CHARLOTTE, N.C. —
The nicknames came in bunches on Tuesday night: Cole Train, Stone Cole, Ice Cole. After his breakout game in the Heat home opener, Heat point guard Norris Cole found himself the center of attention in the NBA.

ESPN highlighted his performance. He was interviewed after Tuesday’s game by TNT. On Twitter, Cole picked up at least 10,000 followers between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. For a rookie from Cleveland State, it was a lot to digest in a short amount of time.

“From a social media standpoint, it was kind of crazy,” Cole said.

Seated beside his locker in Charlotte’s Time Warner Cable Arena before Wednesday’s game, Cole tried to put the previous day into perspective.

“I understand that last night was last night in the NBA,” Cole said. “Now I’m focusing and moving forward. [Tuesday] was a stepping stone and I now I want to move in another direction of getting better and helping the team get better.”

Rookie rivalry

Pitted against Cole on Wednesday was a rookie guard who is no stranger to fame. Kemba Walker, the former University of Connecticut star, was named college basketball’s national player of the year last season after leading the Huskies to the national title. Cole was named the Horizon League’s player of the year.

Cole said the moment he realized that he could make it in the NBA was the first time he played against Walker. It was the summer of their senior seasons at a skills camp hosted by Nets guard Deron Williams.

It was a camp for the best young point guards in the country. It didn’t take long for Cole to realize he belonged.

“The first day,” Cole said. “As you get out there and start competing you get a feel for where your skill level is at.”

Cole and Walker never played against each other in college but the two guards met up again the next summer at the predraft camp in Chicago.

“We were together most of the camp and we were just going hard,” Walker said. “I know he’s a hard worker just from being with him that whole week and I could just tell that he wanted to get better and that’s what I wanted to do, too.”

SPLITTING TIME

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra reiterated the importance of both Cole and Mario Chalmers to the Heat’s plans this season. Cole is the offensive sparkplug suited for the Heat’s plans to push the pace of the game. Chalmers’ versatility allows him to provide sparks with his defense.

Merry Christmas, basketball fans. It’s time to unwrap the NBA.

After a long and frustrating lockout that threatened to alienate its fans, the NBA begins its 2010-11 season Sunday — nearly two months behind schedule — the same way it finished the last one. The Heat’s visit to Dallas is the opening day’s marquee game, a rematch of last season’s Finals and the perfect starting point for Year 2 of the Heat’s Big 3.

Although Dallas’ roster has undergone some changes, the feelings between these teams remain the same. Few openers in Heat franchise history have carried this much gravitas. The beginning of the game will feel like an extension of Game 7 of the Finals.

“It’s a little different for us,” Heat co-captain Dwyane Wade said.

The Mavericks will raise their championship banner moments before the game. Emotions will be palpable.

The Heat insists there is “no revenge factor,” as the teams’ other co-captain, forward Udonis Haslem, said Friday. Still, an undercurrent of something raw remains.

“I’m sure they celebrated this summer, and now it’s our time to try to make our own legacy this season,” Haslem said.

For Haslem, this Christmas Day game will be important for other reasons as well. Injured for most of last season, Haslem, who has undergone three surgeries in the past year, is now healthy and ready to contribute to the team in a way he could not during last season’s championship series.

“You take health for granted because you wake up every morning and get up out of bed and you come to practice like you’re entitled, but, really, we’re not,” Haslem said. “So, to be healthy is a blessing, and I’m thankful and I’m hoping I can stay healthy and take advantage and help my guys.”

Health issues

Although Haslem is fully healthy, some of the Heat’s other key reserves are not. Shane Battier, the team’s most significant free agent addition, is questionable for the season opener because of a strain of his quadriceps muscle, which he sustained during the beginning of training camp. He listed his status as “a strong maybe” on Friday.

Battier’s fellow reserve swingman, Mike Miller, won’t suit up. He’s still recovering from hernia surgery. Another void is the absence of Eddie House — the team announced Saturday that he was waived. He had not yet recovered from offseason surgery to his left knee.

Eddy Curry, the Heat’s great hope at the center position, will not play because of a muscle strain in his hip. There was some question whether Curry would even make the Heat’s roster, but it’s now apparent the team has a long-term plan for the former Knicks standout. Curry said he likely will sit out the next one or two weeks before resuming his comeback attempt.

