NBA Playoff 2012: 5 Reasons the Miami Heat Won't Win the NBA Championship

After eliminating Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat are the favorite to win the NBA championship, right?

Wrong. 

The Miami Heat showed they are beatable in their opening round matchup and proved they are still not ready to bring home the NBA title.

Here are five reasons why the Miami Heat won't win the NBA championship in 2012.

Chris Bosh Can't Get It Done

There is no such thing as "The Big Three"; there is Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, let's be real.

Against the injury-depleted New York Knicks, Chris Bosh averaged 15 points per game and eight rebounds. That's not very impressive when you consider that Tyson Chandler had the flu in Game 1 (Bosh had nine points in that game), and Amar'e Stoudemire played the last two games with one hand.

Against the rest of potential playoff teams the Heat will likely play, Bosh simply is not good enough to make noise in the playoffs. The Indiana Pacers have a solid front line with Roy Hibbert, David West and Tyler Hansbrough that is more than capable of giving Bosh all he can handle.

And that's not even considering the Western Conference, where likely matchups will be against the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder; whose front lines will tear Bosh up.

Tim Duncan, even at his age, is still one of the best low-post defenders in the NBA.

For the Thunder, Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins are simply way too tough for Bosh, and this will lead to another second place finish for the Heat.

The Bench Isn't Good Enough to Win It All

The Miami Heat bench is horrible. In the 2012 season, they averaged just 24 points per game, placing them 27th out of 30 NBA teams. 

This consistently poor performance off the pine will hurt Miami, as the starting lineup will not be able to carry the Heat to the promised land.

Need further convincing?

Again, this is where the matchup in the NBA Finals hurts them.

The San Antonio Spurs have the best bench in the NBA, and they also have a very solid one-two punch of their own with Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. 

The Thunder has one of the best young duos in the NBA with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City also has a solid bench that is ranked 16th, led by 2-guard James Harden, Thabo Sefolosha and Derek Fisher.

The Heat Struggle on the Road

During the 2012 NBA season, including the playoffs, the Miami Heat are 18-16 in games away from Miami.

Against the elite teams in the NBA, this simply will not be good enough.

The Heat will not have the home-court advantage if they make it to the NBA Finals, and the Thunder and Spurs have some of the best home records in the NBA.

Add to this a lack of a bench, and it doesn't bode well for Miami. The odds of the Heat taking games on the road in the playoffs isn't great—particularly since they couldn't get it done against a mediocre New York Knicks team, dropping one out of two on the road.

Eric Spoelstra Isn't the Coach for the Job

For this one, all you have to look at is his Game 4.

LeBron James was absolutely unstoppable and made one of the best shots in all of the playoffs, but he didn't take the last shot. 

Really?

The team simply has zero strategy whatsoever. The Heat basically play transition basketball, and that is about it.

Granted, they play outstanding defense, but that has more to do with James and Dwyane Wade than a particular defensive scheme. 

Point blank, if the Heat face the San Antonio Spurs and Spoelstra has to square off against Greg Popovich, Spoelstra will be exposed.

The Heat Don't Have the Front Line to Rebound

Once again, this comes down to the frontcourt of the Miami Heat.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but it is simply a fact. The Heat struggle with rebounding, and the stats prove it: Miami is ranked 21st in the NBA in rebounding. 

In contrast, the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder all rank in the top 10 for rebounding during the 2012 season.

If the Heat want to win the chip, their rebounding must improve. Personally, I don't see one player on the Heat who is a dominant rebounder (other than maybe LeBron James), and that is crucial in the playoffs.

More rebounds mean more possessions, and that is the name of the game in the NBA playoffs. Familiarity is the key in a seven-game series, and there really aren't many surprises on the court when you know the other team's sets. 

Miami will need to address its rebounding woes, otherwise this could be another second place finish in 2012 season.