NBA Lockout, LeBron James and Haters Were Hottest Miami Heat Topics in October

The silence of superstars, exhibition games, haters, clutch performances and the NBA lockout were the hottest topics in October at the Miami Heat Index.

Most Popular Articles of the Month

The top three articles at the MHI blog in October are listed below.

1. NBA Players’ Black Wall of Silence

Carmelo Anthony told Michael Tillery from The Starting Five blog that athletes are scared to speak their minds on important issues. Why is that? Three reasons—mentors, media and money.

However, it seemed the players started to take the Black Wall of Silence down brick-by-brick as the NBA lockout dragged on throughout October. The article, “Heat Check: Occupy the NBA,” explained.
 

2. LeBron James & Dwyane Wade: 10 Thoughts From Their Show at CP3 Charity Game

LeBron James and John Wall showed why they are the two best athletes in the NBA at the CP3 All-Star Pickup Game on the campus of Winston-Salem State University last night. Check out the game’s highlights here.

The players learned one thing from Chris Paul’s exhibition game that applies to the NBA lockout: They don’t need the owners.

3. Haters: Anniversary Edition

October marked the one-year anniversary of the Miami Heat’s biggest haters, and the Dallas Mavericks, Charles Barkley, Dead Basketball Poets Society and ESPN showed no signs of slowing down.

The same media that hated on the Heat all last season have switched their attention to the National Basketball Players Association during the lockout. Just like the Heat, they don’t think the NBPA can win even though simple analysis reveals otherwise.

There’s only one thing to say to fake fans and haters in the media that side with the owners during the NBA lockout...You’ll see.

Most Underrated Articles of the Month

The top three MHI articles picked up by subscribers are listed below.

1. Have NBA Owners' Bargaining Positions Changed During the Lockout?

The bargaining positions of NBA owners reported by Henry Abbott from ESPN in September differed from those reported by Mark Heisler for the LA Times at the All-Star break. Since they canceled all games in November, did the bargaining positions of NBA owners change in October?

The answer is, “Yes,” and it was not a change for the better as the list of owners willing to cancel the season nearly doubled the size of those who want the season to begin.

2. NBA Lockout Cinema

Everyone knows what happened after the collective bargaining meetings were over, but what happened behind closed doors between the players and owners?

Since reporters weren't allowed in the meetings, the best way to explain negotiations between the NBPA and NBA during the NBA lockout is to recreate them using scenes from Hollywood movies and television shows.

An extended version of NBA Lockout Cinema was published at Bleacher Report.

3. The Problem with LeBron Being Clutch and Stephen A. Smith

The struggles with depression that Jerry West detailed in his memoir illustrate why the argument about “clutch” in basketball is stupid and LeBron James doesn’t need to worry about it.

The problems with Stephen A. Smith ranting on ESPN2’s First Take that LeBron should be obsessed with his performance in the Finals were also broken down on the HEATcast, “NBA Lockout, Stephen A. Smith’s Diss & Week 6 NFL Picks.”

Most Popular Podcast of the Month

The top HEATcast in October was “NBA Lockout Facts & Fiction.”

Bloggers from the Miami Heat Index and HeatFreak.com discussed the impact of the NBA Lockout on the employees and economy in Miami with Ethan J. Skolnick from the Palm Beach Post and separated fact from fiction in the issues being put through the media spin cycle.

HEATcasts were also added to iTunes in October.

For more NBA Lockout facts, check out the series of posts on the History of NBA Labor:

• Part 1: The Impact of Race, Referees and Superstars
• Part 2: The Modern NBA Schedule
• Part 3: Why Players Don’t Work Weekends

All Miami Heat Index articles published in October can be viewed here.