The Miami Heat kicked off 2012 with a dominant performance against the Charlotte Bobcats, walking away with the 129-90 victory on Jan. 1.

The Heat took control in the very first quarter of the second encounter between the two teams this season, building up an 18 point lead in the opening twelve minutes. Miami kept their pace up in the second quarter, increasing their lead to 28 points by halftime. The Heat continued their dominance in the second half of the game, handing the Bobcats their most lopsided loss of the season.

Miami’s offense was firing on all cylinders against the Bobcats, shooting 60 percent from the field. The Heat were even more successful from beyond the arc, converting on 64 percent of their attempts from long range.

Forward Chris Bosh led Miami against the Bobcats, shooting 69 percent from the field. Bosh finished with the only double-double of the game, putting up 24 points and 10 rebounds against the Bobcats.

Dwyane Wade was the second highest scorer for the Heat, putting up 22 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds. LeBron James had his lowest scoring game of the 2011/12 NBA season, but he was still effective for the Heat, shooting 60 percent from the field and finishing with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.

Mario Chalmers was lights out from beyond the arc, going 4-4 from long range. Chalmers missed only one shot against the Bobcats, walking away with 16 points and 5 assists.

Miami’s bench had their best performance of the season against the Bobcats, finishing with a combined 43 points and 17 rebounds.

Rookie Norris Cole had another solid outing for Miami, putting up 16 points (shooting 75 percent from the field), 9 assists and 3 steals. Udonis Haslem also gave the Heat some quality minutes coming off the bench, finishing with six points and nine rebounds.

Miami’s next game will be against the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 2, and they should be able to keep their undefeated record intact.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Player and game information from ESPN.com

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Miami Heat Improve to 4-0

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The Miami Heat improved their 2011/12 NBA season record to 4-0 (second time in franchise history), defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 103-101 on Dec. 30.

The Heat came out strong against the Timberwolves, but a poor second quarter performance brought Minnesota back into the game. Miami regained control of the contest in the third quarter, but the Timberwolves refused to go down without a fight.

The Timberwolves actually had a three point lead with a little over a minute left in the game, but a strong move to the rim by LeBron James—who was fouled during the play—gave them a chance to tie up the contest. LeBron made the ensuing free throw, setting the stage for some final minute heroics.

Once again, Dwyane Wade who finished with 19 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds, stepped up when the Heat needed him the most, finishing a LeBron lob with a layup and giving Miami the two point lead. The Timberwolves had one last chance to tie up the game, but Wayne Ellington’s jumper bounced off the rim.

“I’m glad we played them early because later they’re going to be trouble,” Wade told reporters after the game. “So I think Timberwolves fans will have something to cheer about for a while here.”

Birthday Celebrant, LeBron had another dominant performance for the Heat, finishing with 34 points (game high), 10 assists and 8 rebounds. Chris Bosh also had a solid outing, putting up 20 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists.

Norris Cole and Udonis Haslem scored the Heat’s only points off the bench. Cole put up 12 points and 4 assists, while Haslem finished with 9 points and 9 rebounds.

Miami’s next game will be on Jan. 1, when they host the Charlotte Bobcats at the American Airlines Arena. The Bobcats gave the Heat a tough contest on Dec. 28, and the next encounter between the two teams should be just as entertaining.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 15 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Associated Press, “Late LeBron James-to-Dwyane Wade alley-oop secures Heat…”

Player and game information from ESPN

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Wade expects other NBA teams to copy Miami Heat

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Erik Spoelstra Signs Contract Extension with the Heat

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Miami Heat Ruins Mavericks’ Championship Party

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That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

The Miami Heat won their third game in four days, walking away with the 96-95 victory against the Charlotte Bobcats on Dec. 28.

The Heat’s tough schedule finally started catching up to them. Miami’s players looked a step slower during the game, but they did manage to turn things around down the stretch.

