By MARC BERMAN
MIAMI- The fingers of the players, coaching staff and Miami Heat staffers have been redecorated with big, bold and black championship rings. About 420 of them were bought for their employees. And the hallways by the Miami locker room have undergone a mammoth redecoration too. I went to Heat practice today to get Pat Rileyâs take on the Knicks and felt I was in a different arena. The Knicks play the world champs tomorrow at AmericanAirlines Arena.
The drab concrete hallways by Miamiâs locker room now feels like a palace. The floors are covered with new plush red carpeting and lining the concrete walls are a few hundred of poster placards depicting their championship season and the championship celebration. The walk from the locker room to the court is named now “Championship Alley.”
The locker room, too, has been remodeled with fresh carpeting. A Heat official said the cost of the renovation will remain a secret but Pat Riley spared no expense to give this area of the arena a championship aura. Things were so different. I walked around 10 minutes trying the door to the old interview room today.
Pat Riley was not in a good mood as his team is off to a 3-4 start. But tomorrow against the Knicks, Riley hopes to get back all his cogs, Shaquille OâNeal and Jason Williams.
OâNeal did not talk to the media. As he left the court, Shaq said he had to go to the bathroom. It must have been some trip. He never came back.
Antoine Walker knows Isiah Thomas well, as they both are Chicago natives. âTheyâre trying to build a team with a lot of talent,ââ Walker said. âYou got to get that talent to match. With Isiahâs championship experience, theyâre going to be more competitive and fight for a playoff spot. Knowing him theyâre going to fight for 82 games and not give up.ââ
Riley got in a dig, mentioning how the Knicks have âfour point guards.ââ Heâs so right. Itâs their curse. Right now Nate Robinson is playing so well, he deserves the biggest minutes. I would reduce Steve Francisâ minutes before Stephon Marburyâs. At least Marbury can run the offense and set up guys.
The Knicks got into rainy Miami last night after practicing in Westchester, feeling very good about their first home win and that young guys like David Lee, Robinson and Renaldo Balkman are their future.
Tomorrowâs game here is a sell-out â 57 straight. Itâs not just a Dolphinsâ town anymore.