ducks
01-02-2005, 03:48 PM
Heat not overhyping matchup with Seattle
By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer
January 2, 2005
MIAMI (AP) -- Seattle and Miami are among the NBA's four winningest teams so far this season, ranking just behind Phoenix and San Antonio.
Yet when the Heat put their 14-game winning streak on the line Monday night against the SuperSonics, Miami won't be looking at the matchup as a potential NBA Finals preview or a measuring stick to see where it ranks against one of the Western Conference's elite clubs.
Instead, Shaquille O'Neal and the Heat insist it's just another game, no more important than the last one or the next one.
ADVERTISEMENT
``We're not going to win 50 more games in a row. I'm pretty sure of that,'' Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. ``They're all games that you're trying hard to win and they present different challenges, but we've been measured. We're a good team. There are other teams that may be better on certain nights.''
Miami can own the league's first 15-game winning streak since O'Neal's Los Angeles Lakers won 19 straight on the way to the 2000 NBA championship.
``Right now we're doing what we're supposed to do,'' O'Neal said. ``We're just playing together. Whenever you play unselfishly and play together, anything can happen.''
Miami extended its franchise-best winning streak Saturday night with a 113-90 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, getting 26 points from Dwyane Wade and seven players in double figures. The Heat shot a season-best 59.2 percent, and moved to 19-2 against Eastern Conference rivals.
Against the West, though, Miami lost five of its first six games of the year -- before winning its last five. The Heat (25-7) enter Monday's game percentage points behind Seattle (22-6) for the third-best record in the league.
``It's a team that's one of the best in the NBA and it's a great challenge for us at home,'' Wade said. ``We just take it as another challenge.''
Seattle is a challenge for anyone at home these days. The Sonics were 5-0 on the road in December, including victories at San Antonio and Dallas on consecutive nights early in the month.
``We don't approach a road game any different from any other game,'' said Sonics guard Ray Allen, who averages a team-best 23.8 points -- 0.1 points lower than Wade's Miami-leading scoring clip.
The Heat swept both meetings with Seattle last seaso
By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer
January 2, 2005
MIAMI (AP) -- Seattle and Miami are among the NBA's four winningest teams so far this season, ranking just behind Phoenix and San Antonio.
Yet when the Heat put their 14-game winning streak on the line Monday night against the SuperSonics, Miami won't be looking at the matchup as a potential NBA Finals preview or a measuring stick to see where it ranks against one of the Western Conference's elite clubs.
Instead, Shaquille O'Neal and the Heat insist it's just another game, no more important than the last one or the next one.
ADVERTISEMENT
``We're not going to win 50 more games in a row. I'm pretty sure of that,'' Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. ``They're all games that you're trying hard to win and they present different challenges, but we've been measured. We're a good team. There are other teams that may be better on certain nights.''
Miami can own the league's first 15-game winning streak since O'Neal's Los Angeles Lakers won 19 straight on the way to the 2000 NBA championship.
``Right now we're doing what we're supposed to do,'' O'Neal said. ``We're just playing together. Whenever you play unselfishly and play together, anything can happen.''
Miami extended its franchise-best winning streak Saturday night with a 113-90 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, getting 26 points from Dwyane Wade and seven players in double figures. The Heat shot a season-best 59.2 percent, and moved to 19-2 against Eastern Conference rivals.
Against the West, though, Miami lost five of its first six games of the year -- before winning its last five. The Heat (25-7) enter Monday's game percentage points behind Seattle (22-6) for the third-best record in the league.
``It's a team that's one of the best in the NBA and it's a great challenge for us at home,'' Wade said. ``We just take it as another challenge.''
Seattle is a challenge for anyone at home these days. The Sonics were 5-0 on the road in December, including victories at San Antonio and Dallas on consecutive nights early in the month.
``We don't approach a road game any different from any other game,'' said Sonics guard Ray Allen, who averages a team-best 23.8 points -- 0.1 points lower than Wade's Miami-leading scoring clip.
The Heat swept both meetings with Seattle last seaso