Rumors

Crutchfield doesn’t understand why big-name basketball folks — from Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla and GM Brad Stevens to recently-retired Miami coach Jim Larranaga and Michigan coach Dusty May — have met with him to hear about his methods. Whenever Spoelstra visits, Crutchfield asks him, “Why don’t we just go golf or play pickleball? I can teach you how to play pickleball. Pick my brain about that.”

New York Times

Former NBA stars Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady are part of a group being considered by the NFL to purchase a non-controlling minority stake in the Buffalo Bills, a person with knowledge of the league finance committee’s agenda told The Associated Press on Monday. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the league didn’t release the agenda for the committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday. The committee will also consider Ares Management’s bid to buy 10% of the Miami Dolphins, the person said.

Associated Press

Before the Thursday Night Football showdown between the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins, Draymond Green did an interview with NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, where he issued a warning to George amid his departure to Philly. “Good luck Paul George,” Draymond Green said. “Aw, he better play well or they're going to crush Paul George if he don't play well, oh my god. You know why they're gonna crush Paul George if he don't play well there? Because they already got a nasty taste in their mouth from their last three (small forward) that they had. With Tobias Harris. They never felt like he brought it, so that's why.”

Clutch Points

This was the fourth time in franchise history that Miami won a game by 40 or more. This was the first time that Miami won by a margin greater than 50, let alone the final margin of 60. The previous Heat record for largest margin of victory was 43, in a 126-83 drubbing of the Clippers in the 1994-95 season. “It feels good for the whole group,” Terry Rozier said. “We want to build on this moving forward and make a strong push.”

Miami Herald

“They jammed us up several times in the paint with quick hands, strip-downs, things of that nature,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We have to shore that up. That’s two games in a row of that.” Ten of those turnovers have come from center Bam Adebayo, whom the Celtics have committed to bothering by collapsing on him in the lane. They use Marcus Smart or White to sink down from the perimeter and apply the extra pressure, and the Heat have been too slow to counter.

The Athletic

Eddie Sefko: Miami coach Erik Spoelstra on defending Luka: "He’s in a great groove right now. He’s going to challenge our team in a lot of different ways. Ultimately, it’s about us trying to impose our identity...knowing that there’s a great player on the other side.”

Twitter

Marc Stein: The Celtics say Dennis Schröder is probable to play tonight against Miami despite right achilles tendinopathy. Boston is widely expected to deal Schröder before the league's Feb. 10 deadline if it can find a deal that sheds Schroder's $5.9MM salary without taking salary back.

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The Indianapolis Colts were on the road to face the Miami Dolphins in Florida on Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium. Ironically, Victor Oladipo, who was a two-time All-Star with the Indiana Pacers, is now on the Miami Heat and was at the game on Sunday.

Sports Illustrated

On the other hand, cap holds don’t do Miami any good if Miami wants to sign-and-trade for talent. Any sign-and-trade would require the Heat to stay below the apron (about $6 million above the tax line), and that could prove difficult. Sources tell The Athletic that Nunn could get offers in the $15 million a year range and Robinson perhaps even more, especially if he can burn all the tape of him guarding Khris Middleton.

The Athletic

Tim Reynolds: Miami coach Erik Spoelstra now has 81 postseason wins, tied with K.C. Jones for eighth-most in NBA history. In these playoffs alone he has passed: Chuck Daly, 75 wins Don Nelson, 75 Steve Kerr, 77 Rick Adelman, 79 Lenny Wilkens, 80 George Karl, 80 He's a Hall of Famer. Period.

Twitter

NFL reporters, analysts and personalities from rights holders are annually told by the league that they couldn’t tip draft picks on Thursday. So in came NBA insider Shams Charania from The Athletic and Stadium to scoop everyone on Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who went 5th overall to the Miami Dolphins on Thursday. The pick was anticipated by some, but Charania reported it before it was officially announced: “It came across my phone and I couldn’t help myself, I fell back to my instincts,” Charania told Awful Announcing over the phone.

Awful Announcing

Viewership numbers overall have been seen as a resounding success by the Suns' organization. The matchup between Ty Jerome and Josh Okogie (Suns vs Timberwolves) reached 3.1 million viewers on Twitter, while Mikal Bridges vs. Matisse Thybulle as the Suns vs 76ers hit 2 million, as did Miami Dolphins defensive end Shaq Lawson (as the Oklahoma City Thunder) facing Arizona Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds (as the Suns). The Suns' Twitch account, which was created only a month ago, now sits at over 448,000 total views with just under 7,000 followers.

ESPN

The Dallas Mavericks become the second NBA team to accept bitcoin as a means of payment for game tickets and merchandise. Sports teams accepting cryptocurrencies as a means of payment has been a trend for some time. A few weeks ago, Trijo News reported that the American football team Miami Dolphins has made litecoin their official cryptocurrency.

Trijo

Tim Reynolds: Jimmy Butler has told confidants that if Miami wants to talk on or after June 30 he would certainly - and happily - listen, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. (Of course, the “how would Miami have the $$$” portion of this equation remains most unclear.)

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