The Miami Heat have played a collective total of three games thus far, going winless in the process.
The highlight of the Heat’s preseason through one week of play was their overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers this past Saturday. The game marked the first time LeBron James played his former team, Miami, since signing with the Cavs in July.
The Heat trailed by as many as 20 points, but rallied back to force the game into overtime.
While much of the attention during the game was placed on LeBron and his former ‘Big Three’ castmates, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, younger players such as James Ennis and Shabazz Napier were the real stars of the game.
The preseason is not as significant for established players such as Wade and Bosh, as it is for evaluating young players and rookies such as Ennis and Napier. Both players could play key roles in the rotation for Miami in the upcoming season.
While the wins and losses aren’t important during this time of the year, the evaluation of players are. Let’s take a look at whose stock went up and whose stock went down during the first week of preseason.
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James Ennis: Stock Up (+)
Of all of Miami’s players, there isn’t a single individual that has been more impressive than Ennis. The 24-year-old small forward has been the most consistent performer through the Heat’s first three preseason games. Ennis has averaged 16 points per game, has shot 60 percent from the field, and has averaged six free throw attempts per game.
While those aren’t LBJ numbers, they’re exactly what the Heat need as they look for depth anywhere they can find it. The former second-round draft pick has established himself as an athletic swingman capable of scoring on the fastbreak, while at the same time, proving to be a threat from beyond the arc.
Based upon his play through one week, one can expect the young swingman to be Miami’s top threat off of the bench during the 2014-15 season.
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Mario Chalmers: Stock Down (-)
The point guard competition is far from over, but Mario Chalmers hasn’t done anything noteworthy that has convinced Erik Spoelstra that he should be in the starting lineup.
Chalmers has held down the point guard position since his rookie season six years ago, but that all might change in the 2014-15 season. The University of Kansas product started the first game of the preseason versus the New Orleans Pelicans, scoring just two points on 0-of-2 shooting, while turning the ball over as many times as he assisted (2). His plus/minus rating for the game was a minus-six.
In both losses to the Magic and Cavs, the guard’s plus/minus rating was a minus-four in each contest. To make matters worse, Chalmers left the Cleveland game early due to a hip pointer injury.
Not the way you want to start out a preseason.
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Norris Cole: Stock Up (+)
Through three games, Norris Cole has received two starts at the point guard position. The fourth-year player was impressive with his ball distribution skills in the Heat’s 108-101 overtime loss to the Orlando Magic last Tuesday. Through the first seven minutes of the contest, Cole dished out four assists.
Though his play hasn’t been remarkable, and coach Erik Spoelstra continues to stress that his lineup changes should not be overanalyzed, it’s hard not to notice that the Heat’s offense has more stability when Cole is in the lineup in comparison to incumbent starter, Mario Chalmers.
Wade had the following to say about Cole’s play after the Heat’s loss to the Magic:
“He did great, he was very solid, he did a good job of getting us into our offense…more continuity, more flow, so a lot better than the first game.”
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Josh McRoberts: Stock Down (-)
Though it has been reported that Josh McRoberts will return from his toe injury in time for the Heat’s regular season opener versus the Washington Wizards on October 29, the fact remains that McRoberts has yet to play in an actual game for the franchise.
While his spot in the starting lineup remains secure for now, the 6’10” forward still needs in-game experience to develop chemistry with his new teammates. Newcomers like Deng, Ennis and Napier are all learning how to play with key pieces such as Wade and Bosh due to the preseason.
By the time the regular season starts, McRoberts won’t be able to say that he enjoyed that luxury.
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Luol Deng: Stock Up (+)
The man brought in to replace ‘The King’ has been every bit what the Heat expected out of the veteran when he was signed in July.
Luol Deng struggled through an Achilles’ injury last season. It was a large reason why he posted some of the worst averages of his 10-year NBA career after being traded to the Cavaliers, shooting just 42 percent from the field while scoring just 14 points a game.
The small forward looks 100 percent healthy and motivated through the first three games of his Heat career. In the Heat’s second preseason game versus the Magic, Deng led all players with 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting. He went to the free-throw line seven times and grabbed six boards.
Spoelstra had the following to say in regards to Luol’s play following the game:
“He’s that type of player. He’s an experienced player, played in good programs before this. There’s a reason why we recruited him so hard. We like his skill set, he fits our defensive mindset but also his offensive ability is underrated,”
With Deng and Ennis playing extremely well at the three spot in the post-LBJ era, Spoelstra has to be happy with what he has seen so far.
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