Entries by Ethan Skolnick

New father Jimmy Butler likely out for Bucks

Jimmy Butler’s official Miami Heat debut is still on hold. Butler, who missed the season opener for undisclosed personal reasons — though the team hinted it was the birth of a child — was still in the hospital with the child and mother Friday and Erik Spoelstra said he probably won’t make the Heat’s road […]

Get Used to Kendrick Nunn

You’ll have to get used to Kendrick Nunn. Maybe we’ve been hyping the wrong rookie. Well, not entirely. Tyler Herro is 19. He will have much better nights than he did in Wednesday’s season opening 120-101 win for the Miami Heat against the Memphis Grizzlies, when he was often squeezed off his spots and tried […]

Charles Barkley loves Dwyane, Herro & Heat?

What’s happening in the sports media world tonight? Dwyane Wade told us on Twitter that he got some good news Monday. But no one could have anticipated this. Joining forces with Charles Barkley on TNT? Is everyone forgetting the way that Barkley has treated Dwyane Wade over the years, to the point that even Wade’s […]

Miami Heat Predictions: Five Reasons Sports Network

The Miami Heat start their 2019-20 season with the most optimism in at least four years… and perhaps longer. They have a real star, a streamlined roster and an intriguing group of young players. What do some of the Five Reasons Sports Network contributors expect?   Zach Buckley (@ZBuckleyNBA): This Heat team has sneaky-good upside […]

NBA GMs love Spoelstra, like Miami Heat a little

The NBA’s general managers have spoken. The annual polling of teams’ primary decision-makers was released today on NBA.com and, as usual, there are some surprises. What comes across most is how balanced the league is this season, compared to recent seasons. We’ll get to thoughts on other teams and players in a minute but, first, […]

Josh Rosen out, Ryan Fitzpatrick in for Dolphins

Brian Flores clearly wants to win, even if the Miami Dolphins organization does not. And in that context, he’s gone back to Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starter at quarterback, as the Dolphins travel to Buffalo. That means Josh Rosen, after three starts and an overall 52.0 passer rating for the entire season, is back on […]

Looks like the Miami Heat have a lineup

We sort of called this one. No, it wasn’t expected quite this early, but Tyler Herro joined two other newcomers — Jimmy Butler and Meyers Leonard — in Miami’s starting lineup Monday against Atlanta. Herro-Adebayo-Leonard-Winslow-Butler Get used to it.@5ReasonsSports pic.twitter.com/CGGiKFJSjT — Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) October 14, 2019 And you shouldn’t expect it to change, […]

Did Dolphins coach Brian Flores make the right call?

When intentions are unclear, it’s difficult to assess decisions. Take, for instance, the choice by Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores to go for two, rather than tie the game, after his team rallied to within 17-16 against the Washington Redskins with just six seconds left in regulation Sunday. And then the actual play that […]