Charlotte came out firing on all cylinders, outscoring the Heat by 12 points in the first quarter. The Heat played better in the second quarter, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Bobcats from adding three more points to their lead.

Whatever Erick Spoelstra told his players during the halftime break definitely worked, as the Heat came out strong in the third quarter, frustrating the Bobcats with their stifling defense. Miami finally took their first lead of the game, halfway through the fourth quarter. Both teams traded buckets from that point on, but Dwyane Wade stepped up to the plate in the final seconds of the game, kissing the ball off the backboard and giving the Heat a one point lead.

LeBron James had another monstrous performance for the Heat, finishing the game with 35 points (game high), 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Chris Bosh was right behind LeBron, putting up 25 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks against the Bobcats. Miami also got a nice boost from Mario Chalmers, who had 15 points and 4 assists against Charlotte.

Dwyane Wade on the other hand had a relatively quiet game, leaving with 10 points and 4 assists, but he did make the most important shot of the day.

Miami’s bench didn’t have their best performance of the season, finishing with a combined 11 points and 12 rebounds.

The Heat will get a day off, before visiting the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 30. The Timberwolves have struggled in their first two games of the season (going 0-2), and the Heat should be able to get their fourth straight win against them.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 15 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Wade expects other NBA teams to copy Miami Heat

Miami Heat Rookie Norris Cole Prepares for 2011/12 Season

Erik Spoelstra Signs Contract Extension with the Heat

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Miami Heat Ruins Mavericks’ Championship Party

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Gotta run!.

The Miami Heat will look for their third straight win of the season, when they face the Charlotte Bobcats on Dec.28.

The Heat played excellent basketball in their first two games of the season, smashing the Dallas Mavericks in their season opener. The Heat played another tough team in their second game of the season, defeating the Boston Celtics 115-107 on Dec. 27.

Miami did get a little sloppy in the second half against the Celtics, but rookie Norris Cole stepped up in the final moments of the game, giving the Heat their second win of the season.

“He’s [Norris] earned their respect,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the game. “Even though it’s been a short period of time, about three weeks, because he’s pure, he’s all about the team. He’s mature and he gets them the ball. You’re always a popular guy when you find people when they’re open.”

Cole certainly looks like another NBA star in the making, and Heat fans can only hope he keeps it up throughout the season.

The Bobcats beat the Milwaukee Bucks by a point in their season opener, and they’ll be in for a serious jump in competition when they face the Heat tonight.

It’s no secret the Heat are the most hated team in the NBA, and LeBron James and company are playing with chips on their shoulders. With a season under their belt, the “big three” understand every team in the league is gunning for them, and they’re determined to make a statement every time they step on the floor.

“We’re not the hunted,” Chris Bosh told reporters. “We’re still the hunters. Absolutely, the way I see it, it’s like a kill or be killed mentality. The enemies are out there and you’ve got to get them before they get you. You know, Chicago, Boston, Orlando, New York. They’re all good teams in our conference. We’ve got to get them before they get us. I like to be ambitious and strike first, put other guys on their heels.”

Miami made their statement loud and clear in the first two games of the season, and I expect another dominant performance against the Bobcats.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 15 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Michael Wallace, “Hunted or not, Heat make early statements”

Dan Burch, “Heat-Bobcats Preview”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Wade expects other NBA teams to copy Miami Heat

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Erik Spoelstra Signs Contract Extension with the Heat

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Miami Heat Ruins Mavericks’ Championship Party

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The Miami Heat ruined the Dallas Mavericks’ championship party, handing them a humiliating Christmas Day beat down. Dirk Nowitzki and company were all smiles prior to the game (Mavericks received their rings and hoisted the 2011 championship banner in the pregame festivities), but the smiles didn’t last long, as the Heat cruised on to the 105-94 victory. With the win, the Heat break their 14 game regular season losing streak to the Mavericks.

