by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni
The so-called most anticipated opening night game in NBA history came and went last night. And if we learned anything from it, it is the following: the Miami Heat, in spite of all their world-class talent, are still very much a work in progress.
Oh, and the Boston Celtics? Those guys are still really good.
The Heat understand that every game they play this season will be under a very large microscope. As Dwyane Wade (whose rust was on full display against Boston) explains, it’s important to keep a level head, especially when it comes to losses.
From the Sun-Sentinel:
A struggle most of the way for Dwyane Wade, and an uneven effort for Chris Bosh, only the third third of the Heat’s Big Three equation proved up to this debut … And Wade’s return from his preseason hamstring injury showed a player with plenty of rust. “Out of rhythm, of course,” Wade said. “LeBron said it was my first preseason game, with me being out, continuity still not there yet.”
The game ended amid chants of “Over-rated! Over-rated!” “They’ll be so much better,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers cautioned of meeting the Heat down the road. “It was a big game. It was a fun game. They are going to be a lot better when we see them again.” … “This is one of 82,” Wade said. “Sorry if everybody thought we were going to go 82-0. Just ain’t happening.”
The Miami Heat are going to be a great team. They’re obviously not there yet, but it’s coming. It’s just that expectations for them are so enormous, that no matter what they accomplish, it may never seem like it’s enough.
81 more pressure-packed regular season games to go for LeBron and friends. Fun times ahead.
