Heat find right recipe with bonding session
BOCA RATON — Naturally, Miami Heat center Amar’e Stoudemire was ideal for the job.
When the team decided to hold a cookout Friday, Stoudemire was the easy choice to handle the grilling. He released a cookbook last year titled, “Cooking With Amar’e” and teamed with newcomer Gerald Green as the Heat ended training camp with yet another bonding experience.
“It was great,” Stoudemire said. “That’s what we do all the time. In Florida, we barbecue all year. For us, to be able to barbecue for the guys and just sit back and watch the sunset, it was great.”
Stoudemire cooked chicken, turkey burgers, steak and hot dogs while Green took care of the grilled corn and shrimp. With camp behind them, the Heat can now turn their attention to Sunday’s preseason opener against the Charlotte Hornets at American Airlines Arena.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said events such as the barbecue helped players grow accustomed to each other.
“The more you can fast track that process, the faster the basketball can work,” Spoelstra said. “We tried to get our guys around each much as possible. It’s been organic, though, where it doesn’t feel forced.”
Added power forward Chris Bosh, “I think we got off to a really good start. It’s something that we have to continually get better at … It doesn’t just stop here. Now, we extend it when we go home.”
The process began in July when Bosh arranged a two-day team trip to Los Angeles, where he trains annually. The outing was an attempt to promote chemistry but ended up producing a comical moment. While camping, the team encountered a scorpion and tarantula.
The “athletic” scorpion, a Bosh termed it, nearly got inside center Hassan Whiteside’s sleeping bag.
“If you want to see grown me separate quickly, throw a scorpion in the middle while they’re lying down,” Bosh said. “…Those are the experiences that you remember. That’s what made it all worth it.”
A relaxed training camp atmosphere is exactly what the Heat needed. Last year there was more tension before the season because the departure of LeBron James. Players were worried about living up to expectations but this year it was more laid back.
“It was just fun,” forward Udonis Haslem said. “I would say one thing about this camp is that we were able to work hard but we were able to enjoy each other’s company. We were able to have fun … This camp was a lot more fun. Everybody enjoyed being around each other.”
Whiteside to sit preseason opener
Whiteside, who missed training camp because of a calf strain, will not play in Sunday’s preseason opener.
The training staff will continue to monitor him on a daily basis. There is no timetable on his return.
“No idea,” Spoelstra said of when Whiteside will be available. “To be able to do a little more each day, that’s all we’re looking for.”