Miami Heat: Players who should or shouldn’t consider playing overseas – NBA Feature (Part 6)
Mario Chalmers:
The 25 year old point guard impressed everyone straight away in his first year as a rookie, where he led all the rookies in the steals per game. During that season Mario Chalmers scoring average was 10 points and he also dished
out 4.9 assists along with 2.0 steals per game.
However, after playing full quota of 82 games in the 2008-09 seasons and displaying a brilliant effort Chalmers was included in only 22 games during 2009-10 season and 28 games in the last 2010-11 season. Consequently, his playing
minutes also saw the decline from 32 to 24.8 and in the last season he spent 22.6 minutes per game on the court.
This decline in the number of the games and minutes was the main cause of his declining average, as he tallied 7.1 and 6.4 points per game in the previous two seasons. This suggests only one thing and that is Chalmers need more
games which he can play by going abroad.
Despite of the fact that he lacks precision in his shots, repeats mistake, not good in one on one defending and lastly lacks the leadership skills, Mario can correct all these things through more experience and staying here during
this lockout wouldn’t help him.
Mario still had a long way to go and he had shown what he can bring to the table, all he needs is a step in the right direction which can transform him into the next point guard of the Miami Heat.
Joel Anthony:
By viewing the stats of the six foot nine Joel Anthony one might not be impressed, but he is a player who is utilized more as a role player instead playing typical centre. His career average is 2.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game
and during the last regular-season with the Heat Anthony made two points, grasped 3.3 rebounds in the 11 games he started.
These stats prove that Anthony either doesn’t know how to improve his skills or doesn’t want to enhance them, especially when he is playing offense.
In spite of these draw backs no one can raise a finger over his sheer passion for play and hard work that he puts in every workout. Plus the thing that kept him with the Heat for so long was his defence which is absolutely amazing,
but the negative play on the offensive side has now started causing problems for him. The negative play had affected his defence which was evident in the previous season.
Anthony is just 29 years of age and you cannot discard him yet, as he a few more good seasons left in him. Playing overseas in this situation of uncertainty would definitely help Anthony, who poured in just two points in each game
last season. His poor offense can be judged from that simple layup which he failed to put in the basket.
Joel has that talent which can turn him into one of the decent centres of the league, but he needs to release the opportunities he get, as the Heat increased his playing minutes in the last season once again, but he failed to avail
the chance.
Anthony can learn these skills abroad, where he can easily get more games and playing time because only experience can evolve a player.
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