NBA notes March 10, 2008

MIAMI HEAT
This is the worst season in franchise history for the Miami Heat. If Miami wins less than five of its remaining 20 games, they’ll be able to back up that statement with a record, but this still is the worst season. Only the Heat as an expansion team was worse. But this team this year was built to actually win some games and compete for a championship before things turned South. However in acquiring Marion and with the top draft pick they should get next year -- Michael Beasley might look good there -- the heat have cut some corners it rebuilding process. It won’t be long for Miami.

DALLAS MAVERICKS
Not much to say after they waxed New York tonight. There are a lot of teams that can say that. At least the Miami Heat have the New York Knicks to look at for a franchise that’s more dysfunctional. Dirk became the franchises leading scorer and all that tells me is that Dallas has never had great teams through the years. During the Jordan era, they were arguably the worst franchise in all of sports. They had nothing. But to see that Dirk has all these years still left and he’s scored more points than any Dallas Maverick? The Mavericks franchise has largely been a joke. The renaissance that Mark Cuban has brought on this team is still a blip on the timeline for a franchise that has never otherwise been a true contender.

DETROIT PISTONS
The addition of Theo Ratliff right now it looking like a nice move, but so did the addition of Chris Webber at the beginning last year and then Webber broke down towards the end of the season. But one thing different in Webber’s situation, he played a lot more with Philadelphia than Ratliff did in Minnesota. When Detroit picked up the aging shot blocker, he had playing in just 10 games this season.


GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Biedrins is now back for the Warriors and they seemed to have successfully withstood the injuries that threatened to ruin their season last month. They’re on pace to win 51 games although there’s no guarantee that’s going to be enough. That will be interesting to watch, especially since the Rockets have shown no sign of slowing down. The winners of 18 straight games are without their big man Yao and still set the franchise mark for consecutive wins. They team that did it was a pretty good one. They won the championship that year with Olajuwon and Drexler.

CHICAGO BULLS
The seeds the Bulls planted in the garden of the dysfunctional have not only sprouted roots, but a trunk has formed with branches and leaves budding from it. This is what happens when a team has an interim coach and he’s expected to be able to work with a player that an unrestricted free agent, especially one that has had his playing time stripped. Neither side owes the other anything. Only the Knicks and Heat are more dysfunctional than the Bulls right now. The only difference is this team still has a shot at making the playoffs.