The Heat wasted no time against the team that ended their championship dreams last season, taking control in the very first half of the game and never looking back. By halftime, the Heat had a 21 point lead, and things only got worse for the Mavericks in the second half. The Mavericks did try to fight back in the final quarter, but by then, half of their fans had already deserted them and it was too little too late.

Solid defense has been a staple of the “big three” era Heat and they obviously haven’t lost a step. The Heat’s defense smothered the Mavericks throughout the game, holding them to 38 percent shooting from the field. Even Nowitzki had problems dealing with the Heat’s defense, converting on only 6 of his 15 attempts from the field.

LeBron James made an emphatic statement in Miami’s first game of the 2011/12 NBA season, dropping 37 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists against the Mavericks.

Dwyane Wade wasn’t playing around with the Mavericks either, finishing with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists of his own.

Miami’s improved bench played their part as well, putting up a combined 27 points and 23 rebounds against Dallas. Udonis Haslem in particular had a strong game coming off the bench, finishing with 9 points and 14 rebounds.

Expectations are high for the 2011/12 Miami team, but they seem to be up to the task. The Heat’s next game will be on Dec. 27, when they host the Boston Celtics at the American Airline Arena.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 15 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Player and game information from ESPN.com

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Wade expects other NBA teams to copy Miami Heat

Miami Heat Rookie Norris Cole Prepares for 2011/12 Season

Heat Sign Shane Battier and Eddy Curry

Erik Spoelstra Signs Contract Extension with the Heat

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Gotta run!.

Certainly, the 2010-2011 Miami Heat season did not end as well as the 2005-2006 season. However, it may have been the most memorable. The first year of the “Big Three” will definitely be memorable in the Heat’s history.

The Miami Heat’s LeBron James.
Wikimedia Commons

Moment #1. The Press Conference of the Big Three

The acquisitions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh and the return of Dwyane Wade brought these All-Stars to the Miami Heat. A press conference that was described as a “welcome party” brought out 13,000 fans to the American Airlines Arena to celebrate with the star acquisitions. Was this the moment that sealed the hatred of the other NBA teams and their fans?

Moment #2. The first regular season game of the Big Three

Arguably the most anticipated opener in Miami Heat history, the Miami Heat opened on the road against the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics. Losing 88-80, the Miami Heat were led by LeBron James’ 31 points and 8 rebounds. The rest of the team brought limited contributions as Dwyane Wade was the only other Heat player in double figures with 13 points.

Moment #3. Big Three 30 Point Double Doubles

On March 27^th, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James each had at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the same game. The Heat were able to beat the Houston Rockets, 125-119, extending the team’s winning streak to six games. That had been the longest winning streak since the All-Star break.

Moment #4. Christmas Day in Los Angeles

During the NBA regular season, there may be no more anticipated regular season game, especially by the casual fans, than Christmas Day. These games usually are marquee matchups, and the Miami Heat and the defending NBA Champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, could not have been more anticipated. The Heat were able to win the game, 96-80, with Lebron James leading the team with a triple-double, ending with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Moment #5. Punching a Ticket to the NBA Finals

The Miami Heat were able to score a huge comeback win in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals to beat the Chicago Bulls, 83-80, at Chicago’s United Center. The Heat won the series, 4 games to 1, and advanced to their first Finals appearance since the 2005-2006 season.

Edwin Alexander has been following the Miami Heat since their introduction to the NBA in the 1988-1989 season. He has attended many home games since and follows the team as one of his hobbies.

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Many people consider the 2010-2011 season a disappointment for the Miami Heat. As a Heat fan, I completely disagree. This was the first season that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh were playing together, yet they still came within two games of winning it all. There were many great moments for the Heat in 2011, and these are my top five, in no particular order.

