May 27
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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After being forced to watch his teammates clinch the Eastern Conference semifinal series over the Pacers Thursday night from his hotel room in Indianapolis, forward Udonis Haslem now understands why his father and second-guessing Heat fans all believe they could coach in the NBA. Haslem was back at Heat practice Saturday afternoon after serving a one-game suspension for his flagrant-2 foul on Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough in Game 5. He has no regrets for the hard foul and still doesn't believe it merited a suspension. "I never denied it was a hard foul but I didn't think I should get suspended over it. That's over and we move on. It was a physical series,'' Haslem said through a"
May 24
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
columnist Mike Berardino
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At one point during Tuesday's Heat-Pacers Game 5, police intercepted a 6-foot-2, 300-pound man who, uh, was not wearing pants. If the would-be streaker had actually made it onto the court, he would have fit right in with the unsightly festivities. "It was like an episode of Wild, Wild West," Pacers forward Danny Granger said after his bellicose team crept within a game of playoff elimination. "Lot of stuff going on out there.""
May 24
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
columnist Ira Winderman
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Q: In retrospect, it would have been better if Udonis Haslem had gotten ejected Tuesday rather than miss Game 6. The reason being that the Heat could have won Game 5 at home without Haslem. In Indianapolis, with the Pacers now fired up, the loss of Haslem is crushing. -- Moshe. A: Good point. If the referees called it the right way, it would have been over. They botched just about every one of the calls (actually the league confirmed that by upgrading all the flagrant fouls from Flagrant 1 to Flagrant 2, that the referees did botch each call). You're right, Haslem gets ejected, it ends there. It's interesting how the league is so public with player sanctions, but we may never hear about"
May 24
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem and center Dexter Pittman were suspended by the league Wednesday for their flagrant fouls against the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Haslem will serve a one-game suspension while Pittman will miss three games, both without pay, after their fouls were upgraded to Flagrant-2, the league announced. Both punishments begin immediately, meaning neither will play in Thursday's Game 6 in Indianapolis. The Heat lead the series 3-2, but losing Haslem is a blow because they are already thin in the frontcourt with forward Chris Bosh sidelined. Haslem said Wednesday morning he would be surprised by a suspension."
May 23
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
columnist Ira Winderman
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Q: Udonis Haslem had no choice but to foul hard Tyler Hansbrough and send a message to the Pacers. A few minutes earlier Tyler Hansbrough smashed Dwyane Wade in the head drawing blood instead of playing the ball. Enough is enough. -- Stuart. A: Totally disagree, especially a foul that flagrant. With Chris Bosh out, the last thing the Heat can afford is to lose another body at power forward. What if Udonis gets suspended? Then if Shane Battier gets into foul trouble, it is yet another responsibility foisted on LeBron James of having to move to power forward. Sometimes you have to think of the bigger picture."
May 21
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Udonis Haslem found his way, even if he couldn't quite see clearly. On an afternoon when LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were dominant, combining for 70 points, it was Haslem who was the closer for the Miami Heat. The veteran power forward who had lost his starting job a game earlier and had lost his shot well before that, stepped up to hit four of the Heat's final five shots in the 101-93 victory Sunday over the Indiana Pacers that tied this best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series at 2-2. "Every shot he made tonight was big," James said. "Without him, we don't win this game." Considering James scored 40 points and Wade 30, that might come off as hyperbole. But even"
May 17
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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In a dramatic lineup change, to a degree precipitated by the injury absence of power forward Chris Bosh, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra presented a new look against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night in Game 3 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series. Spoelstra removed power forward Udonis Haslem and center Ronny Turiaf from the lineup that opened the Heat's Game 2 loss Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena, replacing them with center Dexter Pittman and forward Shane Battier."
May 8
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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The rebounding largely has been consistent. That element remains fundamental: See the ball; get the ball. The scoring? That has proven somewhat confounding: Get the ball . . . then do what? For Udonis Haslem, these have proven to be heady times. "I'm over-thinking it now," the veteran Miami Heat power forward said, with the Heat up 3-1 on the New York Knicks in this best-of-seven opening-round NBA playoff series, heading into Wednesday's 7 p.m. Game 5 at AmericanAirlines Arena."
