Author Archives: Vera Gilford, Turnaround Coach, Author, Speaker

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Miami Heat leaves the Hornets with a Black Eye

Miami Heat hit New Orleans Hornets with a 87-101 win. Dwyane Wade # 3 and LeBron James # 6 start the game with a show at the rim. After good ball movement Shane Battier #31 hits 3 from the corner 20-13. LeBron hits his 95th NBA triple, then 96th , then 97th triple back-to-back (31-19). James ends Q1 with 15 points, the Heat is up 10 (32-22).  LeBron comes back in Q2 and hits his 98th NBA triple. Norris Cole comes galloping down the court ahead of the defenders and he gains 2. LeBron comes back with what would have been his 99th triple but steps on the line making it a 2-pointer. “That’s okay,” he says, then comes right back with his 99th NBA triple. “Give me my props”.( Q2 8:11 47-27). Refusing to stop, LeBron makes his 100th NBA triple (47-27). LeBron’s career high number of triples made in a game is 8. He sits down before half-time with 7. Dwyane Wade takes a pass and gets it to the rim hanging with one hand (55-33).

Is that Mike Miller # 13 up there hanging from the rim?  Versatile. That’s a D. Wade move hanging from the rim.    LeBron and Wade come back with some Friday night basketball entertainment at the rim. Wade with a long bom down the court, LeBron catches with one hand and throws it down with the other.  Bosh hits  from the corner (66-45). D Wade draws a charge by Eric Gordon. LeBron recovers the Heat’s ball, throws it up in the air to Bosh at the rim, then Bosh gets up off the floor (I mean really gets up off the floor) to the rim and comes down with a slide. With 2 on the shot clock Wade jumps for 2 (75-49 Q3 3:49).   LeBron hits his 7th triple (81-52). Norris Cole # 30 feeling left out hits 3 (86-62), then Shane Battier’ comes back with his 3rd triple (101-81 Q4 3:25). The Heat hit 14 triples.

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat rolls on with thousands of bikers, 3 blocks long, rolling through the streets of Miami from Flagler Street to Coral Way.

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Miami Heat wins 27 straight

The Miami Heat beats the Orlando Magic with fifteen triples, shooting 47%.

Highlights:

An Orlando fan on the floor behind the Heat rim waves a large blue and green beach towel to distract Heat players shooting at the line. I’m getting disney, I mean dissey watching him.

What? The security escorts fans off the court but who writes the rules about distracting fans that stand outside the boundaries of the court. Excuse me while I look that up. Heat you just keep on winning.

The Ref misses a goal tend call. At the other end LeBron James # 6 says, “That’s okay,” as he slams one in.

(Q3 4:07) E’Twaun Moore # 55 goes up and throws down some Magic bringing Orlando within 3. But the Magic’s best isn’t good enough.

(81-68) Ray Allen # 34 hits 3.  Beno Udrih # 19 goes down on the floor, breathing hard but otherwise not moving.

(91-74) LeBron and Chris Anderson a/k/a “Birdman” * 11 bring on some Harlem Globetrotter moves.  Chris Anderson with legs crossed in the air takes a pass from LeBron on the fly and with a body-twist in the air slams it in.  When he comes back down is when you really see the bird fly.

Mario Chalmers # 15  hits Miami’s 13th triple to give the Heat a 20-point lead over the Magic, in the Heat’s 51st day of wins.

(105-85)  LeBron reaches for a rebound, “psyche”, it’s an air ball. Doesn’t that piss you off. You can’t even get a rebound. One rebound short of a triple-double. “Dang,” now the game is over.  He did that on purpose to mess with you LeBron. You should chase his bus after the game is over.

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Miami Heat to 26th straight win

Mike Miller # 13 is filling in for Dwyane Wade # 3 who is out for tonight’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats.  Miller comes out shooting, no questions asked with 3 pistols drawn, he guns down 3 (0-3). Gerald Henderson # 9 comes back with a slam that gives the Bobcats an 8-5 lead. A quick run gives the Bobcats an eleven-point lead (19-8). By the end of Q1 the Heat has regrouped and ends the first quarter up 19-23. In Q2 Rashard Lewis # 9 representing my mom’s Beaumont area of Texas, makes it to the rim (25-39).  LeBron heading to the rim dodges one defender but gets hit in a crash with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist # 14.  LeBron goes down. You can’t keep a good man down, take away all he has and still he rises. “Still I Rise.”

