No LeBron, no problem?
The Miami Heat started out this year 3-0. In their three wins, the Heat averages close to 109 points per game, while also shooting close to 49 percent from the field. The Heat have dropped two games in a row to the Rockets and Hornets, who I believe to be two of the hotter teams in the NBA right now.
Chris Bosh is leading the team in scoring and rebounding averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds per night through Thursday’s game. Dwyane Wade looks fresh, so far, averaging over 18 points and 6 assists a night. With two perennial All-Stars, and future Hall Of Famers, are the Heat still the real deal in the East?
In a division that previously was one of, if not the worst division in the NBA, the Southeast now features some young, dangerous teams. Washington and Charlotte are no longer laughing stocks. Orlando possesses young, blossoming talent that could break out at any given moment. Atlanta, well, they are just Atlanta; just on the cusp of breaking through the first round playoff glass-ceiling.
When answering the question of Miami’s competence when it comes down to two factors. The first is the effectiveness of their role players. Chris Bosh is still a superstar, and unless his back gives out from carrying the team all season, he easily will average 20-and-10. Hopefully Erik Spoelstra will learn from Gregg Popovich and start to sit Dwyane Wade on the latter half of back-to-back games, keeping Wade fresh and able to contribute throughout the season.
Outside of those two, the help has to come, and it has to come consistently.
Luol Deng is filling heavy shoes of that one guy who played the small forward position before him. So far, he has not filled those shoes only averaging 13 points in the Heat’s five games. Mario Chalmers, as a starting point guard, needs to put together a better assist-to-turnover ratio than 1.41. Shabazz Napier needs to see more than 20-minutes a night, and for the love of Larry Bird can another big-man besides Chris Bosh average more than five rebounds?
The next factor, which I lightly touched on, is the point guard play. Many people find that Miami’s biggest weakness lies in the center position. The center is a dying breed in the NBA and many teams now possess a Russell Westbrook-esque, “hybrid” point guard. Let’s face it; Mario Chalmers, Shabazz Napier, and Norris Cole are not going to impact a game like the Russell Westbrooks and John Walls of the league.
Mario Chalmers has the size, but he doesn’t have the head to be a great point-guard. Sure, Chalmers somehow always makes a huge play once and a while, but time after time he makes boneheaded plays like the one in the video below, which is probably why he has yet to start a game this season.
Napier and Cole both have the scoring ability to be great contributors on offense, but their slight frames will continue to get exposed on the defensive end. For now Cole remains the starter because of his relentlessness on the defensive end. Though many times he is overpowered, he is always hustling and nagging defenders
Point guards control the tempo of the game and look to create opportunities for teammates. Without Lebron James the Heat are without a legitimate playmaker on offense, which, in my opinion, is their biggest weakness.
The only way the Heat become “the real deal” is through next summer’s free agency. Until the Heat add some competent depth to their rotation (sorry Justin Hamilton, Shawne Williams and Josh McRoberts), they will be an annual 1-round and out team in the playoffs a la Atlanta Hawks.
