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.

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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.

That’s all for today.

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.”

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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.

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Miami Heat forward LeBron James remains undefeated in his summer tour across America, Tuesday night helping lead a star-laden “Melo League” roster in Baltimore to a 149-141 victory over a team from the Washington-based Goodman League.

While official stats are limited in such exhibitions, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant led all scorers with a reported 59 points, often defended in the game at Morgan State University by James.

As for James? Well he scored enough for the team that also featured New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony and New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul, who recently had been working out at the University of Miami alongside Heat guard Mario Chalmers.

The Baltimore Sun, Washington Post and USA Today listed James as scoring 38 points. However, due to the lack of official statistics, the Associated Press initially reported James with 36, with ESPN reporting the Heat forward with 32.

No matter the numbers, Durant told the Baltimore Sun he appreciated the competition.

“I have so much respect for LeBron,” Durant said. “He’ll go down as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. To have this opportunity against him, I’m just working on what I’ve been working on all summer. I had to take advantage of that. It was fun. He’s a great defender and a great scorer. I try to play my hardest on defense against him. I try to be as aggressive as I can offensively.”

Said James, whose performance included a dunk off his own feed off the backboard, “Kevin is a great player. We’re all fans of the game, and that’s the most important thing. I think we all just love basketball. I love to play. I play every day, and this was fun.”

In the wake of his 30-something performance, James posted on his Twitter account, “Had a great time at Morgan St. Love competition and giving back to people!” He then offered thanks to Anthony and organizers for helping to put the game together.

“Let’s do it again soon,” James later posted on his Twitter account.

While South Florida does not have a pro-am league like Los Angeles, New York, Washington, Baltimore or even Indianapolis, where Chalmers is currently playing, NBA players do tend to gravitate toward the area around Labor Day.

The Melo League starting lineup featured James, Anthony, Paul, San Antonio Spurs guard Gary Neal and Memphis Grizzlies second-round draft pick Josh Selby, the guard out of Kansas.

Durant was flanked in his team’s starting lineup by Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green, Detroit Pistons forward Austin Daye, New Orleans Hornets guard Jarrett Jack and New York Knicks guard Roger Mason Jr.

The game attracted an overflow crowd at the 4,500-seat gym.

Tuesday marked the third time this offseason James found himself in a competitive situation.

In July, James appeared in the Chris Chambers City Classic in Warrensville Heights, Ohio, where, representing his hometown of Akron, he helped lead his squad over a team of players from Cleveland 81-66.

The following week, at the Drew League in Los Angeles, he put together a victorious 33-point effort for a team coached by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Baron Davis.

iwinderman@tribune.com. Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat

Gotta run!.

Miami Heat forward LeBron James remains undefeated in his summer tour across America, Tuesday night helping lead a star-laden “Melo League” roster in Baltimore to a 149-141 victory over a team from the Washington-based Goodman League.

While official stats are limited in such exhibitions, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant led all scorers with a reported 59 points, often defended in the game at Morgan State University by James.

As for James? Well he scored enough for the team that also featured New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony and New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul, who recently had been working out at the University of Miami alongside Heat guard Mario Chalmers.

The Baltimore Sun, Washington Post and USA Today listed James as scoring 38 points. However, due to the lack of official statistics, the Associated Press initially reported James with 36, with ESPN reporting the Heat forward with 32.

No matter the numbers, Durant told the Baltimore Sun he appreciated the competition.

“I have so much respect for LeBron,” Durant said. “He’ll go down as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. To have this opportunity against him, I’m just working on what I’ve been working on all summer. I had to take advantage of that. It was fun. He’s a great defender and a great scorer. I try to play my hardest on defense against him. I try to be as aggressive as I can offensively.”

Said James, whose performance included a dunk off his own feed off the backboard, “Kevin is a great player. We’re all fans of the game, and that’s the most important thing. I think we all just love basketball. I love to play. I play every day, and this was fun.”

In the wake of his 30-something performance, James posted on his Twitter account, “Had a great time at Morgan St. Love competition and giving back to people!” He then offered thanks to Anthony and organizers for helping to put the game together.

“Let’s do it again soon,” James later posted on his Twitter account.

