Post-Game Grades: Miami Heat Step Up Defense Vs Suns
By Wes Goldberg
66. 103. 110. Final. 97
The Miami Heat got off its losing skid with a much-needed road win against the Phoenix Suns Tuesday night.
C. Miami Heat. CHRIS BOSH. A. <em>Stats: 37 Min, 14-21 FG, 4-6 3FG, 2-2 FT, 9 REB, 1 AST, 4 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 34 PTS</em><p class=
B+. <em>Stats: 31 Min, 5-9 FG, 0-2 3FG, 0-0 FT, 3 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 10 PTS </em><p>A rare good game from Norris Cole. On a night when everyone was playing to their superlatives, Cole found the efficiency that won him the starting job in the first place, making more than half his shots and not committing a single turnover. Those zero turnovers are especially important against a Suns team that can get out in transition.</p>. PG. Miami Heat. NORRIS COLE
B+. <em>Stats: 34 Min, 9-12 FG, 3-4 3FG, 2-4 FT, 4 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 2 TO, 23 PTS </em><p>The Heat went to Luol Deng early and often in the paint, posting him up and rolling him to the rim. Deng delivered, shooting an efficient nine-of-12. Deng’s on-ball defense was back to Dengish proportions as well.</p>. SF. Miami Heat. LUOL DENG
PF. Miami Heat. JOSH MCROBERTS. A. <em>Stats: 33 Min, 4-5 FG, 2-2 3FG, 0-0 FT, 4 REB, 7 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 10 PTS</em><p>Josh McRoberts!!!!! Yes, the Big McBeard turned in his best all-around performance of the season. He filled the box score with assists, rebounds and steals as usual, and was more aggressive, looking to create his own shot at times. He also had this wonderful play in transition after getting the steal:<br /><iframe class=
A. <em>Stats: 34 Min, 7-15 FG, 0-0 3FG, 2-4 FT, 6 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 5 TO, 16 PTS </em><p>Wade did a nice job facilitating from the post and made his presence felt across the box. Wade is coming off three-straight games of 25-or-more points–but the Heat lost those games. Miami needed Wade to get others involved and he did. We saw the results in the stats of Deng and McRoberts.</p>. SG. Miami Heat. DWYANE WADE
A-. Erik Spoelstra got his players in their best positions and the Heat finally looked like a functional team. The defense was also much better, with the close outs and rotations much crisper than in the past week. My only complaint is that he played Udonis Haslem 19 minutes (and Hamilton had a DNP) in a game where he was mismatched against the Suns’ athleticism.. HC. Miami Heat. ERIK SPOELSTRA