The final score was 102-92. That was Bosh’s first game back since the blood clot issue but he played 32 minutes and looked completely healthy.
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– The Heat’s ensemble approach is a concern when the ensemble players are off. He looked a half-step (or more) behind in the opener, but is quickly catching up. He is tied for third in the league in assists (yes, it’s far too early to care about such stats) and he leads the league in assists-to-turnover ratio. He spent a considerable amount of time pregame working on jumpers from the elbow, then knocked down the first one he attempted Friday. When the team finished its business last week by striking a deal with Thompson after a long stalemate, James praised Gilbert’s willingness to spend.
Pistons 98, Bulls 94: Marcus Morris scored 26 points, Andre Drummond had 20 points and 20 rebounds, and with the overtime victory Detroit improved to 3-0. “He’s going to do the things that he does regardless of what the play call or what the coach is doing”.
– But there wasn’t enough to complement.
Four-time league MVP LeBron James was still on the floor in the fourth quarter, his consecutive games streak of scoring in double figures in a bit of jeopardy.
– His positioning and technique was on point.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade haven’t been teammates for a year and a half but their handshake game hasn’t missed a beat.
That matchup of an established elite against an up-and-comer, while not the only one of outcome in Miami’s first defeat of the season, was a microcosm of the Heat’s challenge Friday, and may be one throughout the course of the season, as they try to overcome a lack of individual (in the case of Winslow) and collective experience to gel into a serious conference threat to the Cavaliers. “If he’s not, and if I see or we see or together we see that he needs a break then we’ll give it to him”. I think he’ll find a way to put up his typical LBJ stat line, but sooner rather than later, we’re going to have the conversation about how many transcendent seasons The King has left in him. To us, that’s a credit to our team.
– Josh Richardson also was inactive, for the second time in as many games.
Here’s a rundown of how the game went.
– Spoelstra on the Cavaliers, “They’re the top team in the East. They’ve earned the right to have a target on their back”. “It starts with the best player”. However, when he’s capable of making plays like that in the pick-and-roll, it’s impossible not to see his value to this Cleveland team.
“The guys came and had energy and objective”, Blatt explained to reporters. “I’m not surprised at all”.
“I think we’re very deep”, Williams said. With the exception of James, who can be a free agent next summer, the Cavs now have their entire core locked up for the next four seasons, as Kyrie Irving is at the start of a new extension he signed past year.
– Asked, in light of his injury concerns, including recent back treatment, whether that was realistic, he said, “yeah”.
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The 30-year-old got back to the line with 7:43 remaining and made both, marking the 643rd straight regular-season game in which he’s scored at least 10 points. Nekias, I saw you on Twitter bemoaning a few of Whiteside’s play in the opener.