While South Florida does not have a pro-am league like Los Angeles, New York, Washington, Baltimore or even Indianapolis, where Chalmers is currently playing, NBA players do tend to gravitate toward the area around Labor Day.

The Melo League starting lineup featured James, Anthony, Paul, San Antonio Spurs guard Gary Neal and Memphis Grizzlies second-round draft pick Josh Selby, the guard out of Kansas.

Durant was flanked in his team’s starting lineup by Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green, Detroit Pistons forward Austin Daye, New Orleans Hornets guard Jarrett Jack and New York Knicks guard Roger Mason Jr.

The game attracted an overflow crowd at the 4,500-seat gym.

Tuesday marked the third time this offseason James found himself in a competitive situation.

In July, James appeared in the Chris Chambers City Classic in Warrensville Heights, Ohio, where, representing his hometown of Akron, he helped lead his squad over a team of players from Cleveland 81-66.

The following week, at the Drew League in Los Angeles, he put together a victorious 33-point effort for a team coached by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Baron Davis.

iwinderman@tribune.com. Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat

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The Miami Heat front-office exec is being sued for allegedly leaving the scene of a late-night car accident, but Alonzo Mourning claims total innocence in the matter. From the Miami Herald: “On the eve of his philanthropic foundation’s most important fund-raising event of the year, Zo’s Summer Groove, former Miami Heat basketball star Alonzo Mourning is facing a lawsuit stemming from an accident scene he left on Sunday. Mourning, 41, was driving home to Coral Gables with his wife, Tracy, at 3 a.m. Sunday from the wedding of Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh at the Fontainebleau Hotel, when he crossed the Julia Tuttle Causeway and his blue 2010 Porsche Panamera slid into one of two crashed cars in the middle of the highway … Neither men were hurt by Mourning’s car. According to a Florida Highway Police report, Mourning got out, went over to check on the men, who told him they were OK and that they had already called police. Mourning continued driving home, then called police, the FHP report said. He was told to return to the scene and he did. He and his wife returned to the accident scene in Tracy Mourning’s SUV. She drove. Asked if he had been drinking, Mourning said that, as a kidney transplant patient, he does not drink or smoke. ‘I’ve been completely cooperative and met with the police,’ Mourning told The Herald. ‘And now that the facts are straightened out, I think everyone will see that I didn’t cause the accident and didn’t cause any injuries.’”

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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning was sued Wednesday over a weekend traffic crash in Florida that raised questions about whether he improperly left the scene.

The lawsuit seeking unspecified damages was filed on behalf of 21-year-old William Candelario, who suffered head injuries in the rollover crash early Sunday near Miami Beach. Candelario said he has little memory of what happened and his attorney said the lawsuit is aimed at finding answers.

“The question we have is how, why, would Mr. Mourning leave this accident?” said attorney Spencer Aronfeld. “We’re not on a witch hunt trying to destroy one of South Florida’s most respected and beloved celebrities. We’re simply trying to get answers.”

In a brief interview, Mourning said he came upon the crash scene but declined to say whether he struck one of the vehicles.

Sgt. Thomas Pikul, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman, said investigators determined that Mourning’s blue Porsche Panamera struck Candelario’s Audi A4 a short time after the Audi had collided with a third vehicle.

“We’ve determined it was two separate crashes,” Pikul said.

Mourning, currently the Heat’s vice president for player programs and development, acknowledged leaving the scene. Investigators said he returned about 40 minutes later, in another car driven by his wife, Tracy.

“I left and came right back. Left and came back. There was no panic at all because I didn’t do anything wrong. There was a current accident already in progress,” the 41-year-old Mourning said.

It’s against state law to be involved in an accident and leave the scene. Pikul said no charges had been filed as of midafternoon Wednesday and investigators planned to interview Mourning later in the day.

“I’ve been very cooperative with them,” the former Heat all-star said.

Aronfeld said Candelario suffered a concussion and memory loss in the crash, which has left him unable to work at his job at a bookstore. Candelario, who said he does not drink or use illegal drugs, said he was driving home from an evening on South Beach when the crash occurred.

“I don’t remember much. There’s only bits and pieces,” he said.

But Candelario said he overheard one of the state troopers identifying the 6-foot-10 Mourning, a Virginia native and Georgetown standout who is one of Miami’s best-known sports figures. He and his wife have a high school named for them and they have held a fundraiser for President Barack Obama at their Coral Gables home. This week, Mourning is hosting the annual Zo’s Summer Groove event to benefit disadvantaged youths.

