The Miami Heat are on top of the NBA world. They are the reigning, two-time champions and are led by the greatest player on the planet, LeBron James. When LeBron and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami they immediately set the expectations very high. Since the big three assembled in 2010, they have had a record of 170-60 and three Finals appearances. After keeping their roster mostly intact and making a few additions, the Heat look to be in a good position to three-peat. However, in the playoffs last season the Heat certainly looked exposed at times. With one of their stars, Wade, battling injuries and another star, Chris Bosh, struggling mightily, the Heat were carried by LeBron. With an improving Eastern Conference, and a slow start by the Heat, some are starting to doubt the Heat’s chances this year. With the amount of talent in the East, the Heat will have their biggest test yet this season.
The Heat like to play small-ball and run the court. This game plan can be very effective; however, when the Heat face a team with a dominant inside presence they are forced to change their game plan. This was extremely evident when they played the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals and the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. Although they ended up winning both of those series, they were forced to take it to seven games and looked very ineffective at times. Pacers center Roy Hibbert and Spurs big man Tim Duncan created huge mismatches for the Heat. And if it weren’t for the excellent play by Chris Andersen, the Heat could’ve very easily lost. This offseason the Heat attempted to find some addition support in big man Greg Oden. Oden was originally selected first overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2007.
However, knee injuries plagued the extremely talented big man, causing him to miss extended time. When healthy, Oden is a great inside presence, averaging 11 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks per game in only 23 minutes. If Oden can get and stay healthy, he could add another dimension to this already deadly Miami team. And if he is unable to stay healthy, they still have a very solid roster.
A lack of production from their stars is another problem that the Heat faced this past year. Statistically speaking, Chris Bosh had his worst season in eight years. Although he is listed as a center, Bosh plays more like a stretch four. He is more of a perimeter scorer and is not an elite rebounder or defender. Bosh usually plays center for the Heat, but when they have to play a team with a more physical center, Anderson is usually moved to center. While Bosh is a very talented player, he is not an imposing inside presence.
Bosh also performed even more poorly in the playoffs, when he was tasked to playing against imposing centers on a nightly basis. Wade’s level of play has also declined in the past few years. Wade’s style of play relies on his strength, explosiveness, and athleticism. He has been dealing with knee injuries which have hampered his effectiveness. If Wade’s knees continue to be a problem he could miss games and be less effective in games.
The Eastern Conference has also improved greatly this past year. The Indiana Pacers took the Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals and nearly came away with a victory. This offseason the Pacers improved their bench dramatically and will get Danny Granger back after he struggled with injuries all of last year. Former MVP Derrick Rose has returned to an already talented Bulls team. A Rose-less Bulls still managed to finish fifth in the East and play very competitively against the Heat.
With the return of Rose, the Bulls will certainly compete in the East. The Brooklyn Nets made a huge move in the offseason when they traded for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry. With the addition of these two Hall of Famer’s, the Nets became one of the top teams in the East. Detroit also made a few major additions in Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith. The Pistons will be led by their two dominant big men Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe. These two big men, as well as Smith and Jennings would create a matchup nightmare for the Heat.
This year, the NBA is extremely competitive and many teams have the talent to make it to the Finals. Even if Greg Oden fails to stay healthy and the play of Bosh and Wade declines, the Heat still have LeBron, and that alone will win you a lot of games. With the East being so improved, the Heat certainly won’t win as many games this year, but they should have no problem getting one of the top three seeds in the East. The Playoffs is where the Heat should be concerned. The Heat will have their work cut out for them as they will most likely have to face two out of; the Bulls, Pacers, Nets or Pistons.
If the Heat manage to make it through the East, they would then be in a dogfight against the victor of the West. Making it through the playoffs alone will be hard enough, but then having to face one of the top teams in the West will be brutal. The Heat certainly have the star power and depth to make it to the Finals, however their road will be much tougher than in years past. While the Heat will certainly be one of the top teams in the East, their fans might be disappointed with the way the season ends. The Heat will have to fight tooth and nail if they hope to three-peat. The NBA is full of talented teams and the Finals are a very real possibility for multiple teams.