Heat Eliminate Celtics From Playoffs (May 11, 2011)

Miami won game five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals 97-87 in front of their home crowd to eliminate Boston from the playoffs. The Heat were down by 2 points entering the fourth quarter. During the seasonpeople were questioning whether Miami could close out games. They showed that they could and outscored the Celtics by 12 in the final period to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

Heat Eliminate Bulls From Playoffs (May 26, 2011)

The Heat were up in the series 3-1, but were down by five points entering the fourth quarter of game five in Chicago. And then Lebron James took over in the final period, scoring 12 points and grabbing three rebounds. In addition to that, he dished out two assists and had one blocked shot. The Heat won the game 83-80 sending them to the NBA Finals for only the second time in franchise history.

Heat Blowout the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland (December 2 , 2010)

To put it mildly, many Cleveland fans had an intense dislike for LeBron James after he left them to join the Heat in the off-season. To stoke the fires even further, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert called LeBron’s actions a “cowardly betrayal.” Needless to say, the tensions were very high prior to LeBron’s first game in Cleveland as a Miami Heat player. King James scored a season-high (up to that point) 38 points to lead the Heat to a 118-90 blowout victory.

Heat Crush the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day

Christmas day in the NBA has become a holiday tradition. The games usually involve teams that have a chance to win the NBA Championship. This game was no different as many experts were predicting a Heat vs Lakers matchup in the finals. Since this was a home game for the Lakers, experts were giving the edge to Los Angeles. But Miami was up to the challenge on this big stage and crushed the Lakers 96-80 as LeBron recorded a triple-double.

The Big Three All Have 30-10 Nights, (March 27, 2011)

James, Wade, and Bosh all had 30-10 nights to defeat the Houston Rockets 125-119 in Miami. James had 33 points and 10 rebounds, Wade scored 30 and had 11 rebounds, and Bosh had 31 points and 12 boards. It was the first time in 50 years that three teammates finished with 30 points and 10 boards in a non-overtime game.

Joe is an ardent Miami Heat and Dolphins fan currently living in South Florida. He can be followed on Twitter at @AllProJoe_

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Miami Heat rookie Norris Cole(notes) wants to be one of the team’s rotation players, and the 23 year old guard is already putting in some work. Norris arrived at the Heat’s practice facility earlier in the week, and he’s eager to get his NBA career started.

“Mentally you just have to be prepared for the worst,” Cole told reporters after his first practice with the team. “There’s going to be a lot of things thrown at me, but with me being in college for four years, I think I have a quick learning curve. I’m mature enough to be able to handle criticism. As long as we work hard and earn the respect of the veterans, I think everything will be fine. This team was already good without me being here. With me having a quick learning curve, [the] only thing I can do is make us better”

The Heat selected Cole in the first round of the 2011 NBA draft, and he certainly has the skills needed to succeed in the NBA. Cole put up some impressive numbers in his final year with the Cleveland State Vikings, averaging 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.

Cole’s ability to drain the long ball—34.2 percent from three point range in the 2010/11 season—also played a role in the Heat’s decision to draft him.

It’s no secret LeBron James(notes) and Dwyane Wade(notes) will be double-teamed a lot during the 2011/12 season, and Cole will certainly get his share of open looks. He seems to be perfect fit for the Heat, and I won’t be surprised to see him get significant playing time as the 2011/12 season progresses.

Cole’s personality also seems to fit with the rest of the Heat’s players, and he has the attitude a championship caliber team would want in their young rookie. Cole comes off as a hardworking young player, and that usually pays dividends on the court.

With superstars like LeBron and Wade to show the way, it’s up to Norris to decide how good he wants to be in the NBA.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 15 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Tom Haberstroh, “Norris Cole arrives to Heat workouts”

Player and game information from ESPN.com

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In an interview with FOX Sports Florida, free agent Samuel Dalembert(notes) said that taking the $5 million midlevel exception to sign with the Miami Heat “would be tough.”

The 7-foot shot blocker has been on the team’s radar since the Heat lost the NBA Finals to a larger Dallas Mavericks team, and many in the Miami sports community believed South Florida’s vibrant Haitian population-the largest in the country, by far-could attract the Port-au-Prince native.

