MyNBALivePad.com

NBA Live 13 Status Update & First Official Sizzle Trailer

CoreySA — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:51:27 +0000

It has been a long time coming, but we finally have some news to share on NBA Live 13. Today marks the release of the first official sizzle trailer from EA SPORTS, and I can also assure you that the title has advanced from the ‘leaked’ pre-alpha footage that recently made its rounds across various media outlets.

As an Advisory Council member, one of my personal duties was to help guide NBA Live 13 and give honest and direct feedback during various trips to Tiburon Studios. While I cannot go into detail or specifics as of yet, one thing that I can share is that the development team has taken our requests and direction to heart and EA SPORTS has backed our wishes today in releasing a statement announcing that NBA Live 13 is still currently under development and that it has decided to give the development team more time to work on the title.

Obviously this comes as a bit of a disappointment to fans who have been waiting a long time for news but as an Ad Council member I will say that this was the very best decision made and will assure that the title isn’t just rushed to release. We deserve the best NBA Live game we can get as fans. As for long standing rumors of digital releases and speculation, I can also state that no information such as distribution, price, ship date or feature set are available at this time and haven’t been made available to anyone as of yet.

So no fans, NBA Live 13 is not dead and the team is still hard at work. EA SPORTS will be sending the Advisory Council back down to Tiburon in the next month or so to get some more hands-on time with the game and hopefully some more information for the community.

For now, enjoy the first official trailer for NBA Live 13. Leave your comments below or in our forums!

CoreySA (16 Posts)

CoreySA is an EA SPORTS Game Changer and a lifelong gamer. He is the content lead and editor-in-chief of MyNBALivePad.com and a contributing review writer for MyGamerPad.com. CoreySA is also a hardcore sports freak and family man.

NBA Live 13 Rookie Ratings Revealed

CoreySA — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 10:46:57 +0000

During the annual Draft night on Thursday, the NBA Live Twitter feed started posting upcoming rookies’ ratings from NBA Live 13. These were the first ratings to be shown from the game, and the pictures that were used also look like ESPN-type wipes as well.

Andrew Begley (also known as @AndrewNLSC on Twitter), from the amazing NBA Live Series Center (The NLSC), has taken the time to run down all of the picks in both written form and in YouTube video form. Please take some time and visit the links for the full details on NBA Live’s initial rookie ratings.

As for now, it looks as if the top 10 rookies in NBA Live 13 will be as follows:

1. Anthony Davis (#1 Hornets) – 80

2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (#2 Bobcats) – 78

3. Thomas Robinson (#5 Kings) – 77

4. Bradley Beal (#3 Wizards) – 76

T-4. Dion Waiters (#4 Cavs) – 76

T-4. Harrison Barnes (#7 Warriors) – 76

7. Andre Drummond (#9 Pistons) – 75

8. Damian Lillard (#6 Blazers) – 74

T-8. Austin Rivers (#10 Hornets) – 74

T-8. Jeremy Lamb (#12 Rockets) – 74

T-8. Tyler Zeller (#17 Mavericks, Traded to Cavs) – 74

T-8. Jared Sullinger (#21 Celtics) – 74

T-8. Perry Jones III (#28 Thunder) – 74

What do you think of the ratings so far? Who got the steal of the draft or got drafted too high? Feel free to leave your comments below or post in our Forums to discuss!

Look for all of the newest NBA Live 13 news right here on MyNBALivePad as we move closer to release.

CoreySA (16 Posts)

NBA 2K13 Cover Clues Revealed

CoreySA — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:00:42 +0000

Early this morning, the fully revealed NBA 2K13 facebook photo leaked ahead of the app unlocking it through its Twitter campaign. The photo is a set of clues as to who will be on the cover when it releases in early October.

The speculation surrounding this year’s cover was if 2K would release another ‘Legend’ cover (rumors of the Dream Team were circling around this week), or going back to a more current cover. The clues clearly show some roses, a tarantula and birds that appear to be griffins. At this point it’s fair to speculate that this year will focus on Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin.

