Miami Heat and Erik Spoelstra Playing a Deadly Game With Mario Chalmers

The Miami Heat organization and its head coach Erik Spoelstra is playing a deadly game with its point guard position. It is a situation that may very well come back to bite them in their rear end.

In the previous two season Chalmers had opened the season as the Heat’s starter at the point position. He lost his starting job last season not because of his play, but because he showed up late to a shoot around for a December game against Toronto.

Spoelstra would lend these comments on the matter, "Mario was late for shoot-around. My point guard is going to be the example to the team. But we're moving on. It was a one-time deal."

Chalmers would even play more minutes then Carlos Arroyo that game and finished with eight assist and one turnover. Arroyo would finish with three assist while playing six fewer minutes than Chalmers.

The move was perceived as just being a one game affair as Chalmers had clearly out played Arroyo for the duration of the season at that point. However, Chalmers would remain on the bench for the remainder of the season.

Blatant Lies By Ira Winderman

Sun Sentinel blogger and Miami Heat beat reporter Ira Winderman took a personal crusade to sale the situation as Carlos Arroyo beating out Chalmers due to his play. Luckily for those who like the truth, the Miami Herald’s David J. Neal was doing what a reporter should; report the truth and nothing more.

It was rather disheartening that Chalmers never regained his starting job, especially when he was playing more minutes and finishing more games than the player that was given his job. It almost felt like Spoelstra had taken a personal stance on Chalmers and that the situation had nothing to do with how Chalmers were playing.

People fail to note that Chalmers was the second leading scorer for the Heat during the playoffs. When Jermaine O’Neal, Quentin Richardson and Michael Beasley faltered, it was Mario Chalmers who had the 20-point game in the final game of the playoffs for the Heat.

If you ask Winderman, he’d probably attribute it to luck and a bad matchup for Arroyo. He’s seemingly corned the market on idiotic thinkers with high profile jobs. 

The Statistics Favor Chalmers

During the 23 starts of Mario Chalmers’ season, the Heat would go 11-12. The Heat would play 13 games versus teams that would make the playoffs. Not to bad considering Dwyane Wade didn’t bother to show up in shape for the start of the season.

In those 23 games to the season, Chalmers would square off 16 times versus point guards that have been selected to All-Star games. In contrast, Arroyo would only have this happen in 12 of his 34 starts.

Chalmers would score double figures in 10 of the 23 games (Arroyo 17 games) and eight or more points in four additional games (Arroyo four games).

Not bad for a player who was the fifth option behind Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley, Jermaine O’Neal and Quentin Richardson.

In regards to his turnovers, he only had more than two turnovers in five of the 23 starts. His average as a starter was 1.9 turnovers per game (Arroyo was .9 in his 34 starts).  Yet he had more than four assist on 15 of his 23 starts (Arroyo 22 of his 34 starts).

Chalmers would shoot 48.1 percent from the field in his 23 starts (Arroyo shot 45.7 percent). He would also connect at a rate of 37.2 percent from deep. Arroyo connected at a rate of 31.6 percent on his 6-of-19 shooting.

Chalmers averaged 31 minutes per game as a starter and Arroyo 30. Both Arroyo and Chalmers both averaged four assists and 2 rebounds per game.

Chalmers averaged 1.4 steals per game and Arroyo .6 per contest, hardly close.

So as one can see, Spoelstra had no grounds to suggest that Chalmers had been out-produced by Arroyo as a starter. Chalmers should have regained his starting position after he had been punished for showing up late to the Toronto game and that should have been the end of it.

Chalmers Deserves an Honest Answer

After losing his starting job after 22 games and the team enduring early season struggles from Jermaine O’Neal and Dwyane Wade, Chalmers would have to wait 25 games before he would get his 23rd start.

It was a game where he got matched up against Jason Kidd and allowed a large portion of Kidd’s 21 points and 11 assist. He would own up to his short comings, but Erik Spoelstra would not own up to his lack of coaching.

The Heat would lose 91-97 to a playoff-bound Dallas Mavericks team…never mind that Dwyane Wade missed the game due to injury.

Chalmers would finish with 11 points and eight assist and just two turnovers in 30 minutes of play due to five fouls. Arroyo would tally four points and two assist. Yet next game Arroyo would be rewarded with the starting job that he had just lost a game prior to.

And still Chalmers wouldn’t hang his head. He continued to play hard and remain the most productive player at the point position for the Heat.

While coming off the bench for those 50 games, Chalmers would out score Arroyo in 24 games. He’d tie or finish one back in five additional games.

In those same 50 games as a reserve, Chalmers would finish with more assist than Arroyo in 16 games. He’d tie or finish one back in a whooping 14 additional games.

He’d also out rebound Arroyo in 28 of those games and generate more steals than Arroyo in 38 games.

Spoelstra Says Arroyo Won Job in Preseason

Spoelstra stated that Arroyo had clearly out played Chalmers this past preseason. He said that, coupled with Chalmers not being healthy is why Chalmers isn’t starting.

Yet anyone with half a brain and isn’t apart of the Spanish culture in Miami knows that Arroyo didn’t clearly out play Chalmers.

Mario Chalmers scored 24 points this preseason and Arroyo 18.
Mario Chalmers had six rebounds and Arroyo three.
Mario Chalmers had 17 assist and Arroyo three.
Mario Chalmers had three steals and Arroyo one.
Mario Chalmers had three turnovers and Arroyo two.

All this while Chalmers was playing on a injured ankle, yet still he out plays Arroyo. Clearly there is more to this situation and Spoelstra, nor Pat Riley, isn’t practicing what they preach.

Chalmers Is On His Own

They say they are a loyal organization but they have continually turned their backs on the guys who have done more for them than anyone else.

Mario Chalmers is the better player. He also has an upside that is greater than anything Carlos Arroyo has ever been. For the Heat to take this kind approach with Chalmers is a blatant slap in the face of the fan base and the team’s All-Star trio.

It makes no sense to establish chemistry between Wade, James, Bosh and Anthony with Carlos Arroyo. He isn’t the caliber of player needed for the system they are running.

This time should be dedicated to incorporating Mario Chalmers. They said he passed his conditioning test this past Thursday, so what’s the hold up?

If the Heat isn’t careful, they might just lose a player they very much need.