Miami Heat @ Atlanta Hawks Game Thread

BY JOSEPH GOODMAN

JGOODMAN@MIAMIHERALD.COM

ATLANTA -- Watch LeBron James long enough and you begin to understand all the intricacies of his nonverbal communications. One of his most animated facial expressions during games is the “Mario Chalmers face.”

Similar to James’ “Joel Anthony face,” the reaction James makes when Chalmers commits an error on the court is unmistakable. James raises his brow, opens his eyes wide and stares with bewildered amazement as if he has just witnessed the most surprising blunder in the history of basketball.

This happened often last season.

This season, though, flashes of James’ “Mario Chalmers face” are few and far between. It’s not that James is less critical of Chalmers’ mistakes — James and Dwyane Wade are more than willing to instruct and direct Chalmers during games — it’s that there’s not as much to correct. Chalmers is playing the best basketball of his career. Entering Sunday’s game against the Hawks, Chalmers is shooting 49.5 percent from the field, 45.2 percent from three-point range and 81 percent from the free-throw line.

“He’s a 50-40-80 guy right now — the best numbers he’s ever had as a professional,” James said.

A reserve point guard behind the likes of Carlos Arroyo and Mike Bibby last season, Chalmers has matured into an invaluable asset for the Heat in Year Two of the Big 3.

Now an entrenched starter, Chalmers organizes the Heat’s offense, and his improved accuracy from the perimeter has worked as a counterweight to the attacking styles of James and Wade. Chalmers’ 52 three-pointers this season lead the team.

“Our team has become very accustomed to Mario at the start, and he’s doing a better job of getting us organized, he spreads the floor and plays well off of those guys, he’s shooting the ball very well,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Chalmers was 17 of 30 from three-point range in the five games before Wednesday’s loss to the Orlando Magic. It was in that game, which Chalmers sat out because of a sprained left wrist, that Chalmers’ importance to the team was made obvious.

The disruption to the Heat’s lineup threw off the team’s rhythm.

In hindsight, Spoelstra said Friday that he probably should not have started rookie point guard Norris Cole, which further affected the offense’s flow in and out of rotations.

Chalmers was rushed back from injury Friday against the Wizards, and though he only played limited minutes, the Heat’s offense found its form, with Cole coming off the bench and James playing point guard through several key stretches. Chalmers is probable for Sunday’s game in Atlanta.

“He has another 48 hours of rest, so hopefully he’ll continue to get better and the swelling will go down,” Spoelstra said.

Chalmers credits his growth as a player this season to his health and the work he put in during the offseason.

He played injured throughout most of last season and wasn’t at full strength until the playoffs, where he shined as the Heat’s most consistent player off the bench.

“I did a lot of work in the summer, watched a lot of film to see where guys like the ball, where I made my mistakes last year and just tried to improve on them,” Chalmers said.

As for James’ “Mario Chalmers face,” Chalmers knows it all too well but said Thursday that his on-court relationship with both James and Wade has improved.

Chalmers even said his confidence level is to a point now where he’s not afraid to instruct James and Wade if the situation calls for it.

“With me being the starting point guard, they’ve got to take orders from me,” Chalmers said. “Being the young guy, having those two with me, I’ve got to take orders from them, too. They listen to me and I listen to them.”

ETC.

Rookie center Mickell Gladness, who was waived by the Heat before the guaranteed-contract deadline last week, was back with the team in Atlanta. Gladness attended the Heat’s optional practice Saturday and is expected to sign a 10-day contract Sunday.

SUNDAY: Heat AT Hawks

When/where: 7 p.m.; Philips Arena, Atlanta.

TV/radio: Sun Sports; WAXY 790, WQBA 1140-AM (Spanish).

Series: Heat leads 49-40.

Scouting report: This is the third of four meetings between Southeast Division rivals. The Heat and Hawks split the first two contests, with Miami defeating Atlanta in triple overtime at Philips Arena on Jan. 5. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade missed the game because of injury, and Chris Bosh led the team with 33 points. Mario Chalmers scored 29 points. The Hawks have won two in a row against the Pacers and Magic after losing three in a row at home. Wade enters the game having scored at least 25 points in each of his past five games.

Division game. Much more crucial than the last few. Great to see Mickell Gladness back with the team after he was waived... I kinda figured there was a strategy behind the move - It turned out to be a finacial one. Good to see him back and hopefully this means we wont waste a roster spot and money on someone we obviously dont need.