In the meantime, the Heat will begin the season with just one center who has any significant experience. Joel Anthony will start there Sunday, and reserve center Dexter Pittman is expected to contribute significantly for the first time in his career.

With former Dallas center Tyson Chandler now playing for the Knicks, the Mavericks’ frontcourt will rely on Brendan Haywood, who averaged 2.0 points and 3.5 rebounds during the preseason.

Also gone from last season’s team is offensive catalyst J.J. Barea, the minuscule point guard who gave the Heat fits during the Finals. Replacing Barea is veteran reserve Delonte West. Lamar Odom, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year last season, and Vince Carter were brought in to help offset the losses of Caron Butler and Peja Stojakovic.

Although the Mavericks’ rotation is still in flux, the team’s core — Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry — remains intact.

“Dirk is still there, J-Kidd is still there, J-Terry is there and a lot of other guys, too, so they definitely have some new pieces with Lamar being there and Vince being there and some other guys that weren’t a part of their team,” Heat forward LeBron James said. “But we’re not playing the names on the back, we’re playing the names on the front and we’re looking forward to it.”

Roster update

The Heat awarded its 14th and 15th roster spots to rookies Terrel Harris and Mickell Gladness on Saturday.

Harris, a 6-4 guard, is a native of Dallas, so Sunday’s season opener will be extra special. A native of Birmingham, Ala., Gladness played his college ball at Alabama A&M in Huntsville, where he set the NCAA record for blocks in a game (16) his junior season.

LeBron James was the first one on the floor, swishing the first
shot he took. Dwyane Wade arrived with a candy cane behind his
right ear. Chris Bosh gestured to the fans with his usual
intensity.

Miami’s stars gave fans what they wanted Thursday night.

But a Heat rookie might have provided the biggest surprise.

Norris Cole staked his claim for playing time right away this
season, scoring 21 points in Miami’s open scrimmage played before
about 9,000 season-ticket holders. Cole figures to enter the season
as the backup to Mario Chalmers, who re-signed with Miami earlier
this month.

“I’m treating every practice like a game,” Cole said. “I’ve got
a great opportunity here and I’m doing all I can to show that I
belong with this team.”

Cole has had success at AmericanAirlines Arena before. He was on
the same floor for Cleveland State’s appearance in the 2009 NCAA
tournament, scoring 22 points in a first-round upset of Wake Forest
and 17 more in a second-round loss to Arizona.

“Norris has been great since we got him,” said Heat assistant
coach David Fizdale, who ran one of the teams while fellow
assistant Keith Askins handled the other, while Heat coach Erik
Spoelstra and assistant Ron Rothstein observed from seats near
midcourt. “He’s really astute. He’s very mature. He’s here early
every day. He’s the last to leave. Kind of kid you want to work
with and get better.”

Cole worked with James at times in Ohio this summer, and said he
had some knowledge of the Heat system before he showed up for camp.
He said he’s taking a simple approach to camp.

“Hard work,” Cole said. “I’m trying to help this team win a
championship. That’s what it’s all about. That’s all that it’s
about.”

The open scrimmage was a clear thank-you of sorts for
season-ticket holders, all of whom packed into the lower bowl of
the arena. When the doors opened about an hour before game time,
fans sprinted into the building, since most of the seats were
first-come, first-serve. They roared when public address announcer
Michael Baiamonte greeted them with “Welcome home, Heat fans,” and
they got louder when the first surprise of the night arrived.

Instead of accessing the court through the private tunnel
emerging from their locker room, Heat players and staff came down
the arena steps, slapping hands with fans.

“It’s been too long,” Spoelstra told the crowd.

James took the first shot of the warmups, a 16-footer that went
in and drew a roar. Some of the hijinks were downright comical _
Wade throwing a behind-the-back pass to James, who then went
behind-the-back to Joel Anthony for a score, or Udonis Haslem
wagging his finger menacingly to the opposing bench, or even Askins
arguing with an official for a goaltending call in the first
half.

Mostly, though, it was about getting in work. It’s only about
two weeks spanning first practice to first real game this season,
about half the normal time in seasons not compacted by
labor-related issues.

“We’re looking forward to this season,” Spoelstra told the
crowd. “You’re going to have a heck of a time in this arena here
this season, all right? Enjoy.”

Haslem led all scorers with 23 points, James also had 21, and
Wade finished with 17.