It will be interesting to see if they will share a cover or what will be a more likely scenario – seperate covers like last year’s NBA 2K12 Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson covers.

Check out the fully revealed photo below. No other information has been released as of yet. NBA 2K13 releases in North America on October 2nd, 2012.

CoreySA (16 Posts)

NBA Live 13 Launches Official Site

Shopmaster — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 21:46:08 +0000

With E3 right around the corner and most fans eager to see what EA SPORTS has in store for their NBA Live franchise, they have finally unveiled their official NBA Live 13 site here: http://www.easports.com/nba-live

The site contains all the things that EA SPORTS usually put on their sport title sites with a News and Media page. Unlike other EA SPORTS titles there is no Game Information page where you can see what the game is all about, in fact the site is pretty bare. The only content up there is the article about Kyrie Irving and Ricky Rubio visiting EA Tiburon and getting a first hand look at the game.

I’m hoping EA SPORTS give the fans some kind of Playbook feature as they have done with NCAA Football and Madden Franchises the last couple of years. This will at least give fans a day and plan on when they will be unveiling features. With NBA 2K13 announcing an All-Star Weekend for pre-orders and announcing they will be showing gameplay at E3, fans are itching for anything that NBA Live can show.

I’d take a screenshot right about now.

As always, keep it here as we keep you updated on everything NBA Live 13 at E3.

- Shopmaster

Shopmaster (1 Posts)

Exclusive Interview with NBA Live 13 Creative Director – Jason Barnes

CoreySA — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:13:22 +0000

Back in April, I got to attend the first trip to Orlando to get a hands-on look at NBA Live 13 as part of EA’s Advisory Council. While I was down there, I got a chance to meet Jason Barnes – who is the creative director and mastermind behind NBA Live’s return. Jason has worked on numerous titles in the past, including NFL Street and EA’s MMA. As Owen Good pointed out in his article on Kotaku, Jason was hoping to get a chance to work on NBA Live long before being handed the keys. Meeting Jason first hand was exciting due to the fact that his passion was clear and evident on NBA Live’s future moving forward. Jason was eager to have the community in for a visit to get our thoughts on the team’s direction and plans.

Recently, I got a chance to talk to Jason regarding NBA Live’s direction, the authenticity they’re trying to capture with NBA Live 13, ESPN integration and his experiences at Tiburon Studios in Orlando, Florida. He even drops a few new tidbits of info – right here on MyNBALivePad.com

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COREY - When we talk authenticity, where do you see NBA titles moving in the future?

JASON - My belief is that the video game industry as a whole is just scratching the surface of what’s possible and more amazing experiences are just around the corner. My team is always looking for ways to push the limits to offer new and exciting experiences, whether it is through ESPN integration, incredibly detailed modeling of arenas and players or leveraging technologies that put us in the best place for the future. We want to blur the lines between actually watching an NBA broadcast and playing our game.

Authenticity has been the single most important tenet of EA SPORTS. That’s how it has been, and how it will continue to be in the future.

COREY - When Tiburon received the rights to development, what were your team’s first key goals when it came to recreating an authentic NBA experience?

JASON - For me it started with a statement, a philosophy, that we could measure our gameplay experience against, which was “move with a purpose.” My dad was a basketball coach and actually played under John Wooden at UCLA in the 50’s, so this was a common phrase to hear at practices. I have taken this same attitude and applied it to our game. NBA players in video games should move and react like real NBA players. By this I mean we are designing our players with the right basketball IQ to get open, or help you get open, by setting picks, spreading the floor or playing help-side defense and acting like you would expect them to; they will move with a purpose. The goal is to have your CPU teammates react dynamically to your actions on the court. We want to remove the constant need for the user to initiate the offense or call a play. In real NBA basketball situations, players aren’t always standing around waiting for the coach or point guard to tell them what to do. They know how to get themselves or another teammate open. The goal is to still to give you total control of your team, but eliminate the frustration when you see a teammate not doing the right things on the court.

