Heat Snaps Win Streak, Woodson On the Hot Seat for Nets Game

All win streaks must come to an end and on Tuesday, it was the Miami Heat’s (14-4) turn. After winning 10 straight games, the Detroit Pistons (8-10) defeated the hot team, 107-97.

For the Pistons, two of Brandon Jennings’s baskets were key for the win as he first hit a three-pointer with 4:09 remaining to end a Heat rally, followed by a steal from LeBron James two minutes later for another score.

Brandon Jennings

But for the game, it was an all-Pistons effort as seven players scored in double digits. Kyle Singler led with his 18 points while Andre Drummond was the team’s rebound leader at 18–greater than three of the combined Heat players.

At one point in the second half, the Heat were down by 18 points but rallied within three in the fourth quarter before missing three straight shots.

For the Heat, they shot 44 percent in the game–a season low. James said of the game via CBS Sports, “It’s a miss or make league at times. They made. We missed.”

Next up for the Heat is a Thursday game against the Chicago Bulls (7-9). Miami sits at 19/10 to win the 2014 NBA Championship.

Will Thursday be Mike Woodson’s last game?

With their disastrous 3-12 start, some sort of change needs to happen to the New York Knicks (3-13) and this may come after Thursday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets (5-13). In other words, it could be the last game for Knicks coach Mike Woodson.

At least that’s what the media is saying.

In a Tuesday story by Marc Berman of The New York Post, he reported that someone needs to be accountable for the team’s nine straight losses and that could be Woodson as Thursday night could define his future. Berman wrote:

Mike Woodson

“The expiration date on owner James Dolan’s recent vote of confidence for coach Mike Woodson is approaching, according to sources. While Woodson will coach the Knicks when they play the Nets on Thursday, it is unclear how much longer Dolan will allow this losing streak to go on. It has reached nine straight defeats and the team’s mental instability has become an issue. Dolan is obsessed with the Brooklyn franchise and a blowout loss could trigger changes — whether via trade or a coaching move.”

So if not Woodson to lead this sagging team, then who?

Berman opined that it could be former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy as a possible candidate but he may not be the answer either. The team’s problems also rest with the players.

On question that has been raised is the team’s chemistry or lack thereof. Carmelo Anthony addressed this after Tuesday’s practice and said while the team gets along well off the court, on the court, it’s another matter.

He said via ESPN, “There’s no synchronization out there on the court. Off the court, we talk to each other, we hang out with each other. We have fun with one another. But once we get on the court, it seems we’re not in sync with one another right now. We’ve got to figure out ways to get that done and make it happen.”

Leadership also appears to be lacking and while Anthony acknowledged he is one of the team’s leaders, he suggested it really rests with all of the players to be one.

Anthony tried to shake off Thursday’s impending rivalry game but it’s going to be big. For Brooklyn, its season isn’t anything to write home about it either as they sit two games ahead of the Knicks at 5-13.

In addition to Anthony not expressing a lot of faith in his team, Vegas doesn’t have a lot either.

At the start of the season, Bovada had the Knicks at 25/1 to win this year’s NBA title but now the team sits at 50/1.

The Knicks sit at the bottom of Atlantic division, but has 3/1 odds to win it while the Nets are favorites at 2/3.