The last game of the NBA’s most recent season was on the same
court, of course, when Dallas beat Miami to clinch the 2011 title
in six games. And fans in Miami were angst-ridden for months over
the status of the lockout, fearing that would be the last game
played in any NBA city for a year or perhaps more.

Of course, a deal eventually got done, and just about everyone
from the core of last season’s Eastern Conference champions is
back. Heat owner Micky Arison and team CEO Nick Arison were in
their customary courtside spots, a few seats away from team
president Pat Riley, who watched the proceedings closely.

“It feels like old times,” Bosh said. “It feels like we’re just
tweaking a couple of things. We’re just pushing each other to be
better. It’s good to be back. I’ve been looking forward to this for
a long time.”

Shane Battier, Eddy Curry, Mike Miller and Eddie House were held
out with various injuries. That didn’t stop fans from chanting “We
want Shane” at least twice, the new Heat forward acknowledging the
cries with a broad smile each time. Battier and Cole figure to be
the only two players who weren’t on last year’s team that will
begin this season in the rotation.

The Heat picked up Cole on draft night for his speed and savvy,
both of which were on full display.

It was Cole’s “coming out party,” Micky Arison said on Twitter
during the game. And Cole’s new teammates were impressed as
well.

“He can play the game of basketball,” Wade said. “You can’t
teach what he has.”

Read More: nba lockout, nba lockout news, Miami Heat

Miami Heat franchise owner Micky Arison has been fined $500,000 by league commissioner David Stern for since-deleted tweets critical of some owners’ NBA lockout positions posted Friday, reports Yahoo!’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Arison, considered by most a dove in the lockout talks, and someone eager to get back in session, responded to and retweeted a few fans who were critical of the league’s hard line in labor negotiations. In response to one tweet that chided owners for being greedy, Arison responded that the fan was “barking at the wrong owner.”

The revealing tweets were a change of pace, considering that Arison, who also runs Carnival Cruise Lines, usually just using his Twitter feed to chat about Guy Fieri and cheeseburgers.

Arison is at least the fourth team owner fined for lockout comments this summer. The Wolves and Blazers were reportedly fined for comments made by team executives. Bobcats owner Michael Jordan was fined earlier this offseason after he spoke with an Australian newspaper about the need for a hard cap.

The Miami Heat’s LeBron James has moved on from the NBA Finals defeat to the Dallas Mavericks earlier this summer. He’s tried to mend fences in the wake of his “Decision” to leave Cleveland for Miami by continuing youth basketball programs in his native Ohio. Even while entrenched in what is shaping up to be a long and potentially damaging lockout James has traveled across the country — part of an All-Star contingent that looks to cure the basketball jones of millions of NBA fans who hope that at some point there is a season. He’s even laughed at himself in a McDonald’s commercial that questions the chances of him winning multiple championships one of the running jokes since the Finals loss.

One thing that James hasn’t been able to shake is the piling on of former NBA stars, the most recent being former LA Lakers star Magic Johnson who have taken the liberty to take unprovoked shots at James for leaving Cleveland for Miami.

“There will always be great players in basketball. There’s always going to be guys who win championships in the NBA. Except LeBron.” said Johnson to roars of laughter while speaking to a group in Albany, New York last week, Johnson tried to soften the blow by adding, “I love the young man though. I know he’s going to get better this year in the fourth quarter.”

This is the same Magic Johnson that was embroiled in controversy in 1981 after winning his first NBA championship the season before when he was at the center of the firing of coach Paul Westhead. Westhead would be replaced by Pat Riley who with Johnson at the helm would lead the Lakers to four more NBA titles in the 80s.

Johnson would shock the world a decade late with the announcement that his promiscuous lifestyle had contracted him the HIV virus that causes AIDS. Thankfully, Johnson has thus far led a normal and healthy life showing no ill effects of the disease.

By this time Johnson had joined the likes of Charles Barkley and James idol Michael Jordan, former players who have chosen to lay a hard foul on James when it comes to his Decision and lack of commitment to the Cleveland Cavaliers organization. James a two-time NBA MVP left Cleveland to join Dwayne Wade in Miami, Toronto Raptors center Chris Bosh would later follow. Jordan who defeated both Barkley and Johnson at some point on his way to six NBA titles said that he would rather beat them than join them.

“There’s no way, with hindsight, I would’ve ever called up Larry, called up Magic and said, ‘Hey, look, let’s get together and play on one team. But that’s…things are different. I can’t say that’s a bad thing. It’s an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys,” Michael Jordan said.