Player’s signature styles are a big part of what makes the sets the NBA apart from the other major sports. The NBA athlete isn’t covered up with pads or a mask, so fans can get up close and personal with the players; they can see their emotion and feel their intensity at a level that not many other sports can
replicate. So to properly reproduce these experiences, every detail counts, from player gear and tattoos to the way the arena lighting is set to create ambiance on the court. All of these components work together to produce and authentic NBA experience.

COREY – There has been concern in the community that when NBA LIVE returned, that the goal would be to create a more ‘arcade’ type of experience instead of basing it on true, authentic simulation brand of basketball. What type of direction is Tiburon taking NBA LIVE 13?

JASON - Let there be no misunderstanding, NBA LIVE 13 is a basketball sim. My driving creative force for developing an EA SPORTS game was embedded in authentic simulations. We have an obsessed team trying to produce a simulation basketball experience. Gamers looking for an arcade experience, should check out NBA JAM: On Fire Edition (which is GREAT by the way).

But make no mistake; creating authentic basketball is a difficult challenge. I have an unrelenting desire to continually improve on what we’ve built, and I know when can deliver because of the passion and dedication of our team. We want to make sure that the gameplay is as organic and fluid as possible.

COREY - In Owen Good’s article in April, we learned that NBA LIVE 13 will feature Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen as commentators and integrate ESPN into its presentation model. How do you think ESPN will add to the NBA LIVE experience and can we expect a fully featured authentic ESPN system or will it just be bells and whistles?

JASON - First off, Jeff Van Gundy is one of my favorite announcers. He calls the game like he sees it. I personally love his take on flopping.

The great thing about having Mike Breen and Van Gundy is that we are not starting from ground zero. We inherited a ton of quality commentary, but wanted to take it a step further, so we actually had two full days of additional recording sessions with both Breen and Van Gundy. Both of these guys are true professionals in the booth and the chemistry that they have really shines through. No one does a better job than ESPN at presenting sports and we wanted to be as true possible to their broadcast. ESPN has been an incredible partner for us. We regularly have them in studio to check out the progress and work with us on the broadcast presentation.

COREY - For people that don’t know your background personally, you previously worked on a slew of additional EA SPORTS titles before NBA LIVE. Are there any systems or details that you take from previous titles moving onto newer IP’s or different projects?

JASON - I have learned lessons from every game I have worked on, and I have some design philosophies and principles that I apply to each game I work on. My EA SPORTS career started with work on Madden and one of my design focuses was animation and presentation variety. We wanted to make sure that there was enough diversity to keep things fresh. We have taken this approach and applied it to NBA LIVE by incorporating signature style, from player equipment to accessories.

While working on the NFL Street series, I learned the importance of making the digital player come ‘alive’. To execute this we added a slew of post play reactions, which added a layer of depth that was not present before. This is another philosophy that I have taken and applied to NBA LIVE. The action that takes place before and after the whistle blows (player emotion, timeout huddles and exuberant celebrations) is just as important as the gameplay itself.

So from my previous experiences with other titles, it was paramount that every move, every action you do on a basketball court is done with intent. Every animation that triggers is done for a reason. And that every move the AI makes is on purpose.

COREY - Growing up in a basketball heavy environment, do you feel your knowledge of the game will help your vision for NBA LIVE moving forward?

JASON - I grew up eating, sleeping and playing basketball. I love basketball and I am confident my love for the game, and the passion that our team has for the sport, will be represented in our final product. I have never stopped playing basketball. In fact we’ve been playing every Tuesday and Thursday morning at Tiburon for over 7 years straight. I have a sickness, an unhealthy obsession for the sport I am working on. I can no longer just watch a basketball game. I am constantly breaking down how we can translate the real-life NBA product to a video game…all of which drives my wife crazy when we watch a game together.