That said, Dalembert made over $13.43 million for the Sacramento Kings in 2011, and because the Heat are over the salary cap, Miami can only offer him the midlevel exception.

According to the same FOX Sports interview, Dalembert is interested in playing for the Heat, Knicks or Rockets, but most intrigued by Houston. Dalembert said, “Houston, that one is the best … I’m interested in the Rockets. They have a good team over there, a running team.”

Dalembert’s pitch to end up in Houston should come as no surprise, given that former Rockets C Yao Ming(notes) has retired and the Rockets’ team payroll is about $11 million under the expect salary cap.

It should be noted that Dalembert did not dismiss the notion of joining the Miami Heat, entirely. He added, “But you never know. There are trades and things that you could do.”

Other free agent power forwards or centers for the Heat to consider from the 2011 class:

* Jeff Foster(notes), Joel Pryzbilla, Kris Humphries(notes), Nene, Tyson Chandler(notes)

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While it isn’t official until the players and owners both vote on the proposal, it appears the NBA lockout will finally end, and there will be a 2011-12 season to be played. The Miami Heat are more than ready for that to happen, and according to the latest article by AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds, are ready to pounce on available free agents to make sure they’re stocked for another title run.

Heat President Pat Riley is definitely set to make a splash and do his best to fortify his club for whatever awaits them this coming year. As Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald reports in his latest piece, Riley is set to fill whatever holes—perceived or otherwise—the South Florida club may have.

“We go in every day and we’re ready to hit the ground running,” Riley said.

Last season, after re-signing Dwyane Wade(notes) and wooing LeBron James(notes) and Chris Bosh(notes) to South Beach, the Heat fell just short of winning the second NBA championship in franchise history; falling to the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals 4-2 in what was one of the most exciting and successful pro basketball postseasons in recent memory. It seemed the entire nation was bent on seeing Miami go down in defeat. Many of them felt the Heat had unfairly conspired (although there was no evidence to back up such claims) to get those three players together on the same club, and looked to Dallas to end Miami’s magical run through the playoffs.

They got what they desired in the end—although I still contend that only happened because of the help of the refs—and all seemed right with the world.

However, the league’s inability to reach an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) eventually led to a lockout that has lasted up till now, and seriously jeopardized the 2011-12 season; nearly destroying all of the good will the league had built with their exciting and fantastic 2010-11 season. The NBA was forced to cancel numerous games, and even with the recent agreement (which again, still has not been formalized) there will only be a truncated campaign to look forward to.

According to this article by the Associated Press, the NBA posted an outline of what the year’s schedule would possibly look like on its Twitter pages on Sunday, Nov. 27, with the hopes being of having a 66-game regular season ending approximately 10 days later than it usually would. That would require teams to play at least one set of three-consecutive games (back-to-back-to-back) and would see the season begin on Christmas Day; when the Heat are scheduled to take on the Mavericks in a rematch of last season’s Finals.

While many (including myself) are interested in the details and specifics of the new agreement—as laid out by Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski in his latest piece—the vast majority of fans around the country are simply content and happy there will actually be a season. To them, it’s not important what split of the Basketball Related Income (BRI) the owners or players get. To them, it’s meaningless in many ways what the maximum salaries or annual salary increases will be for the players. To them, how much of each player’s salary will be held in escrow doesn’t make a difference.

They simply want to see basketball played, and I can fully understand that.

They want to see Kobe Bryant(notes) jacking up threes at the buzzer to win games. They want to see Derrick Rose(notes) and Chris Paul(notes) make amazing drives to the hoop or dazzling no-look passes to their teammates for easy baskets. They want to see Dirk Nowitzki(notes) throwing up a floater from 15-18 feet as his defender helplessly watches it swish through the net. They want to see Dwight Howard(notes) dominate the boards like no one since the days of Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain. And they want to see Wade and LeBron slamming dunks in their opponents faces with the ferocity that is their trademark.

