Miami Heat Power Fankings, Week 5: Beat the Knicks Twice

Last week in the Miami Heat Power Fankings: Hassan Whiteside is dominant… Chris Bosh resurrects Big Shot Bosh… Amar’e Stoudemire kicks it old school… Goran Dragic has a decent week. 

1. Dwyane Wade (last week: 1)

Dwyane Wade could go one-of-nine like he did against the Detroit Pistons Wednesday and we will still love him. Outside of that game, Wade scored 16 and 17 points on a combined 13-for-33 shooting. Wade is doing more than just scoring, though. He leads the offense, gets Hassan Whiteside involved better than anyone else and still has the gravity to effect opposing defenses.

He’s going to have bad games. His body has taken too much of a beating for him not to. But don’t count him out, because Heat fans know when he has a bad game, he’s going to come back with a good one.

A Penny For Your Thoughts, Pat Riley:

Pat Riley sits in his seat at AmericanAirlines Arena, poised, stoic, not moving…

He sees Gerald Green going off for 25 points (granted this happened at Madison Square Garden, but whatever), as he starts in place for Luol Deng. Riley remembers when he said Deng was one of the most important free agent acquisitions in Heat history.

“Ha! I barely held back the chuckle even as I said that.”

Riley realizes he’s smirking and quickly wipes off the grin, just like Kanye West when he realizes he’s on camera.

Green hits another shot.

“And they said he wouldn’t play defense.”

Carmelo Anthony misses another shot.

Riley smiles as he realizes that he scored yet another bargain. That the environment he created in Miami has, once again, brought the best out of a free agent.

He realized he’s smiling and, before the camera can find him, wipes it off his face.

2. Gerald Green (last week: not ranked)

Gerald Green started in place of Luol Deng and immediately made all Heat fans start talking about benching Luol Deng. Sorry, Luol Deng.

Green scored 25 points in his start, and the 3-point shooting and spacing he provided was something tempting. As I wrote here, the answer is not to start Green for good. However, he’s exciting like no other Heat player is. He’s the closest thing to Stephen Curry as the Heat have (he’s nowhere near Curry, but the genre of excitement is the same).

3. Hassan Whiteside (last week: 2)

Hassan Whiteside’s averages this week: 10.7 points per game, 12.7 rebounds per game and 4.7 blocks per game.

Whiteside’s averages last week: 15.7 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game, 7.3 blocks per game.

So, overall, a down week for Whiteside. If you can call it that.

4. Justise Winslow (last week: 4)

Winslow was instrumental in defending Carmelo Anthony in two games against the Knicks, in which Melo averaged just 16 points on 10-of-29 (34.4 percent) shooting.

5. Chris Bosh (last week: 3)

Chris Bosh had a bit of trouble with his shot this week, shooting just 33.3 percent and 30 percent from 3-point range. He also averaged just 15 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Not great compared to typical Bosh numbers, but he did show up Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis is both games.

6. Tyler Johnson (last week: 6)

Tyler Johnson can average fewer points and have a worse field goal percentage than Goran Dragic and it won’t matter. Heat fans still like him more. Sorry, Goran.

7. Goran Dragic (last week: 7)

Dragic had a decent week, averaging 11.7 points and four assists per game. But the Heat didn’t pay him to be decent. Heat fans are well aware of this fact.

8. Luol Deng (last week: not ranked)

Luol Deng might be the new Mario Chalmers, in that no matter what he does well, Heat fans will always remember what he could do better and call for his backup to get the start over him. Sorry, Luol, it’s going to be rough.

Not ranked: Gerald Green’s Mysterious Illness, Beno Udrih, James Ennis’ ball handling, Chris Andersen, Alonzo Mourning, Amar’e Stoudemire, Udonis Haslem, The Ghost of Mike Miller, Late Arriving Heat Fans, Micky Arison, Pat Riley, D.J. Khaled, Burnie, the White Stripes, The Void Left By Mario Chalmers.