COREY - How do you feel basketball games should be represented in an authentic way? Make you feel as if you are the player? Watching a game on TV?

JASON - I think that games should be experienced from the perspective of the player, the coach and a TV spectator. The game mode itself or the camera angle can change the presentation of a game. We did a lot of consumer research about how they want to experience the game and one item stood out- ESPN.

That being said, we met with ESPN and got unprecedented access to their producers, directors and camera men to insure that we replicate and authentic ESPN broadcast. This includes their graphics packages, camera wipes and some of ESPN exclusive technologies that I can’t talk about just yet.

COREY - Are there things you have learned from 2K and its authenticity in areas such as Presentation and Gameplay (play-calling, depth of controls), and are there areas you feel you can compete/out-do 2K in areas of authenticity?

JASON - I have the utmost respect for the 2K team but we will deliver a different experience than them. And that is a huge motivator for us. We are eager to get back on the court and compete, but we are confident that we have the tools and team in place to make a great game basketball fans will love.

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I’d like to thank Jason for taking the time to do this interview and hopefully in doing so, has shed some light on NBA Live 13′s direction and it’s focus on authenticity as we move towards E3. Please feel free to leave your comments below, or share some discussion in our forums!

CoreySA (16 Posts)

Site Update/News

CoreySA — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:31:46 +0000

Hello everyone! I know there hasn’t been many updates lately, but expect that to change as we approach information season and E3. We have some cool things planned for the site moving forward and some exclusive content you won’t find anywhere else! I thought I’d hit you up with a quick update on what to expect over the next few weeks.

- Over the next week, I’d like everyone to respond to our newest poll regarding a giveaway I want to do in the near future. I am planning a giveaway based off of what you guys bring forward as ideas for the NBA Live franchise moving forward. I’ll go into more detail next week, but for now please head to our homepage and vote as to what you want as a prize. NBA Live 13? An authentic NBA jersey of your choice? It’s up to you! I’ll keep the poll open for 5 days.

- As E3 approaches, I plan to bring you some content which will give the community an inside look at some of the NBA Live team. You can also expect any news that breaks from E3 to find its way to you right here.

- As a final note, we are currently looking for more writers to come aboard and help the site grow and to help update on a more consistent basis. Trying to manage community feedback and set up content while trying to manage a family and a job can be a hard business to operate running solo. What we are looking for is someone (possibly 2 people) to help run NBA news, help manage updates and creative content. There will also be the possibility of helping with a podcast in the near future as well. Keep in mind that this is a volunteer position, but will help open up access to possible interaction with NBA Live members and community leaders. It is also a good stepping stone to help you pad your writing resume. I am looking for serious candidates and someone who can handle themselves maturely in a community environment.

If you are interested, please send an email to coreysa@mynbalivepad.com and explain why you feel you’d be a good fit for the future of the site. If you could provide a writing example as well, or have experience in using WordPress then that would be great!

Stay tuned, the next few weeks should be good!

CoreySA (16 Posts)

Guest Contribution – EA SPORTS Advisory Council Trip

CoreySA — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 01:58:50 +0000

I’d like to introduce you guys to a fellow Advisory Council member – Steve Bascombe. Steve was one of the selections who didn’t have any previous experience working with EA SPORTS or NBA Live. He is well known for running his YouTube account under the name of ThaLiveKing – which you can check out right here.

I got a chance to meet Steve in the airport before our trip to Orlando and was excited to find out he lived only 30 or so minutes away from me. After an opening conversation, I could tell quickly that Steve was a valuable member. Having an extensive basketball background and a firm understanding of the history involved in the NBA Live brand, Steve had important and detailed feedback.

Steve is a great dude so I’d like to share his thoughts on the Advisory Council trip to go along with my own. Here, in his own words, are Steve’s experiences on the council!