With 6:47 remaining in Q3 Mike Miller gets caught stealing 49-56. With no remorse he heads to the rim but the defense police will not let him deliver the goods. Udonis Haslem is on the court, recovered from yesterdays 2:00 p.m. staging at Office Depot with hundreds of fans eagerly waiting in line starting at 6:00 a.m. for a picture with him. Sorry UD, the kids were outside taking classes with Bernie and they didn’t’ mind being in school. With a save, UD passes to LeBron who goes to the rim but ends up at the line. (52-58). LeBron ends Q 3 on a blocking streak (55-69 and 57-71). “Still I rise.” In Q4, LeBron ups and finds Chris Anderson, a/k/a Birdman closer to the rim and sends the ball his way. Anderson launches and leaps with two hands on the ball. He delivers the Heat’s 59-83 lead. The Miami Heat goes on to win its 26th straight game  – the longest winning streak in forty years.

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Miami Heat’s 25th season and 25th consecutive win

The goal of Detroit Piston’s Coach  Lawrence Frank is to limit Dwyane Wade and LeBron James’ penetration into the lane. The Pistons start with energy and hope that this will be the game that stops the Heat’s winning streak and puts Detroit on the map for making that record-making accomplishment. An offensive foul call on LeBron James # 6  early in the game rattles his momentum (3-5). A Piston win looks possible in Q2 when Detroit gains an 11-point lead over the Miami Heat.  Going into half-time the Pistons’ lead is reduced to 3 points when Dwyane Wade # 3 hit a 3-pointer (54-51).  Q3 takes a turn after D. Wade gets hot with a reverse shot and steal, LeBron’s triple puts the Heat up 59-60, LeBron’s steal (76-85) and LeBron’s block sends Norris Cole down the floor. .Norris Cole and  LeBron James’ tag-team (78-92). Mario Chalmers, Ray Allen # 34 and Shane Battier # 31 contribute triples but the night’s dog fight sends D. Wade and Ray Allen for brief treatment. Miami Heat wins its 25th straight game. 89-103.

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Heat gives Pat Riley a birthday gift – 24th straight win in a bizarre game

Remember the snow plow game, when the Miami Dolphins played New England after a bad snow storm on December 12, 1982. With minutes to go in the game the score was 0-0. The snow plow operator cleared a spot on the field specifically for the New England kicker to kick the winning field goal.

Well, the Miami Heat v Cleveland Cavaliers game on March 20, 2013 is bizarre like that. The game starts with a quick loan to fix a roof leaking some mysterious substance. That delays the game some 35 minutes. The game progresses with the Heat down 27 points in quarter 3, Cleveland is cheering, but when the Heat realize they drank the cool aide, they regroup with a great comeback. That’s only been done six times in NBA history. Ray Allen hits his third triple giving Miami its biggest lead over Cleveland (83-79).  Then a crazy fan runs out on the court. Security grabs him by the seat of his pants and escorts him away. When that doesn’t work to distract the Heat, the Ref calls Mario Chalmers # 15 for a travel  but over-looks an obvious walk by Tristan Thompson # 13. LeBron sees the “ogee-doke” and says “Oh no, I’m not falling in this trap, Pat Riley deserves better.”. LeBron steps on the gas and guzzles his motorcade out of there. He throws some magic dust to accelerate his team. He says, “Come on boys let’s get out of here.”  Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, Mario Chalmers, Chris Anderson, a/k/a Birdman, Shane Battier and the rest of the bench wake up to a 98-95 win over the Cavs. 24 straight wins and still counting. Now, they’re gunning for the Lakers.

Happy Birthday Pat Riley!  One of the most nurturing coaches of all times, with the ability to gently yank and pull the very best out of a team. We love you we do.

“Good Better Best, never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is the best.”

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Fans and playmates, come out and play with us. We are aiming to win our next  11 games – 15 more games and regular season will be over.    These are the best of times. Be a part of history in the making.

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Heat wins 23rd straight – Paul Pierce doesn’t know what hit him

The Boston Celtics race out the gate with a 6-point lead (0-6). Then Mario Chalmers # 15 puts the Heat on the score board with a triple. The Heat roars past the Celtics with 7 straight points (7-6).  Chalmers with a steal races down the court with LeBron James # 6 on his wing. LeBron makes it to the rim. A lob intended for the rim ends up a steal for Dwyane Wade # 3. Kevin Garnet is out but Jeff Green fills the spot nicely (16-14). The Celtics make it tough to get to the rim, but that’s okay, Chalmers is comfortable hitting triples. Paul Pierce hits 3 from the corner giving the Celtics a 6-point lead (19-25). Q1 ends with the Heat down 19-31. It doesn’t look good.