“I said, ‘You’re Alonzo Mourning?’ That’s about it,” Candelario said. “I’m not a follower of basketball.”

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Standing before hundreds of children at his basketball camp Wednesday, Dwyane Wade got plenty of tough questions. About playing with LeBron James this past season with the Miami Heat and their trip to the NBA finals. About his actress girlfriend, Gabrielle Union. About what it takes to be a great basketball player.

One noticeably absent topic? The NBA lockout.

“No lockout questions at all,” Wade said afterward. “I think it’s sensitive to them. They’re staying away from it.”

Those kids may be the only ones staying away from the NBA’s latest chapter.

Taking a break from working with the kids at his camp, Wade spoke on a number of topics Wednesday, including the camp, his travel plans for the remainder of the summer, whether or not he’ll try to be part of the U.S. team at the 2012 London Olympics — and, of course, the work stoppage that threatens the next NBA season, with players and owners billions of dollars away from agreeing on a new labour deal.

“I don’t miss it yet,” Wade said of his inability to work out at 601 Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, the address of the arena that the Heat call home. “I’m only a month away from the game. I’m cool. I’ve got two more weeks to relax before I get back into it. But when the time gets to where we’re still going, I will miss it and most importantly I think everybody will miss it because you’re used to getting into a rhythm, used to getting into a schedule. And when that schedule is starting off, everything is off.”

Still, a month removed from losing in six games to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA finals, Wade is a long way from forgetting the pain of coming up short with a title at stake.

He’s been busy since: A European trip has already been completed, as has a camp he co-hosted with NFL star Devin Hester in Chicago and a commercial shoot in Los Angeles, all preceding his annual camp at Nova Southeastern University — which added a twist this year, a cheerleader camp led by Katina Taylor, the wife of NFL defensive end Jason Taylor.

And soon, Wade will head back to China for the first time since the U.S. won gold at the 2008 Beijing Games. Much of that trip will be built around Wade’s work with Nike’s Jordan Brand, although he has several other business meetings lined up there as well.

“I’m excited to come back over there and just enjoy China,” Wade said. “I want to go different places over there. I told Brand Jordan I wanted to go to see where the magic happens, where are the sneakers made, the people that make the sneakers. I want to go meet those people. I’ve got a lot of things I want to accomplish this summer and I’ve got a lot of time to do that.”

Other topics Wade touched on Wednesday:

— Regarding losing the NBA finals. “The sting is there, no question about it. I joke with the kids, I say, ‘All right, I’m going to make jokes about it, and you guys aren’t going to ask me questions.’ Because when they ask questions, they want to know some stuff. So I make sure I shed some light on it in a sense of humour type of way. But the sting’s there. But you’ve got to move on.”

— Regarding the perception of Miami’s season as a disappointment. “We understand that it was a failure, that it was a failure not just for the Miami Heat, it was a failure for every team that didn’t win except for the Dallas Mavericks. They were the champions, so they had the best year. Everyone else failed — they didn’t win a championship. But the things that we did, they don’t just erase.”

— Regarding what he hopes to build for a legacy with kids through his camps and other interaction. “I always feel like I’m on this Earth for a purpose, for a reason, just to leave my mark, leave the world a better place. And just use basketball to do it. If I can leave my mark on the world in that way, as I do with my foundation, with our youth, then I’ll feel like I did my job. So when I get 60, 70, 80 years old, I can sit back and be happy with what I’ve done.”

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Standing before hundreds of children at his basketball camp Wednesday, Dwyane Wade got plenty of tough questions. About playing with LeBron James this past season with the Miami Heat and their trip to the NBA finals. About his actress girlfriend, Gabrielle Union. About what it takes to be a great basketball player.

One noticeably absent topic? The NBA lockout.

“No lockout questions at all,” Wade said afterward. “I think it’s sensitive to them. They’re staying away from it.”

Those kids may be the only ones staying away from the NBA’s latest chapter.

Taking a break from working with the kids at his camp, Wade spoke on a number of topics Wednesday, including the camp, his travel plans for the remainder of the summer, whether or not he’ll try to be part of the U.S. team at the 2012 London Olympics — and, of course, the work stoppage that threatens the next NBA season, with players and owners billions of dollars away from agreeing on a new labour deal.