I won’t deny I believe my beloved Heat will end up on top when this whole season is through, but even I’ll admit that’s secondary to the simple fact there will be a season. As a fan of Miami teams from all sports, it’s been a little difficult this year getting all that excited about sports.

The Florida Marlins (now the Miami Marlins) struggled greatly throughout the year, and ended up in last place in their division after a very promising start. The Miami Dolphins have been absolutely atrocious, and the Miami Hurricanes football squad—while on the right track now under new coach Al Golden—still has a way to go before they’ll be back to where they once were. The Florida Panthers have gotten off to their best start in over a decade, and are looking good, but considering their history most fans are probably still a bit leery about getting too excited, as are those fans of the Hurricanes basketball squad.

However, with the Heat, the optimism just can’t be contained. All we fans needed was the simple fact a season would be played to have high hopes Miami would come out on top and win another title. It seems (if the owners and players don’t have everything blow up in their faces over the next few days before they can finalize their compromise) Heat fans will get just that, and with it the chance to see their heroes get a chance to fulfill their promise of bringing multiple championships to South Beach.

I don’t think I’m overstating it when I say Miami Heat fans can’t wait.

Game On!

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All stats and information taken from personal notes and verified at Basketball-Reference.com, NBA.com, and Yahoo! Sports.

Read more by Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke at TFS Sports.

*Daniel Barber has been a fan of all Miami teams since he was a child or since their inception having been born right above Miami.

Sources:

Basketball-Reference.com

NBA.com

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Now that the players and owners have agreed in principle to a new labor deal, we can finally look at the Miami Heat’s roster and salaries for 2011-12 and figure out what the Heat can do to improve, given the new CBA.

Miami Heat salaries according to Hoopshype.com:

* LeBron James(notes) – $16,022,500

* Chris Bosh(notes) – $16,022,500

* Dwyane Wade(notes) – $15,512,000

* Mike Miller(notes) – $5,400,000

* Udonis Haslem(notes) – $3,780,000

* Joel Anthony(notes) – $3,600,000

* Eddie House(notes) – $1,399,507

* Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes) – $1,399,507

* Mario Chalmers(notes) – $1,091,100*

* Dexter Pittman(notes) – $788,872

* Patrick Beverley(notes) – $788,872

* Da’Sean Butler(notes) – $300,000

* Kenny Hasbrouch – $300,000

Analysis

If you add these salaries up, the Miami Heat have a combined team payroll of $65,313,758. This does not take into account that Zydrunas Ilgauskas has retired, rookie draft pick Norris Cole(notes) has not yet been signed and Mario Chalmers is a restricted free agent who will likely command a larger salary in 2012.

Still, Brian Windhorst reports that due to a few system-related concessions the owners made last night, the Heat will be able to sign Norris Cole, Mario Chalmers and still have access to a full midlevel exception of $5 million per year. According to Windhorst, teams over the salary cap, but less than $4 million over the luxury tax line—expected to be around $71 million—can use the full MLE. Effectively, the Los Angeles Lakers—$90+ million payroll—will no longer have access.

The Miami Heat are expected to target coveted, veteran center Samuel Dalembert(notes) with their salary cap exception.

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Follow Charles on Twitter and visit his Yahoo! Archive here.

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Gotta run!.

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.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

It was just a couple of days ago I was feeling despondent about the chances my beloved Miami Heat would get the chance to compete for a title this year. Reading one of the latest articles by Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald on Wednesday, Oct. 26 that reported because of a stalemate in talks between the NBA owners and players trying to end the lockout and reach a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) the league was ready to cancel games through Nov. 28 I was as depressed as can be.

Yet, just two days later it seems like the clouds that have surrounded professional basketball might just be lifting, and a new, bright, sunshiny day could be on the horizon.