Q2 Ray Allen # 31 comes out with a triple. Jason Terry # 4 responds with a triple (21-33) and Jeff Green dribbles to the rim.  Wade makes his way to the rim and draws a foul that puts him on the line for a 3-point play. Green flips a ball up and in as he falls out-of-bounds and draws a foul. Green, who averages 11 points a game now has 21 points with 9:13 remaining in Q2. Boston is shooting on all cylinders at 68 percent.

LeBron barrels in a much needed point (26-41). D. Wade comes back with 2 (28-41).  A travel on Jeff Green briefly stops his momentum to the rim. Against the odds, Wade manages his way to the rim (30-41).  Wade with a drive-by-steal, quickly passes to Chalmers who throws the ball up, intended for LeBron – Avery Bradley # 0 chases LeBron down, but LeBron flies through the air for a slam; then returns from the stratosphere to give Avery some non-verbal eye. “Who you think you messing with?” That gets LeBron a technical. Persevering through tough defense and fast ball movement, Bosh gets to the rim and draws a fowl (41-53). A fowl on Bradley sends Chalmers to the line. Hey, Coach check out Paul Pierce over there. “Offensive foul on Paul Pierce.” (43-55). At the line LeBron reduces the Celtics lead to ten (45-55) Under pressure Jeff Green makes all his shots but wide open he misses his 4th triple.

LeBron knocks  the ball away, but then from behind,  he loses it. Foul on Brandon Bass # 30 as Chris Bosh goes to the line (51-57). “Bring it.”  LeBron holds the ball as the shot clock runs down. Anticipation is building. LeBron races in to the rim cutting the Celtics lead to 6.

Q3 Bosh comes out with a jumper (55-59). Wade pulls up and knocks down the Celtics lead to 2 (57-59). LeBron to Wade who cuts to the rim to tie the score (59-59). Udonis Haslem # 40 gives Miami its first lead since Q1. The Celtics pick up momentum racing ahead by 7 and drawing a 4th foul on Udonis Haslem.  Jeff Green gets his 30th point in the 3rd Quarter.  Chalmers wide open hits 3 (72-73, Q3 3:03). As the time runs down the energy revs up. Ten minutes wind down, the spread widens. The Heat is down ten.

Q4  LeBron hits a long 3 (86-96). The Heat tightens up defense to force a 24-second violation (88-96). LeBron narrows the Celtics lead to 3. Like a tennis match, Wade steals then losses then gets it back. (96-99, 3:25 Q4). Wade cuts under the rim to score and bring Miami within 2. Green gets rejected and denied by Chris Bosh, then Chalmers brings 2 to give the Heat a lead. The Heat leads 101-100 in a hostile environment. With minutes left in the game and time ticking away, the Heat shuts up the fans and sits them down. With the game on the line, Chalmers hits 3 to strengthen Miami’s lead. The Heat steals, causing Boston’s 21st turnover. With 2:18 left on the clock, Terry fouls Bosh. Playing in the Celtics’ house, the Heat has the lead and possession. Chalmers blocks Jeff Green from behind, but Bradley hits 3.  All the fans are on their feet. Sounds like they are shouting “Let’s Go Heat” but are saying “Beat the Heat”. Heat down 2, Heat ball (101-103, 1:26). LeBron makes his 33rd point to tie the game at 103. The Celtics miss their lay-up. With 18 seconds  LeBron adds 2 (105-103). The clock winds down to 10-seconds. Battier with a block sends the ball out-of-bounds and no call with 7 seconds. The Heat grips their lead tightly (105-103). An out-of-bounds that’s so close the refs give everyone a time out while they study the monitor.

Wade grabs the ball, with 1.9 seconds left, and calls time out before he gets fouled. The Heat leads by 2. Celtics fans are leaving the stadium, but they miss the play of the night. With 1.1 seconds LeBron is fouled. Battier takes the ball out-of-bounds. He bounces it off the back of Paul Pierce who is tightly guarding the inbound with his back to Battier.  “What, he made that play up.” Paul Pierce doesn’t know what hit him.