“I don’t miss it yet,” Wade said of his inability to work out at 601 Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, the address of the arena that the Heat call home. “I’m only a month away from the game. I’m cool. I’ve got two more weeks to relax before I get back into it. But when the time gets to where we’re still going, I will miss it and most importantly I think everybody will miss it because you’re used to getting into a rhythm, used to getting into a schedule. And when that schedule is starting off, everything is off.”

Still, a month removed from losing in six games to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA finals, Wade is a long way from forgetting the pain of coming up short with a title at stake.

He’s been busy since: A European trip has already been completed, as has a camp he co-hosted with NFL star Devin Hester in Chicago and a commercial shoot in Los Angeles, all preceding his annual camp at Nova Southeastern University — which added a twist this year, a cheerleader camp led by Katina Taylor, the wife of NFL defensive end Jason Taylor.

And soon, Wade will head back to China for the first time since the U.S. won gold at the 2008 Beijing Games. Much of that trip will be built around Wade’s work with Nike’s Jordan Brand, although he has several other business meetings lined up there as well.

“I’m excited to come back over there and just enjoy China,” Wade said. “I want to go different places over there. I told Brand Jordan I wanted to go to see where the magic happens, where are the sneakers made, the people that make the sneakers. I want to go meet those people. I’ve got a lot of things I want to accomplish this summer and I’ve got a lot of time to do that.”

Other topics Wade touched on Wednesday:

— Regarding losing the NBA finals. “The sting is there, no question about it. I joke with the kids, I say, ‘All right, I’m going to make jokes about it, and you guys aren’t going to ask me questions.’ Because when they ask questions, they want to know some stuff. So I make sure I shed some light on it in a sense of humour type of way. But the sting’s there. But you’ve got to move on.”

— Regarding the perception of Miami’s season as a disappointment. “We understand that it was a failure, that it was a failure not just for the Miami Heat, it was a failure for every team that didn’t win except for the Dallas Mavericks. They were the champions, so they had the best year. Everyone else failed — they didn’t win a championship. But the things that we did, they don’t just erase.”

— Regarding what he hopes to build for a legacy with kids through his camps and other interaction. “I always feel like I’m on this Earth for a purpose, for a reason, just to leave my mark, leave the world a better place. And just use basketball to do it. If I can leave my mark on the world in that way, as I do with my foundation, with our youth, then I’ll feel like I did my job. So when I get 60, 70, 80 years old, I can sit back and be happy with what I’ve done.”

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There hasn’t been much Playoff talk around here, but with the Finals set and the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks ready to do battle next week, now seems like a good time to drop some notes about the four teams that reached the conference finals, starting with the Miami Heat.

Miami Heat:

-  The Heat are playing with fire by allowing teams to build leads against them late in games.  Miami has been able to close those gaps with tremendous speed thanks to their ballhawking defense, but the only reason they end up in those holes is because they get lazy and complacent for stretches.  They don’t need to be playing from behind for most of the game, but they are not committed to exerting the effort necessary to avoid that.

-  You can get away with that when you have the best player on the planet.  I don’t care what you think of LeBron James as a person – if you don’t think he’s the best basketball player in the world, you are kidding yourself.  As good as Dirk Nowitzki has been in these Playoffs, LeBron has been much better.  He will still need to win a title, but there is no doubt that LeBron James has utterly destroyed any doubters over the last three weeks.  Hate him if you want, but don’t let that cloud the analysis. 

-  I have said since last Summer that the perimeter defense that the Heat would be able to play with LeBron and Dwyane Wade would be the biggest factor in their ability to beat other contenders.  Then LeBron shuts down MVP Derrick Rose in the fourth quarter of four games.  In a league where all teams rely heavily on perimeter scorers for a bulk of their points, being able to defend away from the basket changes the game.  The defense of LeBron and Wade is what makes them so much better than offense-only players like Rose, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki.