According to the latest article by Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, the two sides are on the cusp of an agreement after having met into the wee hours of the morning on Friday, Oct. 28. The meetings, which lasted an apparent 15 hours, ended with a “strong expectation [within the negotiations] that hands will shake [Friday]” according to one source who’d been briefed on the meetings.

With those negotiations set to resume at 10:30 a.m. EST on Friday, that could very well mean NBA fans might be sitting down to dinner this evening knowing there really is going to be a season; even if it isn’t a full one.

However, it seems even a full season isn’t out of the question if the players and owners can finalize a deal on Friday.

“I think we’re within reach—and within striking distance of getting a deal,” Players Association executive director Billy Hunter said. “It’s just how receptive the NBA is, and whether they want to do a deal.”

On that score I won’t hold my breath, as I have come to thoroughly believe NBA commissioner David Stern isn’t so much concerned with reaching a deal as he is in getting the players to capitulate to all of his owners’ demands. Still, even I will admit I could be wrong on that, and will be more than happy to be so if it means the two sides reach an agreement that saves the 2011-12 season. As I stated in an earlier article, the Heat can’t win any games if there aren’t any games to play.

Reading Wojnarowski’s report I get the sense both the players and the owners—including Stern—are beginning to realize that. While the commissioner hasn’t said anything as optimistic as Hunter did in his quote above, he did seem perturbed the talks broke down last Thursday, Oct. 20; when he was not present because of illness.

“I leave these guys alone for a little bit of time,” Stern said, “and all hell breaks loose.”

Whether that really means Stern is going to push hard to get a deal done either Friday, or sometime over the weekend is still to be seen. However, if they can reach an agreement I doubt very much whether fans across the nation will be greatly concerned with some of the issues at the heart of the talks and how they play out; such as the Basketball Related Income (BRI) split that has driven so much of the contention in the talks.

They will be concerned with the exceptions that are going to remain in the new CBA, however, as those will effect what sort of team each franchise will be able to build going into the season. Miami, especially, would be hurt if the exceptions are drastically altered, as they face the prospect of very little salary-cap room going forward.

Still, whatever gets agreed upon, if they come out of the other side with professional basketball intact and ready to play the season, there won’t be a great deal to complain about; at least not for South Florida fans.

With the Miami Dolphins’ season all-but over with, the Florida Marlins not playing till next spring, and the Florida Panthers still facing a rebuilding period—despite their better play of late—sports fans of South Florida teams desperately need the Heat to once again take to the court.

So, it begs the question. Is there really a chance the 2011-12 NBA season can be saved?

Game On!

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network

NBA Apparently Ready to Cancel Two More Weeks of 2011-12 Season

Nothing Bryant Gumbel Said About David Stern Proves He’s a Racist

Derrick Rose is Absolutely Correct in Saying the NBA Owners Are to Blame

Seven Players the Heat Will Be Calling When the NBA Lockout Ends

All stats and information taken from personal notes and verified at Basketball-Reference.com, NBA.com, and Yahoo! Sports.

Read more by Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke at TFS Sports.

*Daniel Barber has been a fan of all Miami teams since he was a child or since their inception having been born right above Miami.

Sources:

Basketball-Reference.com

NBA.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Gotta run!.

Whether or not you’re a Miami Heat fan, LeBron James(notes) just put the Heatles back in the news by publicly recruiting Steve Nash(notes) and Jamal Crawford(notes). With the NBA lockout still polluting basketball dialogue and keeping fans in limbo, this free agency talk comes as a both a breath of fresh air and a symbol of the possibility that finally, real progress is being made in labor negotiations.

The Miami Heat’s LeBron James.
Wikimedia Commons

After all, LeBron’s recruitment efforts come only a few hours after Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that yesterday’s labor meeting in Manhattan, which lasted until about 3 in the morning, yielded progress on significant issues.

So what’s the scoop on LeBron’s preseason gig as the Heat’s Assistant General Manager? He just tweeted these two media grenades:

“Would love to see @JCrossover [Jamal Crawford] in a Heat uni! What u guys say?”

