SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Welcome to the inaugural edition of eDraft’s NBA Season Preview. We turn our attention on to the Southeast Division, covering everyone from the pretenders to the contenders. Today we take a look at the Heat. The reigning NBA Champions reconfigured their roster this summer, but do they have what it takes to repeat?

Key Additions: Ray Allen (G), Rashard Lewis (F), Justin Hamilton

The Heat are not a big team and Dwayne Wade’s knees are trouble. That is the extent of the Heat’s problems; otherwise they remain the best team in the East and the favorites to capture the championship next June. Miami plays defence with an intensity that seems to shrink the court and flummox opposing ball-handlers to the point where even getting the ball past half court can seem to be a great accomplishment. LeBron James and Wade are such aggressive defenders, are so good at beating their men to the spot that the team’s lack of size hardly seems to matter. Jordan’s Bulls are the closest analogue to the Miami Heat in this regard and it is a pleasure to watch (even when they are dismantling your young phenom point guard in front of a national audience. We will miss you Jeremy.) And of course, the Heat look to emulate those Bulls teams in other ways.

If there was a shortcoming in the Heat last year it was that Mike Miller (6.1PPG-3.3RPG-45 3P%) wasn’t an ideal fourth option on offense. Too streaky to be counted on in tough games, and never fully healthy, Miller (despite his heroics in the Finals) was the weak link. The Heat needed a more consistent threat from the outside and this summer they got two. Ray Allen, the best perimeter shooter in NBA history, will team up with deep-threat Rashard Lewis and together they will make the Heat virtually un-guardable. James and Wade are so good at driving and kicking out to open three-point shooters that its not inconceivable for both newcomers to average double figures this year.  Further Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, Mike Miller and James Jones can all shoot the ball from downtown: records may fall.

Up front the Heat bring back the ever-consistent big men Joel Anthony and Udonis Haslem. Chris Bosh, who has gone from under-appreciated to over-hyped and now back to underrated will spend more time at center this season and should be able to give the team 18 points and 8 rebounds a game again. Able to step back and hit the 15-footer and still the owner of a premier post game Bosh is vital to the success of the team.

Two years ago James, Bosh and Wade all decided they wanted to play together. It was a bold decision that was widely and viciously attacked. James became the villain even though he did nothing more than exercise his freedom to live and work where he pleased. It turns out that James made the right choice and will be reaping its rewards for years to come. 

Reason for optimism: After two years of figuring it out, these guys are finally getting comfortable with each other.

Teams are building rosters with Miami in mind (see:Boston). This team has a giant target on its back and the pressure will be intense every night.

Projected record: 62-20