Unless you live the Miami area or are a Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, or Chris Bosh fan, you’re more than likely rooting for the Miami Heat to fail. When their superstars are saying things like “it’s all about being on TV,” and the organization thinks it’s a good idea to use individual spotlights in the pregame introductions, pulling for the Heat is no easy task. Mark Cuban may be a Western Conference guy, but he isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to rooting against the talk of the East.
Deadspin drew our attention an interview ESPN Dallas Radio’s Ben and Skin Show had with Cuban on Monday morning. The Mavericks owner made no bones about the fact that he wants the Heat to fail, but his assessment of the team’s early season struggles was spot on.
Hallelujah, boys, is that great or what? … How cool is that? Now, they could still turn it around and win out for all that matters, but you’re starting to see some of the problems. Any team with a strong, big guy that can score, they’re getting abused by. Paul Millsap goes out and pulls a Tracy McGrady. What, Tracy McGrady scored 13 and 30 and Paul Millsap scores 11 in 29 seconds or something like that? They just don’t have size to battle. They have the fewest points in the paint of any team and that’s tough.”
Cuban stopped short of calling out Chris Bosh, but he’s clearly been the slowest starter for the Heat this year. Any comparisons people have made between Bosh and Kevin Garnett are invalid because Bosh lacks toughness at this point in his career. Whether you respect his trash talking antics or not, K.G. has always been a force in the paint and one of the best defensive big men in the league. Bosh, on the other hand, gets dunked on by people like Rajon Rondo and has yet to assert himself down low. He’s even admitted to being lost on offense.
The Heat are going to go on a massive run at some point. That run will likely come when Bosh decides to put his body on the line and throw some weight around in the post. Cuban is one of many who has noticed it’s a major issue for Miami.