And…

“Maybe @SteveNash in a Heat uni! So we can help each other get our 1st ring”

Now, few things are more enjoyable to a basketball fan than playing NBA 2K12 with real life. Entering GM mode fuels sports talk radio and blogs, feeds the mammoth fantasy sports industry and sells a zillion video games. It plays on our hopes and dreams.

Just imagine Nash, D-Wade and LeBron in the open court, Heat fan.

It’s glorious.

But before we let the dream get too far out of control, how realistic is its fulfillment?

The Business of Sports

We all came to the realization at some point that sports isn’t just a branch of athletics, or physical art. It’s a business. If you’re from Miami, maybe you realized this when your 1997 World Champions Marlins were disintegrated in a grotesque fire sale. If you’re from Cleveland, maybe you’ve been forced to grow up with horror of The Decision. Regardless of age or place, all sports fans have childhood memories of the moment when following sports stopped being all fun and games.

Having said that, there are obstacles which make landing either Jamal Crawford or Steve Nash difficult for the Miami Heat.

For instance, Jamal Crawford made over $10 million last year. Since joining the Atlanta Hawks, Crawford has seen reduced minutes and a dip in points per game due to his role as a sixth man, but there is no denying Crawford has the potential to be a solid contributor for a few years. At 31, he can still average about 35 minutes and close to 20 points per game (in the right situation), while shooting over 35 percent from behind the arc and 85 from the charity stripe. Consequently, Crawford will likely seek a large and long contract, none of which the Miami Heat can offer. As the Heat Big Three’s salaries get closer to taking up most of Miami’s cap space, the Heat are left with few options for acquiring free agents. And, because Udonis Haslem(notes), Mike Miller(notes) and Joel Anthony(notes) are also under contract for 2011-12, the Heat can only offer Crawford the midlevel exception. Based on recent lockout reports, the players and owners were able to compromise on an MLE near $5 million per year for a maximum of three years.

It is highly unlikely that Jamal Crawford would take $15 million from the Heat when he could probably command over $35 million from a team with more cap space.

Steve Nash’s acquisition, however, presents different challenges for Miami. The future Hall of Fame point guard is still under contract with the Phoenix Suns through 2012 and is owed almost $12 million for the season. In effect, Nash would have to be bought out of his contract in order for the Miami Heat to sign him. This is not as far-fetched as it may seem, given that Mike Bibby(notes) sacrificed over $6 million to join the Heat on their title run last year. At 37-years-old, Nash would not expect a large contract and could sign with the Heat for either the midlevel exception or the veteran’s minimum. Clearly, all of this ignores Nash’s wishes, but he has expressed an open mind about free agency in the past.

Nash on going to a different team:

“I don’t know but I want to be a Sun. I don’t know what the scenario may be, and I’d never say never or be foolish enough to say there wasn’t any circumstances. Or who knows, maybe the team will want to move in a different direction, so I have to be open to that if that time came. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’ve been here a long time, because we’ve had a lot of success, I’ve got a touch of the old school in me. But I don’t really feel like playing with anybody else.”

So, even though Nash has claimed he’d like to finish his career in Phoenix, all of these who knows and I don’t knows, along with LeBron’s recent recruitment, should make Heat fans extremely intrigued by the possibility of a Miami Big Four.

More from the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Top 5 Reasons Dwight Howard will join the Los Angeles Lakers next year

Samuel Dalembert may be in the cards for the Miami Heat after all

Mavericks’ point guard J.J. Barea wants to join the Miami Heat

Why Dwyane Wade is better than Kobe Bryant

LeBron James’ girlfriend blamed for Dallas Mavericks victory in NBA Finals

Follow Charles on Twitter and visit his Yahoo! Archive here.

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Bulls guard Derrick Rose leaves the court after losing Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/ Chicago Tribune)

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