Mario Chalmers sparks Miami Heat to early lead in blowout

By Staff     Jan 2, 2012

Miami Heat's Mario Chalmers (15) goes up to the basket against Charlotte Bobcats' D.J. Augustin, foreground, in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Miami, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012.

Happy New Year, **Mario Chalmers**.

Chalmers and the Miami Heat scorched the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday. Chalmers scored 11 points and sank three three-pointers in the first quarter of a 39-point victory. Chalmers played exactly 28 minutes in the first three quarters and sat the rest of the way, as the Heat were up 92-64 at the start of the fourth. He finished with 16 points off extremely efficient 6 of 7 shooting (4-4 threes) with five assists and two rebounds ([full stats here][1]).

The Miami Herald notes that Chalmers is an impressive 9 for 12 on three-pointers this season. Five games is a small sample size, yes, and shooting 75 percent isn’t sustainable, but his teammates and coaches say he could improve on his past percentages (35 percent from three for his career, almost 36 percent last season).

[From the Herald:][2]

>”He’s been putting in a lot of time and probably this is a residual of all of that,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It’s 10,000 reps and 10,000 hours. Get the reps in and he’s been very diligent, and that goes back to the last two years.”

Memphis Grizzlies guard Josh Selby (2) drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls guards C.J. Watson (7) guards during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Chicago on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012.

As for the concerns that Chalmers could lose his starting job to rookie Norris Cole (16 points, nine assists, 20 minutes on Sunday), Sun-Sentinel beat writer Ira Winderman had this to say before the game:

>No, and there is no reason for it. Norris Cole is a wonderful change of pace off the bench and Mario Chalmers is providing the 3-point shooting needed in the starting lineup. Why would anyone change the starting lineup when all the Heat are doing is winning?

Indeed. And I hope Mario keeps his starting job and 25+ minutes for selfish reasons — I just added him to my workplace fantasy basketball team. So forgive me if I get a bit excited when he fills up the box score with pretty assists like this:

Sunday stats
————

– **Paul Pierce** (Boston Celtics) scored nine points in 27 minutes in his second game back with the Celtics. Pierce’s shot was a little rusty (2 of 8 overall, 1 of 4 from three, 4 of 6 free-throws), but he added six rebounds, three assists and a steal ([full stats here][3]).

– **Josh Selby** (Memphis Grizzlies) had the unenviable task of playing from waay behind as the Grizzlies lost by 40 to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. Selby subbed in for starter Jeremy Pargo in the first and third quarters before playing all 12 mop-up minutes in the fourth. He finished the game with six points (3-9 overall, 0-2 from three) with two rebounds, two assists, a steal and two turnovers in 20 minutes ([full stats here][4]).

One more note
————-

– **Drew Gooden** (Milwaukee Bucks) will have to fight for every second of playing time this year, [according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel][5]. Gooden, who registered a healthy “did not play” on Friday, lost playing time to Ersan Ilyasova, Larry Sanders, Jon Brockman and rookie Jon Leuer at power forward/center. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, a starter last year, will return to the court tonight and rookie Tobias Harris might play some when he gets healthy.

Bucks coach Scott Skiles acknowledged that the logjam might make some players unhappy:

>”Look, if we remain healthy, it’s going to be challenging to maintain our chemistry,” Skiles said. “I want guys who want to play. I don’t want guys who are content to sit on the bench.

>”It’s going to be challenging to keep everybody in good spirits.”

Gooden, to his credit, didn’t comment on his benching.

Jayhawks in upcoming NBA games
——————————

**[Monday, Jan. 2][6]**

– 2:30 p.m., **Brandon Rush** and the Golden State Warriors vs. **Markieff Morris** and the Phoenix Suns

– 6:30 p.m., **Paul Pierce** and the Boston Celtics vs. the Washington Wizards

– 6:30 p.m., **Mario Chalmers** and the Miami Heat vs. the Atlanta Hawks

– 7:30 p.m., NBATV, **Nick Collison** and **Cole Aldrich** and the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. the Dallas Mavericks

– 8 p.m., **Drew Gooden** and the Milwaukee Bucks vs. the Denver Nuggets

[1]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120101/CHAMIA/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100059#nbaGIboxscore
[2]: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/02/2570032/miami-heats-mario-chalmers-finding.html
[3]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120101/BOSWAS/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100057#nbaGIboxscore
[4]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120101/MEMCHI/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100062#nbaGIboxscore
[5]: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/bucks/bucks-depth-provides-challenge-along-with-advantage-u13l1m5-136515528.html
[6]: http://www.nba.com/gameline/20120102/

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