Sound Off For Friday, Jan. 30

General Daily Insight for April 30, 2024 The sensitive Moon supports ambitious Mars, providing a boost of energy for those of us who are feeling a little sluggish and need a pick-me-up. Mars then enters its home sign of independent Aries at 11:33 am EDT, revitalizing us to shake off the cobwebs and leap into action.

MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 102-88 NBA playoff loss to the Boston Celtics: – Yes, this is about the Celtics. – Whose depth of talent is such that even Derrick White can be a leading man. – Whose depth of talent is such that they can survive a calf injury to Kristaps Porzingis. – And, yes, this also is about the Heat’s shorthanded roster, as Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier continue to look on from the bench in street clothes. – But it also is about the Heat reducing their odds because of their approach to the regular season. – With one more win, the opening-round opponent could have been the Cleveland Cavaliers. – With two more regular-season wins, there could have been homecourt advantage in the opening round. – Instead there is this desperation. – With Wednesday in Boston looming as their expiration date for 2023-24. – It didn’t have to be this way. – No, not this series. – Against the Celtics it always was going to end this way. – But there could have been another path. – A path created by not minimizing the first 82. – The Heat again opened with Bam Adebayo, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Caleb Martin and Tyler Herro. – That was with Butler, Rozier and Josh Richardson again out. – Of having to endure in the ongoing absences of Butler (knee) and Rozier (back), Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, “I think we’re probably better suited for that than most.

MIAMI — The next time the Miami Heat play at Kaseya Center things could look a lot different — and for more than the plans for a new scoreboard. Down 3-1 to the Boston Celtics in this best-of-seven opening-round Eastern Conference playoff series after Monday night’s 102-88 home drubbing, the Heat only will play at home again this season with a Wednesday night Game 5 victory at TD Garden. Based on the lopsided scores of the Heat’s losses the past two games — with the deficit on Monday night cresting at 28 — the expiration clock on their season is ticking. Loudly. “Our guys really want to get this thing back to Miami and have just a great game in front of our fans,” coach Erik Spoelstra said.

SUNRISE — The Tampa Bay Lightning have been the Florida Panthers‘ big brother since the teams’ founding. The Lightning are a year older, and like most big brothers, they have hit some milestones first. The Panthers got to the Stanley Cup Final before the Lightning ever sniffed it, but not long after, Tampa Bay pulled ahead and won not one, not two, but three Stanley Cups.

Predator prowls through California town for a week — then ends up trapped inside shed