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Shane Battier is ready for some Boston Chicken, I mean Boston Celtics

In the first 4 minutes, the Toronto Raptors average a fowl a minute. This is warm-up for the Heat who in 24 hours take on the Boston Celtics. Chris Bosh’s rhythm is on target, he hits a clean triple to take back the Heat’s lead. After 5 guys (not the burgers)  touch the ball, Shane Battier # 31 hits 3 (22-17). Norris Cole # 30 hits 2 buckets. Q1 comes to a close with the Heat holding an 8-point lead (27-19). Raptors demonstrated that they are the rebound kings but that didn’t stop the Heat from winning.

LeBron takes a rebound and long strides down the court  but gets stopped before making it to the rim (41-27). The Heat is shooting 64%, but being out-rebounded. The score is tied at 77, but  Ray Allen on the run gives the Heat back its lead  (79-77 10:35 Q4). Norris Cole sends a long foot ball pass to Wade in the air, touchdown.  If I was the coach of the Miami Dolphins I would start picking from the Heat’s lineup. In less than 3 minutes the Heat advances its lead by 10.

Ray Allen hits another triple to give the Heat a 16-point lead (97-81). The Raptors take a hit, when Amir Johnson # 15  goes down. That puts a stop to him;  he goes to the bench. Bosh goes to the line adding 2 (99-81, 5:30 Q4). LeBron flies through the air to get his 10th rebound.  Ray Allen hits 3 from the corner to take the Heat up 102-81. LeBron grabs another rebound to put him in the double-double stratosphere with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists). Shane Battier hits 3 (105-81), with 4:25  remaining. Battier is playing so hard because he was with the Houston Rockets when they made their record-breaking 22-game winning streak before the Boston Celtics put a stop to that. Now Battier is fighting with the Heat on the verge of tying Houston’s Record.

Shane Battier # 31 is ready for some Boston Chicken, I mean Boston Celtics.

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Miami Heat over Milwaukee Bucks, 21 straight wins, Wade rises..

D. Wade makes a monstrous recovery as the ball flies out-of-bounds in the corner. Wade dives out-of-bounds, catches the ball in the air and throws it back into the court, without touching the floor out-of-bounds. Way to go Wade.  (6-2).  Wade goes up to the rim but gets hit by the butt of Sanders, then goes down.  The team advances to the other end but, D. Wade remains on the floor. He’s not moving. Tragil must be having a fit, her baby brother is down; and Gabrielle Union is probably gagging, her star is not moving. Zaire and Zion are frozen along with  their dad.  But that does not compare to the thousands of fans who are holding their mouth.  You’ve got to get up D. Wade. The game comes to a halt, but fans around the work start running for their over night bags cause they promised, “Ain’t no mountain high, ain’t no valley low, to keep me from getting to you.  If you ever need a helping hand, I’ll be there in a hurry, just as fast as I can.”  But we’re in Miami, thousands of miles away. Not to worry, fans in Chi Town and Marquette head for the bus, Gus, making new plans, Stan.

For seven long minutes while Wade is in the locker room the Heat steps up their game and holds the fort down without Wade. Chris Bosh # 1 hits a triple with ease. Mario Chalmers # 15 with a spin, then Ray. Allen # 34 hits a 20-footer.  Bosh comes back with a 20-footer. 14-10. LeBron James # 6 spins and turns to score.  LeBron backs in creating space between him and #6 allowing him to score. Chalmers hits 3 (24-19) (Q1 1:40). LeBron shoots over # 6.  The Bucks hit 3 to take the lead. At the end of Q 1 Miami is down a point 26-27.

Q2 LeBron on the move to the rim then passes to Ray Allen for 3 (32-27). LeBron races down court to slam down a one-handed dunk, that puts the  Heat up 5.  The world goes back to normal when D Wade steps back on the court and returns to the game with an even score (34-34 Q2 7:37). Wade  looks fine, drawing a foul as he weaves his way through the paint like a sewing machine. Wade takes it to the rim. Then Bosh gets fired up scoring (42-36,  3:22), then again to give Miami a 44-36 lead. Mario Chalmers takes the ball away from Eran LLyasova # 7 and gets the ball back to the rim plus a shot at the line for a technical. Half-time Heat goes to locker room up  51-42.