March 9
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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At times this season, Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem has found himself lost on the basketball court. He rarely knows where he will be positioned or when scoring opportunities will come. It's part of the adjustment of going from playing in a system he's known for years to more of a freelance role alongside Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. In time, Haslem will grow more comfortable. Until then, he will continue to endure stretches like the past week. He went in a span of five days from missing a winning jumpshot against the Utah Jazz to becoming a key, late-game contributor in Wednesday's victory against the Atlanta Hawks."
February 14
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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The numbers remain a bit uneven, particularly the shooting percentage, but Udonis Haslem has regained his footing. And for the Miami Heat, that means the most going forward. Seemingly beyond his early-season shooting struggles when he put together an 8-of-12 three game stretch recently, the veteran power forward went into Monday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks 5 of 15 from the field in his previous three games."
October 19
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem continues to work himself back into playing shape after missing most of last season because of ligament damage in his left foot. He returned for the playoffs, but battled conditioning issues. The lockout is giving him opportunity to "get himself in shape" after undergoing offseason ankle surgery. "That's what I was lacking, conditioning," said Haslem, speaking Tuesday at a charity event at Miami Northwestern High School. "I can pedal a bike all day, but it's nothing like being out there on the floor and getting up and down and actually shooting and jumping." Haslem has yet to play competitively since the Heat lost to the Dallas Mavericks on June 12 in Game"
June 5
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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At the time, Udonis Haslem was accustomed to being spoiled at the University of Florida. There, he had a training staff available to provide whatever he needed. That changed when he left college and played professionally for one season in France. Haslem quickly learned this wasn't Gainesville when there was no trainer in the locker room to tape his ankle before the game. "I was like, 'man, I can't tape my own ankle,' " Haslem recalled. A few days later, he was surprised by a package in the mail. Help came from a reliable source. Mike Miller, then in his second NBA season, offered an assist to his old college teammate by sending a box of ankle braces. Stories as such are plenty in a"
June 2
Miami Herald
columnist Israel Gutierrez
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Five games ago, Udonis Haslem wasn't thinking about Dirk Nowitzki or a 2006 championship rematch. Five games ago, Udonis Haslem couldn't have fathomed being a key component in the NBA Finals, because sitting on the bench, he didn't even feel like he was in the NBA. Not as a player, anyway. He was more of a motivational speaker in basketball shorts. Five games ago, the coaching staff wasn't thinking about rebounds and rings. It was thinking in terms of pins and needles. "When it came time, we were more worried about him reinjuring the foot during the Chicago series," Heat assistant coach David Fizdale said of Haslem, who missed six months with a torn ligament in his left foot. "Udonis said,"
May 26
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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For months, Erik Spoelstra was left with little option but to spin the wheel of lineups. Sometimes the wheel stopped at Erick Dampier or Juwan Howard or Jamaal Magloire. Once it even stopped with Jerry Stackhouse in the starting lineup. But through those months of uncertainty, the vision remained something closer to what the Miami Heat have offered the past two games, home victories that have given them a 3-1 lead over the Chicago Bulls in these best-of-seven NBA Eastern Conference finals. No, the Heat bench has not necessarily been expansive the past two games, but it has been efficient, with Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller and Mario Chalmers the only reserves called upon in support of the"
May 24
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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During their lone season as Miami Heat teammates, Udonis Haslem and Caron Butler personified the type of hustle that would define the rebirth of the franchise from a pair of lean seasons. This season, the two spent the majority of their time trying to fight their way back from debilitating injuries, Haslem from foot surgery the third week of the season, Butler from a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee on Jan. 1. With his Dallas Mavericks closing in on a berth in the NBA Finals, Butler has yet to make it back. But when Haslem made his breakthrough against the Chicago Bulls in these best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals that the Heat now lead 2-1, Butler was among the first to text"
May 23