Yea Gldness is on a 10 day contract.. From what I have read, we initially dropped him because we were looking at Eric Dampier.. WTFF...Glad that signing didnt go thru.. hopefully Gladness in the next 10 days gets to see some garbage time so he can try and earn a roster spot..

This is our toughest 3 game stretch of the year because it's 3 games in 3 nights all on the road vs teams currently in the playoffs.

I will be happy with 2-1 as long as one of those wins come against the Bucks.

This team has the capabilities of going 3-0, but let's just take it one game at a time.  Time to focus on a talented Hawks team.

2-1 or 3-0 on the road trip? ah god here we go with the premature predictions again... This road trip just went down the tubes...When will you ever learn. I am sure Gladness, and maybe even Eddie Curry and James Jones will get some minutes during this 3-game stretch...So hopefully that makes people happy here so the complaining will stop. FYI, just got my Tix for the game on my bday on FEB 23rd against the Knicks(back and black jersey night)... gonna shut down Lin..Off topic, but anyhow, I think the kid is just on a high right now because he is almost all they got for the time being - When they are at full strength he will once again have an afterthought and have an irrelevant career when its all said and done.

Anyhow, lets enjoy the game and make it a good one 

It's time for a special 3-point edition of Game Day Notes! 

1) The Heat is 7-0 when attempting more 3-point FG's than the opponent. 
2) Shane Battier hit the 1,000th 3-point FG of his career on 2/10 vs the Wizards. 
3) Mario Chalmers has hit a team-high 52 3-point FG's this season, while shooting 45.2%.

2-1 or 3-0 on the road trip?

I'm guessing you're expecting us to lose all 3 or best case scenario just win 1 of 3 in this stretch right? Some Heat fan you are.

I never predicted 3-0, I said we had the capabilities of doing so.  However the odds are going to be stacked as we play 3 playoff caliber teams in 3 nights all on the road.  Time to see what this team is made of.

Not expecting that at all - All I am expecting is for them to come out  prepared for what will be the toughest stretch of games this entire season. If they can do that, let the chips fall where they may and we will see where they are at when the road trip comes to an end. I am not one to speak prematurely about these games, too many factors in play for anyone to do that... so much can happen on a game to game basis, on a play to play basis that could dictate all that... a lot of good things can happen, a lot of bad... its okay, to be optimistic... point is, its best to realistic and let things play out on their own. I am realistic fan that knows we have zero say in the outcome of a game. The only thing that is guranteed about these 3 games is that it wil lbe a test for this team - they will face their share of adverse moments, and hopefully this is the time becomes a more mentally strong team - Because, to this point, this team is at its worse when adversity strikes. We have a division game tonight - then, a game against a team that for now owns us in more ways than one...and a scrappy, on the rise team in the Pacers.

I never predicted 3-0, I said we had the capabilities of doing so.

oh, its the same darn thing for the love of god 

To make everyone happy so they can have their fun - I will create a predictions thread so if you want to make predictions about a certain home-stand/roadtrip/stretch of games for the Heat you can do it there so you dont spread the bad cancerous karma on the game threads. Will be up within seconds, so knock yourselves out.

Alright, predictions thread is up and running for you all to have fun with it during this 3 game stretch and the rest of the season and beyond. Its a little too late to do it for the regular season as it wont be as fun - But, I remember a few years back on the Dolphins thread we did a Pick Em competition amongst posters for the season and playoffs... If you guys want, we can do something similar starting now - Or, we can instead start it better during the second half of the season after the all-star break and into the playoffs. We can discuss points disturbutions and all... We can start tonight, or at the start of the second half of the season or when ever the heck you guys want. Let me know.

Sounds good Paolo.

So, on Friday the Hawks seemed to have signed Erik Dampier to a 10-day contract  - Maybe, he was the guy the Heat tried to pursue when they made the roster move with Gladness. I know none of you are a fan of Dampier because you think he is useless for the simple fact that he doesnt score points like you want him to - But, wouldve been a good fit for the Heat in that he is familiar with the system so the adjustment period for him would not have lasted as long as it wouldve if we had gone after the other guys people thought we would go after.


Its game time! 

right on bks

bks, and the rest of you - Just submitted my prediction and lineup for the game on the appropriate thread.  I defined crunch-time as being from the 7 minute mark or later... If you guys want that changed, let me know.

Im looking for a big game from Chris Bosh.

we are gonna have trouble with Josh Smith.