs to play in order to win against better teams. There is no doubt that the sum of it's parts can keep up with any team offensively and defensively. However, there are going to be days where the game is close, baskets are not falling and the opponent defense is forcing players to make a move at the end of the shot clock. I am curious to see how we are going to respond.

Wade slowed down the offense last year when we tried to play this fast but when you needed a basket or the game was close and needed composure, Wade was at his best. We are going to miss that. I just don't see anyone YET who can take on that role. The goal should be to have a couple of guys develop into that "go-to" role for those kind of situations. After all, the playoffs are mostly played that way, possession-by-possession. We have a whole season for a player or two to step into those roles, let's hope it happens.

Willie Reed

[HIF]

Babbit more than held his own. not sure why some here have an agenda against him.

No agenda, just calling it as I SEE it - like always.

I'm amazed how defensive you are of him. What have you seen that makes him starter material? did he really hit that many more 3's in the pre-season than Derrick - who didn't play - or hustle man White who got cut?

I really hope he turns out good for the Heat but I'll keep calling what I see until that happens.

[3baller9]

Babbit more than held his own. not sure why some here have an agenda against him.

No agenda, just calling it as I SEE it - like always.

I'm amazed how defensive you are of him. What have you seen that makes him starter material? did he really hit that many more 3's in the pre-season than Derrick - who didn't play - or hustle man White who got cut?

I really hope he turns out good for the Heat but I'll keep calling what I see until that happens.

Some of you here act like basketball is a 1on1 game. When you have a guy like Whiteside you gameplan around him. Heat's gameplan on defense is to attack aggressively on shooters and force them to drive to Whiteside. Dragic and Babbitt do that well.

One funny fact. According to stats Babbitt was our 2nd best rim protector, forcing opponents to miss 3 times in 4 tries.

[HIF]

Babbit more than held his own. not sure why some here have an agenda against him.

No agenda, just calling it as I SEE it - like always.

I'm amazed how defensive you are of him. What have you seen that makes him starter material? did he really hit that many more 3's in the pre-season than Derrick - who didn't play - or hustle man White who got cut?

I really hope he turns out good for the Heat but I'll keep calling what I see until that happens.

Some of you here act like basketball is a 1on1 game. When you have a guy like Whiteside you gameplan around him. Heat's gameplan on defense is to attack aggressively on shooters and force them to drive to Whiteside. Dragic and Babbitt do that well.

One funny fact. According to stats Babbitt was our 2nd best rim protector, forcing opponents to miss 3 times in 4 tries.

If attacking agressively means letting players run past you then he's good for that.

[HIF]

Babbit more than held his own. not sure why some here have an agenda against him.

No agenda, just calling it as I SEE it - like always.

I'm amazed how defensive you are of him. What have you seen that makes him starter material? did he really hit that many more 3's in the pre-season than Derrick - who didn't play - or hustle man White who got cut?

I really hope he turns out good for the Heat but I'll keep calling what I see until that happens.

Some of you here act like basketball is a 1on1 game. When you have a guy like Whiteside you gameplan around him. Heat's gameplan on defense is to attack aggressively on shooters and force them to drive to Whiteside. Dragic and Babbitt do that well.

One funny fact. According to stats Babbitt was our 2nd best rim protector, forcing opponents to miss 3 times in 4 tries.

Is Basketball a team game or not? You can't have it both ways.

[Bishop45]

We still making excuses for Babbitt? He's never been good.



This game was an average Babitt game. That's what/who y'all caping for

[3baller9]

One funny fact. According to stats Babbitt was our 2nd best rim protector, forcing opponents to miss 3 times in 4 tries.

Is Basketball a team game or not? You can't have it both ways.

I know Babbitt is not a great defender, I said it's a funny fact.

Babbitt and Dragic could back off a little on defense so they wouldn't get beat off the dribble so easily. But if they do 2 things happen Whiteside goes unused and Miami gives up more 3s. You have to play to your team strenghts. Whiteside is Miami's strenght on defense.

Atlanta was 2nd best defensive team last year starting and playing 34yo Korver for 30mpg. Gordon Hayward is another guy I like to compare Babbitt with. Both were drafted in 2010, 9th and 16th. Babbitt is an inch taller and has 3.5 inches longer wingspan. Babbitt also did better in lane agility drill and his 37.5 max vertical is also 3 inches better than Haywards. As you see he has the tools to be an OK defender.

This Heat team can be an elite defensive team with Babbitt starting who I admit is not a great 1on1 defender but is a good smart team defender.

I also see some comments in a sense, if he was any good he'd get more playing time elsewhere. Please stop. Where did Whiteside play before Miami picked him up?

[HIF]

please stop.

Comparing Gordon Hayward to Babbit is ridiculous.

Kyle Korver at 34 is a better defender and shooter than Babbit.

Perhaps wait until he's actually done something for us before you crown him.

I'd rather have McBob or Derrick playing the 4 and I don't really want either of them.

[Heat_Fan_87]

Babbit more than held his own. not sure why some here have an agenda against him.

No agenda, just calling it as I SEE it - like always.

I'm amazed how defensive you are of him. What have you seen that makes him starter material? did he really hit that many more 3's in the pre-season than Derrick - who didn't play - or hustle man White who got cut?

I really hope he turns out good for the Heat but I'll keep calling what I see until that happens.

Some of you here act like basketball is a 1on1 game. When you have a guy like Whiteside you gameplan around him. Heat's gameplan on defense is to attack aggressively on shooters and force them to drive to Whiteside. Dragic and Babbitt do that well.

One funny fact. According to stats Babbitt was our 2nd best rim protector, forcing opponents to miss 3 times in 4 tries.

Don't bother. He must not be watching the same guy you, me and the coaches are watching. We are playing small ball and forcing opposing 4's to guard at the 3pt line HAS opened all kinds of options in the paint for us. Babbit was +15 on offense, some here might choose to disregard that but that tells me he was on the floor contributing to positive play and he was hustling. We have enough defense with whiteside that it can compensate for babbit's shortcomings on D, but the threat he poses on offense is worth him playing. He's a 40% 3pt shooting so i expect him around that #.

Derrick williams is a 29% 3pt shooter. Spo clearly wants a 3pt threat next to whiteside. If we are playing a team like memphis or new york, things might be different.

[3baller9]

please stop.

Comparing Gordon Hayward to Babbit is ridiculous.

Kyle Korver at 34 is a better defender and shooter than Babbit.

Perhaps wait until he's actually done something for us before you crown him.

I'd rather have McBob or Derrick playing the 4 and I don't really want either of them.

I only compared physical tools of both players but if you watch some last season highlights of Luke you will see he is not that far off.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

[3baller9]

Don't bother. He must not be watching the same guy you, me and the coaches are watching. We are playing small ball and forcing opposing 4's to guard at the 3pt line HAS opened all kinds of options in the paint for us. Babbit was +15 on offense, some here might choose to disregard that but that tells me he was on the floor contributing to positive play and he was hustling. We have enough defense with whiteside that it can compensate for babbit's shortcomings on D, but the threat he poses on offense is worth him playing. He's a 40% 3pt shooting so i expect him around that #.

Derrick williams is a 29% 3pt shooter. Spo clearly wants a 3pt threat next to whiteside. If we are playing a team like memphis or new york, things might be different.

Exactly. We will have a top 10 defense with or without Babbitt but if we want to come close to that on offense he NEEDS to play.