– CoreySA

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EA Sports Advisory Council Trip:

Introduction:

What’s up everybody! The name is Steve (Online known as ThaLiveKing), and yes, I have been chosen to be a part of the NBA Live 13 Advisory Council. I hail from the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. My NBA Live background goes like this – I’ve been playing EA basketball games since I was a teenager. I grew up with those Bulls Vs Blazers games, as well as NBA Live ’95 and on. Back in 2008, after realizing I been playing a lot of classic and close games in Live, I decided to start up a YouTube (YouTube.com/ThaLiveKing) account to showcase my games. It’s pretty much been a hobby since then and I can’t wait to get back at it. I get a lot of good comments and feedback for my videos, so I will be continuing to do videos for NBA Live 13 once it’s released.

To get this started, being selected for this Advisory Council for someone who has been a fan of the game for years is truly an honor. Anyone who has been playing the Live franchise over the years always wanted their voice heard on how to improve the game, and what they want in the game. Loyal fans create wish lists every year, patches for old versions of the game (PC) and update rosters because they loved a certain NBA Live game; everybody has their favorites. I’m glad that I was able to attend this event and be an extension for the online community and give the development team feedback directly on what I and the community want to see improved in the franchise. In the end, everybody in the community wants NBA Live to be a GREAT basketball game.

Tuesday:

My flight from Toronto was in the morning around 10am, met up with another council member Corey, who is a fellow Canadian who had the same flight as me. It was great because I got time to ‘break the ice’ with a member, get his point of view on Live and as well share my points with him and also getting a feel on what to expect when I meet the other guys. Once guys start talking basketball or sports in general and it’s positive, it’s a good feeling. I ended up having more confidence for the trip and made me believe I had good ideas to share with the development team. When we arrived in Orlando, we were greeted by our driver, and another council member, Don. We got driven to the hotel and checked in, got acquainted with our rooms, and headed to the lobby for more conversations. During the discussions I felt comfortable with the council situation because Don, was there for the same reasons as us. Good vibe, good conversations equals a great time. Few hours passed and the rest of the crew met up with us in the lobby, Mario, Dougie, Harold, Shawn and Scott. You can tell right off the bat, that the overall vibe with everybody was going to be off the charts, and that this community event had brought a group of good guys together.

John Coleman, the community manager, told us to meet him in the lobby; once he arrived he introduced himself, and gave us the overall outlook on the event and what was expected of us during our time in Orlando and abroad. John was a cool-ass guy also, and you could discuss anything with him, he was all ears when discussions were open, and made everybody feel at home. We ended the day with some dinner, with everybody feeling more positive about being selected for the NBA Live 13 Advisory Council.

Wednesday:

I got up early, met the crew in the hotel lobby for breakfast before heading to the studio. We were given another run down on what to expect, then we were off. We all signed in as guests and headed to the room where our workstations were for the event. We then went to one of the presentation rooms where the development team had set up their power point presentation to show us their focus for NBA Live; we were also greeted by a camera crew who documented the whole event. The team went through the basics on what the main focus is for NBA Live as a franchise, they discussed many points and took feedback from us. It was a high level discussion; everybody was on the same page as far as the direction for the franchise. We then went to the NBA Live floor of the studio and visited each worker; they showed us and discussed what they were working on. I won’t say much about this, (I will when more info comes out) but I was impressed with a lot of the things the team were working on and describing to us. We had extensive conversations with each member and gave them ideas on how they can improve on top of what they were already doing, pretty much giving them a variety of options and they were very receptive to us and took notes.

After lunch it was the time most of us had been waiting for – getting an early look at the gameplay of NBA Live 13. When I played the game, I began taking a ton of notes because I wanted to give as much feedback as possible. In past next gen versions of the game, I have always been focused on improving the gameplay, so this was my time to fully put that in motion with NBA Live 13. I put the headphones on and got to work. During our time with the game, the development team was there getting our views and opinions while stressing we write them down so they refer back to them. They wanted as much feedback as possible, positive and negative.

