Michael Beasley was distraught after the Heat’s Game One loss in Atlanta Sunday night.  So distraught, in fact, that he asked a friend to braid his hair into cornrows in the hotel room after the game.

Guess it’s cheaper than a round of margaritas with girlfriends, and fewer calories than a tub of cookie dough.

But what does it mean? Could the new style, so different than the spongy mini-fro the insouciant rookie’s been sporting, be a clue that Beasley is ready to concentrate, get down to business, be, well, tighter?

Let’s hope so.  While he’s played so well that fans are clamoring for a starting position – and well enough to stave off the Heat veterans’ desire to hold him down and cut his hair – Beasley’s practice habits and inability to focus have kept him on the bench.  Before Game 1, teammates had to speak to him as he launched playful, ridiculous shots in warm-ups rather than concentrate on game situations.

Dwayne Wade, the only person on the team whose performance matters to the Heat more than Beasley’s, says the lighthearted power forward must “grow up” immediately if the Heat are to success in the playoffs.

So perhaps the new hairdo is a sign that a sleeker, more disciplined Beasley will emerge Wednesday night and help the Heat to a win.  After all, aren’t our hairstyles just expressions of our personalities? 

In this case, it could go either way. Coach Erik Spoelstra was so put off by the look (we're guessing it looks like Skeletor under some tire tracks) that he had difficulty keeping a straight face while the new hair was in his presence on Monday.

“No comment,” he said when asked to grade Beasley’s friend’s handiwork. "I had a hard time standing in front of the team for a serious film session."

Oh, dear. Maybe it’s just the same old goofy Beasley.