The Miami Heat's Mario Chalmers: A Sure-Fire Starter

Mario Chalmers is definitely Mr. Gluestick for the Miami Heat.

He’s a momentum sustainer, with the good and proper pass or the swish jumper.  He’s an expert in keeping the Heat offense spaced and poised and on defense he’s a hungry hound.

In a word, he’s just a plain keeper, as they say, on the court. And one with a cool head.

That’s why Chalmers, an excellent role player, starts on a team filled with stars. 

Watch sometimes, and in the not-so-often cases when the Miami Heat offense is stymied, Mario Chalmers will demand the ball from LeBron James, D. Wade or whomever.  He is in no way in awe of his basketball compatriots.

Or maybe he will plant himself sweetly in an open corner for a pretty jumper.

In any case, when Chalmers has that “just gimme the ball” look, he gets it from his Miami Heat teammates.

With that kind of bravado, dash and attitude he be should starter? Oh yes.

Mario Chalmers’ on-court audacity is to his credit. That’s what the Heat team needs from its so-called “specialists,” especially from the most important ones like Chalmers. 

Mario Chalmers is one of the best “role starters” in executing his specialty—specialties, to be exact. On any given night he will do different things to avail the Miami Heat to a victory.

That’s why, in 2012, the Miami heat organization made extra sure they gave Chalmers a new contract.

The team truly knows something about the 25-year-old, 6’2', 190-pound guard and the team’s  belief has so far been proven correct. In many ways, this is Chalmers’ breakout year.

His points average stands at 11.2, a career high. He dishes 4.2 assists per game.  He rebounds at just about 3 on a team that rebounds well.

But that’s just the beginning: Mario Chalmers shoots 80 percent from the foul line and an even 50 percent from the field.  All done with no muss in 28 minutes of action each night.

On Jan. 5 of this NBA season, the Miami Heat defeated the Atlanta Hawks in triple overtime with both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade sitting on the pine. In that game, Mario Chalmers scored 29. But more so, he was the leader the team so desperately needed.

Miami Heat coach Eric Spoelstra punctuated Chalmers' performance that evening to Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald:

“Mario basically ran the show for us in the second half, and he grew up in front of our professional eyes ... He was choreographing a lot of what we were doing offensively, making plays but also getting guys organized.” 

 Mr. Gluestick. Gotcha. Indeed.

Here’s what Mario Chalmers also did in that wrenching win over Atlanta:  He hit three three-pointers, corralled seven rebounds, dealt eight assists, made three steals and recorded one block.

Shutter to say that it was yeoman's work, but it was. Besides that, it was simply big time.

Some would pose that the arrival of advanced rookie guard Norris Cole has pushed Mario Chalmers into furthering his skills.

However, no rookie can push someone in to achieving a stat sheet line of 29, seven and eight. Either you have that good of an individual game or you don’t. Mario Chalmers obviously has that kind of ability.

Forward Udonis Haslem elaborates on Miami’s faith in Chalmers:  

“There’s no doubt in our minds that he can be the point guard of the future.”

Fine, all that's future talk, but it’s safe to put forth presently that the answer about Chalmers ain’t blowing in the wind. He’s a now guard and a future guard.

In the 2008 NCAA championship game versus Memphis, which Kansas won, Mario Chalmers hit the famous three-point shot with 2.1 seconds left to send the game into overtime.  

Mario Chalmers was subsequently named the most outstanding player of the 2008 NCAA tournament.

That’s the stuff of a starting NBA player. No wonder he’s in that position now—and thriving.