After our brief time with the game we began to converse on the importance of having an Advisory Council, and what EA expects from us down the road with the responsibilities we carry. They gave us our guidelines and we understood them to the fullest. After the day was over, we all went to a Japanese Restaurant and got to meet more members of the development team. It was a great day, I learned a lot.

Thursday:

Thursday was a fun day. I woke up around 7am to be at the RDV gym to run some real basketball with the team. It’s been awhile since I played a full court scrimmage game, so I was eager to get a run in. When we got there, the development team was in full force practicing, shooting around getting loose, so we had to go and get ready. I started off shooting jumpers like I normally do and stretched, I didn’t have my legs but still I was eager to get in some run. We divided the gym into two courts and had two games going on while the camera crew taped us. The Dev team really had some good ballers out there, to me it was like a dream job, play basketball when you wake up then head to work to make a basketball game – sounds like heaven to me. We ended up staying at the gym longer than expected, but it was great for everybody to get some run, and we played for almost 3 hours. I did a few things for the camera crew, drill stuff, but I couldn’t hit a layup or make a shot to save my life, and my jump shot is rarely off. It was an off day, lucky day for the Dev team (lol).

After balling, we headed to the hotel, got changed, and straight to the studio to get the day started. It was around noon, and we got another chance to play the current build of the game. We had some more presentations from the Dev team, showcasing different game modes and online features, along with more discussions on features and future plans for NBA Live. After the presentations were over, we got more hands-on time with the game while each of the council members were interviewed on camera. We were asked the typical questions like who are you, where you’re from, and background info, to let the gaming world know about each of us. We also filled out an EA survey giving more detailed information on what we felt about the game, along with the info we brainstormed before we arrived on the trip. We made sure the development team received everything we had, good and bad, and they responded well during our discussions.

To end the day, we went to ‘Wing House’ and enjoyed NHL and NBA games. We toasted to a successful event while watching the Miami Heat lose to the Bulls and called it a night.

Friday:

My last day in Orlando, and had to wake up early for my 10:50am flight back to Toronto. I got home safely around 2pm.

Final Notes:

I’m looking forward to helping EA resurrect the NBA Live franchise. While I can’t speak too much on the game itself, I believe EA has selected the right individuals to work on this game; they are passionate about basketball and straight up with each other when they work together. If there’s something wrong or a problem somewhere, they let each other know what they like and don’t like, it’s good to have that kind of chemistry within a group. I honestly can’t say anything negative about my trip. Everybody was focused and delivered what we all came to deliver, and it was a success. The development team is working very hard day in and day out and took time out of their busy schedule to show selected individuals what they have been working on. I can only respect that. At the end of the day they want what we all want – a GREAT NBA Live game.

I would like to take some time right now to thank the crew members Dougie, Harold, Mario, Don, Shawn, Corey and Scott for being straight up dudes and easy to get along with. I’d also like to thank John Coleman, the community manager, who made this possible. I was extremely happy that I was chosen for this opportunity and I’m looking forward to keeping in touch with you guys and possibly meeting up at future events. We all have the same goals in mind, to make NBA Live the best basketball game out there, I for one, can’t wait to witness this growth.

If you want to follow my updates, I’m on Twitter @ThaLiveKing, or check my videos at Youtube.com/ThaLiveKing!!

Much Love, and Thanks for reading!!
-Steve Bascombe

CoreySA (16 Posts)

NBA Live 13 – First Details

CoreySA — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:57:38 +0000

Late yesterday, Owen Good released an article on Kotaku that chronicled NBA Live’s journey from EA Canada to Tiburon Studios in Orlando, Florida. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s a great look into the development team of this year’s upcoming title and the team’s focus heading into release. The Advisory Council has shared the same views as the team in the fact that simulation gameplay must be first and foremost on the list of target objectives. I can’t wait to fill you all in on what to expect regarding the team’s three tiered mantra of gameplay, presentation and online. When the time comes, you’ll be sure to hear my full impressions on each piece of news released right here on MyNBALivePad.

