NBA Playoffs 2012: Why Miami Heat Are No Longer Championship Contenders

Chris Bosh, or no Chris Bosh, the Miami Heat are not winning an NBA title as currently constructed.

When Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade joined forces in South Beach, it inspired other teams to follow a similar blueprint. However, as the Boston Celtics are dutifully proving, it takes a complete performance and effort by an entire team to be a true championship contender.

It would be naive to imply that the Heat cannot contend for a title as is, but it would be ignorant to accept that they're a championship contender in every sense of the phrase.

They may pile up regular season victories and they may embark on a multitude of deep playoff runs, but they simply are not a championship team.

The Celtics are a championship team. The Oklahoma City Thunder are a championship team. And the San Antonio Spurs, who like the Heat are facing elimination, are a championship team. Each of the former plays as a cohesive unit, feeding off of and supporting one another.

What does Miami have? James and Wade, and at some stages, Bosh?

That's not going to cut it.

Only two Heat players—James and Wade—scored in double-figures in Game 5 against the Celtics. The only other player to even come close to joining that prestigious, yet somewhat pitiful party was Bosh, who played all of 14 minutes.

This is a problem, a flaw, an insurmountable obstacle if the end goal is to win a championship.

The Celtics had no problem finding ways to produce as a team. Both Paul Pierce and Ray Allen had relatively quiet nights, yet five Boston players still managed to score in double-figures. More importantly, though, the Celtics dished out 19 assists to the Heat's 13.

Boston's performance, especially when pitted against the Heat's, was a team effort. Miami's was a two-man show that once again, came up short.

Call for Erik Spoelstra's job, blame the three consecutive losses on the absence or limited play of Bosh, it doesn't matter. Neither are excuses, not significant ones anyway.

Miami made a mistake when it thought winning a championship took just two or even three guys. It takes an entire team, operating as a collective, under the impression that every game, every minute and every play means something. 

And until the Heat cannot only move the ball, but trust one another and master the seemingly fleeting concept of urgency, hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy is not in their immediate future. 

But disappointment is.

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