-  That said, Dirk may be the only perimeter player that has the size and unique skill set to cope with LeBron.  Just as LeBron’s length created all sorts of problems for Derrick Rose, Nowitzki’s size will allow him to get his shot off over LeBron with less interference.  LeBron will still make live harder for Dirk, and Udonis Haslem did nice work against Nowitzki (using a myriad of dirty moves) in 2006, but it is unlikely that the Heat will be able to shut down Dirk like they did Rose.  Expect the Heat to try to force Dirk to dribble as often as possible, hoping that turnovers will take away from some of his overall offensive impact.

-  But even if Dirk gets his, the ability to put Wade on Jason Terry and possibly shut him down would force the Mavericks to find their points elsewhere.  Think DeShawn Stevenson is ready to carry that load for seven games?

-  Speaking of Wade, something is not right with the guy.  Maybe he’s hurt, maybe he’s pouting a little bit that the team is thriving with LeBron as the “closer.”  Either way, Wade has not been the same player we know he can be, and after a few breakout games against the Celtics he was not very good against the Bulls.  If the Heat had not managed to win the last two games, Wade would have been the talk of the sports radio world.  But the Heat won, so the entire Heat Index (TM ESPN) can’t be bothered with doing any actual reporting about Wade’s problems.  Ah well, maybe next year they’ll have 15 dedicated reporters on it.

-  Chris Bosh was pretty darn good in this series, no?  Made big shots late.  The corner shot he made to keep the Heat in Game 4 was huge.

-  Make no mistake, I am not saying that the Heat are certain to dominate the Mavericks.  The Heat have not had to deal with a team that can spread their defense out with shooters, and they haven’t faced a team that can score enough points to put them in the rearview mirror in the third quarter and keep them there all the way through the end of the game.  Bad habits formed during the Bulls and Celtics series could cause the Heat to lose games thanks to a lack of focus, and the Mavericks offense is primed to make the Heat pay if given the opportunity.

-  I still don’t think much of Erik Spoelstra as a coach.  Giving Spoelstra credit for the Heat cutting a 12-point deficit in 4 minutes is the equivalent of giving Charlie Manuel credit for Roy Halladay throwing a perfect game.  I’m pretty sure Erik wasn’t over there drawing up four-point plays.  Spoelstra has three of the most unique offensive talents in the game, but his offense lacks any creativity.  LeBron and Wade may be stubborn in their unwillingness to run an offense, but it’s the coach’s job to convince them to run it.  Spolestra is wasting the talent on his team, and that makes him a mediocre coach.  The Heat may have the talent to overcome his weaknesses, but I question his long-term success as the Miami head coach.

That’s it.  Check out the notes for the other conference finals teams, and have a great holiday weekend.

Contact Michael Curry by email at CavsHQ@gmail[dot]com, and follow him on Twitter @Mike_CavsHQ 

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CHICAGO—

The message was clear to the Miami Heat from the moment the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals on Wednesday night:

Don’t look ahead.

Dwyane Wade wasn’t, as he mulled Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t thinking about the Mavericks.

His cell phone prevented that. No sooner did Dallas punch its ticket to the NBA Finals then former Heat teammate Caron Butler was chatting with Wade, talking about what used to be and what could be in coming days.

For the Heat, the ties to the Mavericks are undeniable, and for more than Wade’s virtuoso performance over the final four games of the 2006 NBA Finals, four consecutive victories that gave the Heat the franchise’s lone championship.

Not only is there history between the Heat and the Mavericks, but also close personal ties. Butler was a Heat teammate during Wade’s 2003-04 rookie season. Wade later played alongside Mavericks forward Shawn Marion for parts of two Heat seasons, with Marion also an offseason neighbor in Chicago.

And then there is Dirk Nowitzki, who shortly after punching his Western Conference ticket to the NBA Finals reflected back on coming up short against the Heat in those 2006 Finals.

With Butler, it would be a bittersweet reunion, with the former Heat first-round pick sidelined since Jan. 1 with a knee injury.

“I’ve talked to Caron a lot, a very good friend of mine,” Wade said Thursday morning. “I talked to him last night. I’m happy for him, even though I know he wasn’t able to play this year because of the injury, but being part of a winning organization, being a part of seeing how it feels to go to the Finals is amazing.”

Then there is Marion, a teammate during the Heat’s post-championship period, when the Heat fell to the bottom of the league, including an NBA-worst 15-67 finish in 2007-08.