As for the article, Owen released pertinent information regarding the first real presentation details announced for NBA Live 13. First off, although I can’t go into specifics, NBA Live 13 will have full ESPN integration. The second bit of news to be released in the article was that Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy will be handling the commentating. This was the team expected to be in NBA Elite 11 along with Mark Jackson, but coaching duties for Golden State has forced his removal from the booth.

Your NBA Live 13 crew!

So how does everyone like the decision to use ESPN and the Breen and Van Gundy duo? Please leave your comments below!

CoreySA (16 Posts)

Are the Heat ready to win?

CoreySA — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:01:37 +0000

Let’s get the specifics out of the way. LeBron James is by far the MVP of the 2011-12 season. I don’t think the matter is even debatable at this point. I know he has his critics, I know he can sometimes falter in late game situations, but this is LeBron’s year. He is having his best statistical year to date and his PER is through the roof. To top off his unreal offensive stats, LeBron is a top 5 defender in the league. He is in the 89 percentile for over 5 statistical categories. 5!!! On nights where he is without Dwayne Wade – he plays even better. A few nights ago, LeBron torched the Nets for 17 straight points in the fourth quarter to bring the Heat back from behind to victory. Let me repeat that: 17 points IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. Last night, without Wade or Bosh, LBJ had another phenomenal performance. When Wade is playing in close game situations, the team looks lost. They still fight with themselves daily to find a balance between the two superstars. I’ve made the argument many times that the Heat would be better suited to trade Wade for a premiere Center and open some space to get a few perimeter shooters. I know it sounds crazy, but we will leave that argument for another day. LeBron James is the MVP.

With all of those great performances as of late, you would think that this would have me confident about the Heat heading into the 2012 playoffs. Unfortunately it doesn’t. In the essence of honesty, I’ll admit I had the Heat beating the Thunder at the beginning of the season, and I still do…marginally. I’m beginning to notice some very negative patterns in Miami’s play of late and I thought I’d share some of them.

1. LeBron James has returned to his perimeter game and scrapped his early season post play.

Where did your post game go King?

When I saw LeBron at the beginning of the season, he looked like a man possessed. Like he was out for revenge. Everyone beat him up after last year’s collapse about his one weakness – his post game. With a body that big and that athletic, it’s no secret that if James had an above average skill set in the post, he’d be unstoppable. So in the off-season he worked with Hakeem Olajuwon and built up his weakness. Early on this year, LeBron was dominating down low and getting to the line at will. In the first 15 games, LeBron only shot 3 3pt attempts.

The problem is, as the season went on, instead of working on it, he just fell back into a regular and comfortable routine. Last Thursday, I witnessed James being guarded by John Lucas III of the Bulls. He clearly outsizes Lucas…by a ton. LeBron calls ISO, and instead of backing him down and forcing a double team or getting an easy position, he jacks up a contested three. Insanely stupid and cocky. My first reason Heat fans should worry.

2. What happened to Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole?

Not a good sign...

In last year’s playoffs, Mario Chalmers continuously came up with huge shots. He was a key part in the Heat’s run. At the beginning of the season, Norris Cole, Miami’s first round draft pick, showed great promise and poise on the big stage. The problem now is that both of these key parts have gone completely cold. Now for Norris Cole it is somewhat understandable. The rookie wall that most young players hit is probably the culprit – not that it helps. The more concerning issue is Chalmers. It seems as if LeBron is taking more of a point guard roll this year and it is hurting Chalmers’ routine and consistency. His shot seems off and he looks hesitant on the court. For the Heat to win, they need to depend on Mario to be confident and ready in big situations when their stars are doubled or pressured. These patterns have to change…now.

