James Jones News

Your ribcage would have to hold a heart of crumbling coal if you're not, at this point, rooting for Greg Oden's success.

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Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade goes up to shoot against Philadelphia 76ers guard Michael Carter-Williams and forward Thaddeus Young, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, April 16, 2014, in Miami.

And he clubbed Pat Riley with him year after year in a way that made Riley feel profoundly helpless.

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Q: Should we be worried about Dwyane Wade being out six games. Or is it just to keep him fresh for playoffs? -- Jose.

Q: Do you have any reason why Norris Cole was playing all the crunch-time minutes in the fourth quarter and in the overtimes on Friday night? The 'Wolves left him wide open repeatedly and he missed every shot, and he did some awful fouls at the other end.

A strained left hamstring sidelined Heat guard Dwyane Wade for a fifth consecutive game on Friday night, but Heat players said he's improving, and LeBron James said Wade "probably" will return "within the next week."

The Indiana Pacers had lost earlier in the night on the road to the Toronto Raptors, creating the opportunity to move a game clear atop the Eastern Conference.

In the third quarter, LeBron got the Miami Heat back in the game when his team was down 72-63.

Of course, it could have been easier if Mario Chalmers could have made two free throws at a time before the second overtime.

The Heat is streaking, winners of four straight games, and looking to improve with the playoffs set to begin in mid-April.

Jones played a total of 70 minutes in Miami's first 70 games this season. He's logged 104 minutes in the last four contests, all Heat blowout victories, all in a stretch where they climbed atop the Eastern Conference standings for the first time this season.

A: Look, I'm not overstating New York. But, unlike the Hawks, the Knicks wouldn't just be glad to be there.

Apr 2, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James dunks the ball over Milwaukee Bucks forward Ekpe Udoh as Milwaukee Bucks center John Henson looks on in the first half at American Airlines Arena.

After sitting on the Miami Heat bench for most of the season, Udonis Haslem has moved back to the starting lineup at center in the past week.

Q: Toney Douglas handles the ball with authority. He was plus-10 against the Raptors vs. Norris Cole at minus-nine.

Two of the Eastern Conference's best teams jump it up tonight when the Miami Heat welcome the Toronto Raptors to AmericanAirlines Arena.

Let me make it clear - Miami isn't really going into tonight's game looking to lose.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was told at the team shootaround Saturday morning that he was ruled out of the game against the Miami Heat due to a sprained right ankle.