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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The moment finally came for Heat forward Udonis Haslem. During a timeout in the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Chicago Bulls, he removed his warmup shirt and pointed a finger toward the crowd at AmericanAirlines Arena. With 1:52 remaining, he made his way to scorer's table with former college teammate Mike Miller at his side. The wait was over. "It was very emotional," Haslem said. "I did want it to affect the way I started the game, but it did because it's been a long time coming. I just was waiting for this moment for so long. Once I got it over with it and kind of settled in a little bit in the second half, and I was just able to get back to playing basketball." Haslem was"
May 22
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
columnist Dave Hyde
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They remain America's villains, this selfish Heat team that apologizes too late, celebrates too hard, acts too whiny and generally remains so far down the road of rejection there's no return. So while there's room to discuss the X's and O's of Udonis Haslem's return to the lineup, there's no stomach for hearing how he landed back with this team in the first place. There's no talk of egos bridged and double-digit millions sacrificed. There's no discussion of, "The Decisions," unanimous and untelevised. There's no mention that as Haslem drove to the Heat offices last summer to shake hands with Pat Riley and say good-bye to the Heat staff on his way to Dallas or Denver, he also texted Dwyane"
May 22
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Heat forward Udonis Haslem admits he has thought about the significance of Sunday's game. He is likely to receive a big standing ovation from the crowd at AmericanAirlines when he enters Game 3 against the Chicago Bulls. To Haslem, enjoying it can wait. There are more important things to worry about. "I'll enjoy it after the game," Haslem said. It will mark the first time he plays in front of the home crowd since returning from early-season foot surgery. When he is called to the scorer's table, it could draw a similar reaction to when Alonzo Mourning returned in 2005. "He will earn whatever reception he gets," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We're all pleased that he's able to"
May 21
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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For so long, Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem has always known his exact positioning on the court. That changed when he returned this postseason after undergoing early-season foot surgery. As he works his way back into the rotation, he finds himself asking teammates for help. Among those to receive the most questions is forward Chris Bosh. "He's been great in this process for me in helping me out," Haslem said. "He even told me where I needed to be a couple times on the court. I usually know where I need to be, but everything was going so fast, a couple times I went blank." The once confident Haslem now takes a backseat to Bosh when the two are in the game together. He lets Bosh choose"
May 20
Palm Beach Post
columnist Ethan J. Skolnick
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When the Heat organization looks in the mirror, it doesn't see what so many outsiders see. It doesn't see glitz and glamour, entourages and endorsements, even after a summer during which it smugly celebrated its new collection of superstars. It doesn't see snap-your-fingers success but, rather, a rocky road that's damp with sweat and tears. It doesn't see the caricature created outside South Florida but, rather, character, community and commitment. It sees Udonis Haslem. "That's who he has been his entire career," coach Erik Spoelstra said. Haslem is now the embodiment of the Heat, the last true link to a grunt-and-grinder past personified by Alonzo Mourning, Keith Askins, P.J. Brown, Dan"
May 20
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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It took eight seasons and 69 playoff appearances for Udonis Haslem to finally to make it to a postgame podium, a media session of his own. "First time," the veteran power forward said Wednesday night in Chicago at the United Center, as he moved closer to a microphone bearing the NBA logo. The appearance came with an assist, and from more than Miami Heat teammates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, who fed off Haslem's energy to push through to an 85-75 series-evening victory over the Chicago Bulls in Game 2 of these best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals. The boost came during ceaseless workout sessions with rookie center Dexter Pittman and assistant coach Keith Askins, sessions set up to"
May 20
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
columnist Dave Hyde
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Late Wednesday night in the United Center, disappointed Chicago fans walked past two symbols of the city's former greatness, Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen, in a hallway outside the Heat locker room. "Can we still win?" a man in a Bulls cap asked Pippen. "Are those guys gonna look like that the rest of the way?" Pippen said, jerking a thumb toward the Heat. That's the question now. Is Wednesday who the Heat are? It replaces other questions the Heat answered for weeks. Like: What happened to Erick Dampier? Like: Why isn't Zydrunas Ilgauskas playing and Jamaal Magloire is? Like: When's Udonis Haslem ready? "I was getting tired of that one,'' Haslem said. Down the hall from Rodman and"
May 19
Miami Herald
columnist Israel Gutierrez