3. Dwayne Wade is not playing to his strengths.

A very telling statistic

What makes Dwayne Wade so powerful and hard to stop? His ability to attack the rim and get to the line. This season, it seems as if Wade is falling into the comfortable role of shooting perimeter shots instead of using his speed and attack. Maybe it is the injuries, maybe he’s saving his body for the playoffs, but one thing is for sure – when he doesn’t attack, the Heat lose. I’m hoping this is just him saving his body, but when you combine LeBron’s comfort zone of just shooting jumpers and Wade relying on his jumper more and more, it creates an imbalance of outside ISO’s which is deadly considering Bosh is an outside player and they have no consistent big man. If they get matched up against a good perimeter defense like Chicago, these telling and glaring issues could pose a threat to Miami and their chance at glory.

4. The Heat’s strength as a team is their transition offense.

If there is one area the Miami Heat remain completely unstoppable in – it’s their effectiveness in the open court. If they run, you’re in trouble. The problem is that as the season progresses, they’re running less and less. Now, it is very likely this is due to the incredibly draining schedule and the lack in recuperation time in between games. It is still telling and worth noting. The best coaches preach that you become how you play. If the Heat are indeed ‘saving’ energy for the playoff run, will the lack of intensity hurt them? Let us face facts – the Heat are not a very good half court team. When teams slow them down then it creates a sense of panic on the offensive side of the ball for Miami. They need to run, and right now they aren’t.

5. Chris Bosh has turned into a perimeter player offensively AND defensively.

This is not good...

We all know that Bosh isn’t the most dominate big man around. He rely’s on his jumper way too often, and doesn’t clean up offensive rebounds very often. In the past, where Chris has made up for that is on the defensive end. When Bosh was a Raptor, and even in his first year with Miami, he would regularly hit the defensive boards hard and get a few blocks. This year his rebounding has gone completely absent. He seems unwilling to get dirty on the boards and anchor what is already an under performing defense. This really hurts the Heat in many ways. First off, the less Bosh rebounds usually means the more slack LeBron has to pick up. The more LeBron has to do under the glass means it’s less time for him to be on the break in transition – the Heat’s strength. Secondly, the Heat are weak inside as it is. If Bosh isn’t doing what he needs to do, what is going to happen if the Heat match up to a team like the Lakers in the Finals with Gasol and Bynum? It’s scary to think, especially with the way Bynum has been playing as of late. Obviously Bosh is lost offensively in that system with the talent around him, and that’s fine. For Miami to succeed however, he’s going to have to start playing a role in being an anchor and defending. If he doesn’t step up, there isn’t much behind him – that could spell doom for any chance Miami has.

Now I know this sounds like I’m totally going against the Heat. The truth is, they have so much talent, and LeBron James is having such a phenomenal year that they’re overcoming the issues they’re having. For now. Going into a playoffs in which all eyes will be on them to win it all, these are issues they’re going to have to fix or be prepared to face the consequences. Maybe they’re saving themselves, maybe LeBron is saving that post game for the post season and maybe Wade is conserving his energy, but come playoff time these issues will matter. They are a 44 win team, they are the most gifted team athletically, but they better not take those gifts for granted or they’ll risk going home empty handed for the second year in a row.

CoreySA (16 Posts)

The MyNBALivePad Forums are now live!

CoreySA — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:04:06 +0000

Just a quick note to everyone this morning that if you look up at the top of the menu, our forums are now live and functioning!

Through the MyGamerPad series of sites, we have connected all of the forums in an easy to use format. We hope that you’ll sign up and join us in our conversations to come. Signing in is easy, and can even be done through your Twitter account. Mobile access to the forums is also enabled for easy viewing and posting from your smartphones.

We have added sub-forums to NBA Live discussions, NBA discussions and a wishlist and feedback section. If there is anything else you’d like to see added in the future just let us know either in the comments below or the forums themselves! We’ll continue to grow MyNBALivePad in various ways, this is only the start.

– CoreySA

CoreySA (16 Posts)