“Shawn Marion, man, I’m happy for him,” Wade said. “He really is playing huge for that team. They don’t win that game (Wednesday) night without him, without his effort.

“So I’m happy for them as individuals, as guys that I have relationships with. Shawn, we’re neighbors in Chicago in the summer.”

And then there is Nowitzki, the player who would have been the Most Valuable Player of those 2006 NBA Finals had it not been for Wade and his otherworldly effort.

“He’s going back to the Finals, and the last time he was in the Finals, they played the Heat,” Wade said. “Obviously Dirk is very driven by that, as you can see. I noticed watching the game, he didn’t even celebrate long. He was the first one off to the locker room. He’s very focused. He has a goal in mind and he wants to reach it. So that’s a great player. His teammates are going follow his lead.

“Obviously, Miami Heat is always going to come up. And he knows it and that’s why he says he needs get back there, to try to erase that. But ’06 was ’06 and obviously we won then and that was then.”

While there has been a significant turnover in Dallas, turnover that included adding Butler and Marion and excising coach Avery Johnson, point guard Devin Harris and current Heat backup center Erick Dampier, still in place are Nowitzki, sixth-man Jason Terry and plenty of history when it comes to all the possibilities of Heat-Mavericks II.

“This team right here,” Terry said, “is trying to make its own legacy.”

iwinderman@tribune.com. Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat.

Gotta run!.

CHICAGO—

The message was clear to the Miami Heat from the moment the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals on Wednesday night:

Don’t look ahead.

Dwyane Wade wasn’t, as he mulled Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t thinking about the Mavericks.

His cell phone prevented that. No sooner did Dallas punch its ticket to the NBA Finals then former Heat teammate Caron Butler was chatting with Wade, talking about what used to be and what could be in coming days.

For the Heat, the ties to the Mavericks are undeniable, and for more than Wade’s virtuoso performance over the final four games of the 2006 NBA Finals, four consecutive victories that gave the Heat the franchise’s lone championship.

Not only is there history between the Heat and the Mavericks, but also close personal ties. Butler was a Heat teammate during Wade’s 2003-04 rookie season. Wade later played alongside Mavericks forward Shawn Marion for parts of two Heat seasons, with Marion also an offseason neighbor in Chicago.

And then there is Dirk Nowitzki, who shortly after punching his Western Conference ticket to the NBA Finals reflected back on coming up short against the Heat in those 2006 Finals.

With Butler, it would be a bittersweet reunion, with the former Heat first-round pick sidelined since Jan. 1 with a knee injury.

“I’ve talked to Caron a lot, a very good friend of mine,” Wade said Thursday morning. “I talked to him last night. I’m happy for him, even though I know he wasn’t able to play this year because of the injury, but being part of a winning organization, being a part of seeing how it feels to go to the Finals is amazing.”

Then there is Marion, a teammate during the Heat’s post-championship period, when the Heat fell to the bottom of the league, including an NBA-worst 15-67 finish in 2007-08.

“Shawn Marion, man, I’m happy for him,” Wade said. “He really is playing huge for that team. They don’t win that game (Wednesday) night without him, without his effort.

“So I’m happy for them as individuals, as guys that I have relationships with. Shawn, we’re neighbors in Chicago in the summer.”

And then there is Nowitzki, the player who would have been the Most Valuable Player of those 2006 NBA Finals had it not been for Wade and his otherworldly effort.

“He’s going back to the Finals, and the last time he was in the Finals, they played the Heat,” Wade said. “Obviously Dirk is very driven by that, as you can see. I noticed watching the game, he didn’t even celebrate long. He was the first one off to the locker room. He’s very focused. He has a goal in mind and he wants to reach it. So that’s a great player. His teammates are going follow his lead.

“Obviously, Miami Heat is always going to come up. And he knows it and that’s why he says he needs get back there, to try to erase that. But ’06 was ’06 and obviously we won then and that was then.”

While there has been a significant turnover in Dallas, turnover that included adding Butler and Marion and excising coach Avery Johnson, point guard Devin Harris and current Heat backup center Erick Dampier, still in place are Nowitzki, sixth-man Jason Terry and plenty of history when it comes to all the possibilities of Heat-Mavericks II.

“This team right here,” Terry said, “is trying to make its own legacy.”

iwinderman@tribune.com. Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat.

Gotta run!.