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The story changes now. It's not about the Bulls defense or the Bulls rebounding or the Bulls' depth. It's not about the Heat's stagnant offense or the lack of height up front or the lack of support for the Heat's Big Three. It's not about Chicago's dominance of Miami this season. Now it's about the Heat's offensive adjustments and the Heat's scrappiness and the power of three. It's about the rediscovery of Udonis Haslem and with it, apparently, the strengthening of the Heat's heart. It's about the Heat suddenly looking dominant at the right time. With just one win. No, the Bulls aren't a team that will fold under the pressure of playing on the road. And by no means does the Heat have a"
May 19
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
columnist David Haugh
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Before the Heat practiced Monday, coach Erik Spoelstra noticed something different about Udonis Haslem. And it had nothing to do with Haslem's injured left foot that forced him to miss all but 13 games of the regular season. "There was something, a look in his eye, that I knew it was time," Spoelstra said. When Haslem has it, the Heat have the look of a champion — as they regained Wednesday night in an 85-75 victory over the Bulls. Don't go editing your basketball math books. Don't start thinking two really is greater than five because LeBron James and Dwyane Wade finally showed up to give the Heat a mini-version of Jordan and Pippen in beating the more team-oriented Bulls. Without Haslem,"
May 19
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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This wasn't about being dominated on the boards, shaky shooting, too much isolation offense. The Miami Heat solved those problems in Wednesday's Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Chicago Bulls. No, this 85-75 Heat victory at the United Center was the essence of playoff basketball, the make-or-break moments that can define a series, the type of lockdown defense that breaks the will of the opposition. "What I'll take from this," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, "is how physical it was and how small a margin of error there is on both sides." Blown out in Sunday's Game 1, the Heat this time got key late scoring from forward LeBron James and limited Chicago to 10 fourth-quarter"
May 17
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Erik Spoelstra has what he's looking for, just to his right, on the Miami Heat bench. He's just not sure that it's good to go. Coming off Sunday's 103-82 loss to the Chicago Bulls, the focus at Monday's practice was on the hustle, energy, effort plays the Heat failed to deliver in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals. It is the type of hustle that forwards Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, the former University of Florida roommates, are known for. It also is the type of effort that has been in short supply this season, with Haslem only now making it back from November foot surgery and Miller practically negated as an offensive threat by a pair of bum thumbs. So Monday, as the Heat"
May 11
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem wants to make one thing clear. He did not play three minutes in Monday's victory against the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. He prefers to be more precise with the statistic. "I only played two minutes and 39 seconds," Haslem said. Actually, it was 2:46. The point Haslem was trying to make was it is tough to gauge his status from Monday's performance. It was his first playing time in more than five months. He's missed most of the season after undergoing left foot surgery in November to repair ligament damage. "It's probably tough to give any type of evaluation," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It's not fair to him. He only"
May 10
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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For the first time since late-November foot surgery, power forward Udonis Haslem again is an active member of the Miami Heat. He remains, however, without his first rebound or point since his late-November foot surgery. Haslem played the first 2:46 of the second quarter of Monday night's 98-90 overtime victory over the Boston Celtics, his only action of the game, drawing two quick fouls and then being called for a technical foul as he returned to the bench. "It's gonna be a process," he said after the game. "I mean I can't get it all back in one game. You know I would have liked to, you know, probably play a little better regardless of how many minutes I got. "But it's just understanding"
May 9
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
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For a player who has been out of the lineup since November foot surgery, Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem continues to loom as a playoff presence, his name again coming up Sunday amid coach Erik Spoelstra's discussion of his rotation. "He's getting closer," Spoelstra said during a break in this best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Celtics. "So I'm giving him more thought. I'm not trying to be coy about it. We're just trying to be smart and judicious about this. It's never easy bringing somebody back into the mix. "He's really only been playing contact basketball now for three weeks. If this was a normal regular season, you'd probably wait a little"