Q3 Heat is still fired up. Bosh hits 3 from the corner (54-42). LeBron coming in for a landing but runs out of runway, races for the ball up on the table and into the stands. Then LeBron throws a long pass to Chalmers who throws it to Wade for a slam   (59-47). After that Wade assists Bosh for 2. (61-49). Bosh hits another 3 to advance Miami’s lead 63-51. Bosh hits another 3 (66-53), plus one at the line. That gives Bosh  26 points. Udonis Haslem # 40  fights for a rebound. Wade gallops down the floor, throws his arm up and slams in the basket (71-57). 5:14 Q3. Chris Anderson,” a/k/a/Birdman” looking like he was locked in a closet in his childhood with a colorful parrot and a peacock, screaming, “Let me out,”  sores on reverse and gets fouled. Wade steals then races down to the rim with his side kick LeBron following on a parallel track, for a slam dunk with a capital D (78-63). J.J. Redick # 5 hits 3, but Shane Battier responds with 3 (81-66). Wade’s in and out, get’s cleaned up by LeBron. The race is on, side kicks Wade and LeBron race side by side, in tandem, going to a go-go, the tag team does a show to slam dunk, while the Heat coaches on the bench reflect proudly in shades of purple (84-68). End of Q3 Heat is up 84-68.

A foul sends LeBron to the floor.  4Q 10:03. Battier goes to the rim but ends up at the line (85-75). Battier hits 3 (88-79, 8:18).  Norris Cole # 30 strips the ball, allowing Wade to hustle towards the Heat rim (88-79). LeBron hooks his 28th point (90-79). Wade runs into the paint and around IIyasova to make it to the rim (92-81). The fans are stone cold quiet (5;42). Norris Cole hits 3 to put the Heat up 14 95-81. Battier races to the rim.  Brandon Jennings # 3 hits 3 to cut the Heat’s  lead to 9 (97-88). Battier’s block is taken to the rim by Bosh (99-88 2:52). LeBron gets fouled by Larry Sanders # 8 with such a ruckus that Larry (without emotional intelligence) gets ejected from the game (99-88). Ray Allen gets 2 shots for Sanders’ eject. What kind of sense does that make? How good can you be if you can’t control your emotions? Part of being a superstar includes knowing when to hold them and when to fold them.

LeBron at the line puts Heat up 103-88 with 2:32 remaining in Q4. Allen for three from the corner – Wade cleans up at the rim (105-92). LeBron hits 3 to advance the score 107-92 with a minute remaining. This is the 13th time the Heat scores over 100.  The Heat with a final score 107-94, wins 21 straight games.

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This Bird can fly in reverse.

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Miami’s 20-game win over the Phily 76ers through team spirit

 The game starts with Dwyane Wade’s defense forcing turnovers. Throughout the first half, the Heat and 76ers are equally yoked, but after 9 tied-scores, LeBron James # 6 breaks away with a throw-down that starts the Heat on a roll (32-33). LeBron penetrates the paint to advance the score 43-35 and demonstrates his versatility with an awesome reverse dunk, followed by a bounce pass between his legs (46-37). Ray Allen # 31 gets caught by defenders but finds his way out with a 3-pointer. The Heat goes into the half-time up 12 (51-39). In Q3 Wade throws down a jumper to show how he rolls (66-57). LeBron assesses the situation then spins to the rim.

The Heat’s lead drops going into Q4 (71-66). Chris Anderson “Birdman” # 11 bangs down 2 to advance the Heat to 75-68 in Q4. With the efforts of Young, Holiday and Wright, Philly takes another lead 82-83, but Chris Bosh hooks over his shoulder to take back Miami’s lead. Again Miami’s lead drops but LeBron with a pass to Ray Allen for 3 gains it back (89-87). With 1:20 left in the game, Philly ties with Miami (91-91). LeBron heads in but draws a foul that sends him to the line. At the line he takes back Miami’s lead (92-91). LeBron and Wade  jell to get that 3rd rebound back in the basket where it belongs. With 29.4 seconds in the game. Wade sends his team up 96-91, but the game is not over, the 76ers come back with a triple. LeBron at the line advances the Heat. Spencer Hawes wide open in the paint misses a lay-up, and takes a foul putting D. Wade at the line. Wade sends his team up by 4 (98-94). Bosh’s block shuts down the 76er’s offense and LeBron solidifies it.

It takes real team spirit for the Heat to win this back-to-back game but they get the job done. Thanks team. We’ll stop complaining about not reaching a score of 100, we know you work hard.