The Dwyane Wade/Shawn Marion era officially started earlier today, in a matchup against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Although Miami seemed very upbeat and giddy about the future, they were ultimately not able to pull away a win on the dawn of a new era in a 104-94 decision.
For a player who has had just one practice with Miami, Shawn Marion was phenomenal. In 44 minutes, Marion was able to contribute 15 points, 14 boards, four assists, three steals, and three blocked shots. In addition, The Matrix was able to connect on some highlight dunks, especially a thunderous alley-oop delivered by Wade which may be the shape of things to come.
Marcus Banks only received 14 minutes, but I liked what I saw out of him. He was able to put some pressure on the opposing team through his full-court press, and he made some shots. His three-point shot wasn't falling for him, but he appears to be a guy that can drive to the rim, but also hit the open jumper.
Banks was receiving minutes behind Jason Williams, but Banks should have been the starter. Jason Williams was horrible. He tries to sell a flop, and then follows it up with an ill-advised three-pointer on a four-on-one in a possession that could have brought the Laker lead to five late in the third quarter. It is bewildering to me why Pat Riley didn't him out for the rest of the game. It doesn't matter which level you are on, from college to high-school to middle school to rec leagues, every single coach will urge a player NOT to try a three with a clear advantage. That's low basketball IQ on Williams' part.
On the bright side, Dorell Wright and Mark Blount gave promising performances. Wright was able to connect on some jump shots en route to a 15-point performance on seven-of-12 shooting. Wright also grabbed seven boards and collected two steals. Blount, meanwhile, was able to score 22 points on nine-of-15 shooting. Blount looks to be a very nice option at the five who may play in Miami beyond this season. The rebounding is not there, but Marion and Wright are there.
Still, I can't help but wonder if Blount is being used as trade bait. He's got a hefty contract, but several teams need serviceable big men. I also wouldn't be surprised to see if Wright's name appears in some trade rumors. With Shawn Marion apparently solidifying the role in Miami as the small forward, Wright would be nothing more than a bench player with the Heat. Wright has had some good games this past season, and it will be interesting to see where he will end up next Fall.
Dwyane Wade was humbled by Kobe Bryant. I don't know if there is even a debate any longer. Bryant outscored Wade 33-19 and was able to force him in a traveling violation late in the third quarter in a great display of defense by Bryant. Wade appeared to do too much, and winded up with nine turnovers. The two offseason surgeries may be playing a factor, but Wade is clearly not the one that we are used to seeing.
In a game which saw the Lakers outscore Miami in every stanza of play, it's hard to say this was an interesting game. But the change of culture was evident in Miami, but they simply did not play smart enough as none of their comeback attempts came to frutition. As evidenced by the nine turnovers, Wade made some senseless mistakes of his own, including dishing it to Mark Blount below his knees on a fast-break.
However, the future does look bright for Miami. Marion is unselfish, getting multiple rebounds, hustling on every play, and jamming it down on people's heads. For the first game of a new era, it certainly showed signs of a nice future. However, this Heat team still has a long way to go. Several pieces need to be added before the Heat can make a serious return to contention.
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