Starting power forward Chris Bosh is going to miss some significant playing time due to a high ankle sprain.  Bosh has played in 42 games (all starts) for the Heat so far this year and he is averaging 35.5 minutes, 18.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.  The Heat are going to miss Bosh’s offfense but they might even be better on defense.  That is because Joel Anthony will continue to start at get big minutes while Bosh is out of action.  In his last three games, Anthony is averaging 38.7 minutes, 1.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 3.3 blocked shots per game.  He has only shot 5 times in those three games.  Anthony has now played in 41 games (10 starts) for the Heat so far this year and he is averaging 19.7 minutes, 1.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 1.5 blocked shots per game.  Juwan Howard will also likely see increased P.T. while Bosh is out of action.  Howard has played in 35 games (0 starts) for the Heat so far this year and he is averaging 11.5 minutes, 2.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  The Heat need Bosh to get back soon because the offense is going to likely really suffer without him.

35-year old center Zydrunas Ilgauskas will be in the starting lineup against his old team to tonight but he will likely get a standing ovation when he’s announced.  Ilgauskas is nothing like LeBron James as he is a well thought of icon in Cavs’ history.  When he was traded to the Wizards last season he waited a month before returning to Cleveland to help them in the playoffs.  Ilgauskas has played in 19 games (10 starts) for the Heat this year and he is averaging 17.9 minutes, 6.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  The Heat need him to have a good game because the best players the Cavs have are big men like J.J. Hickson, Anderson Varejao and Antwan Jamison.  Ilgauskas played 12 years for the Cavaliers and he is #1 in team history in games played, rebounds and blocked shots.  He is also #2 in Cavs’ history in points scored behind LeBron James.

The Miami Heat are 11-8 on the season which has been a very disappointing start for a team that was bragging about how many rings they were going to win.  Now, tonight they go into the snakepit in Cleveland where they are sure to encounter more venom than any of the player have EVER seen!  25-year old LeBron James will be making his first trip back to Cleveland after spending his first seven years with the Cavaliers.  James has not been playing to the level that he did with the Cavaliers.  He has played in 19 games (all starts) for the Heat so far this year and he is averaging 37.4 minutes, 23.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 4.2 turnovers per game this year.  His shooting has also been way off as he is only hitting 44.8% of his shots from the floor, 28.6% from three point range and 78.3% from the free throw line so far this year.  James showed no class in leaving the Cavaliers the way he did, but he is the all-time leading scorer in team history with 15,251.  He is also the all-time leader in Cavs’ history in steals with 955.  He is going to have a very long night in Cleveland no matter if he has a good game or not.

The Heat will be without 30-year old power forward Udonis Haslem until at least the All-Star Break after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left foot. Haslem has played in 13 games (0 starts) for the Heat so far this year and he is averaging 26.5 minutes, 8.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Haslem does all of the dirty work for the Heat and he has done so since coming to the team as a undrafted free agent. Haslem has now played in 530 games (386 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 30.8 minutes, 10.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. The Heat is going to have to have someone step up to replace Haslem.

The Heat have signed 35-year old SG/SF Jerry Stackhouse. Stackhouse played in 42 games (0 starts) for the Bucks last season and he averaged 20.4 minutes, 8.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He has now played in 896 games (563 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 32.8 minutes, 18.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Stackhouse’s skills don’t match up well with the ones the Heat lost due to Mike Miller’s injury. But, I still like this signing for them as Stackhouse showed last season that he still has a little bit left in his gas tank.

The Miami Heat will be without SG/SF Mike Miller for the next several weeks due to a serious right thumb injury. He was injured in practice yesterday. This is a huge blow to the Heat as Miller was going to be the sixth man and the long range assassin as he has a great outside shooter. Eddie House or James Jones will likely serve in that role until Miller comes back and neither of them are anywhere near his league as a player.

UPDATE: (10/22/2010) – Miller will be out until at least January. This is a big blow to the Heat.

The Heat look pretty weak at the point for 2010-11. But, LeBron James and D-Wade could get some P.T. at the point this year. 24-year old Mario Chalmers could get a lot of minutes this year as long as his head is on straight. Chalmers played in 73 games (23 starts) for the Heat this year and he averaged 24.8 minutes, 7.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He has now played in 155 games (105 starts) in his two years with the Heat and he has averaged 28.6 minutes, 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Chalmers could play either 25 minutes per night this year or he could sit at the end of the bench….it’s up to him.

31-year old Carlos Arroyo will also likely get some minutes at the point this year. Heck, he could even win the starting job if everything breaks right for him in training camp. Arroyo played in 72 games (34 starts) for the Heat last season and he averaged 22.0 minutes, 6.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He has now played in 505 games (147 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 18.7 minutes, 6.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Arroyo passed Chalmers on the depth chart halfway through last season and he could do it again this year.

Kenny Hasbrouck will be #3 in line at point guard coming into the 2010-11 season. He played in 10 games (9 starts) for Rio of the D-League last year and he averaged 32.5 minutes, 16.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Hasbrouck is a longshot to get much if any playing time for the Heat this year.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE MIAMI HEAT POINT GUARDS IN 2010-11: D

The Miami Heat have signed 32-year old shooting guard Eddie House to a 2-year, $2.8 million dollar deal. House played in 68 games (0 starts) for the Knicks and Celtics last season and he averaged 17.9 minutes, 7.0 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. He has now played in 661 games (30 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 17.3 minutes, 7.6 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. House has shot 39% from three point range in his career as he comes off the bench shooting the ball. This was another solid signing for the Miami Heat.

The Miami Heat have re-signed 26-year old forward Shavlik Randolph. Randolph played in 3 games (0 starts) with the Heat last season and he averaged 15.7 minutes, 3.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He has now played in 95 games (7 starts) in his five years in the NBA and he has averaged 8.2 minutes, 2.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. Randolph will be sitting at the end of the bench in 2010-11 for the Heat and he won’t be a factor for the Heat unless they suffer quite a few injuries.

UPDATE: (10/20/2010) – The Heat have released Shavlik Randolph.

30-year old point guard Carlos Arroyo has re-signed with the Heat but the terms of the deal were not disclosed. Arroyo played in 72 games (34 starts) for the Heat last year and he averaged 22.0 minutes, 6.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He has now played in 505 games (147 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 18.7 minutes, 6.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. The Heat were smart to bring back Arroyo as he is a solid pass first point guard.