Breaking Down the Best 4th Quarter Lineup for Miami Heat

The Miami Heat certainly have one of the most dangerous and most explosive rosters in the entire NBA. 

That doesn't matter though if they can't put together a lineup in the fourth quarter that can dominate on both sides of the ball, as well as close out games.

With LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Ray Allen, the Heat certainly aren't hurting for players who are ready and willing to step up in the clutch. The only question is which six-man rotation will work best for the Heat in the fourth quarter?

Ahead is a full breakdown of the Heat's best fourth-quarter lineup heading into the 2012-13 season. 

Sixth Man: Mario Chalmers

To win games in the fourth quarter the Heat don't need Super Mario on the floor at all times.

While at times Chalmers is a productive player in the clutch, more often than not he's putting up too many shots and controlling the offense a bit too much.

With guys like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Ray Allen on the roster, Chalmers doesn't need to see serious minutes in the fourth. At best, Chalmers is a player who should be spotting up and taking shots late on the shot clock, instead of controlling the offense.

With the sharp-shooting talents of Allen, Chalmers won't get much time in the fourth, and most times, that's in the Heat's best interest. 

Point Guard: Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade is the kind of player who's physically built to excel at the shooting guard position, while also being more than capable of not just playing the point, but also dominating at the point.

With the ball in his hands, Wade is one of the most dangerous players in the league, and that's exactly who the Heat need running the point in the clutch.

An argument could certainly be made for LeBron running the point and having the ball in his hands. But with the Heat's lack of size in the paint, they need him to be spreading the floor against bigger defenders instead of establishing himself at the point.

Wade is capable of succeeding in isolation situations when he has to, but he's also more than capable of running an offense, and incorporating players like LeBron, Allen and Bosh in the offense. 

Shooting Guard: Ray Allen

Seeing Ray Allen in a Heat uniform will certainly be an odd sight next season. But it will look absolutely perfect when he's spotting up around the perimeter and knocking down three-pointers with ease.

He's certainly not the youngest player in the league, but the Heat don't need him to do much more than spread the floor with his shooting abilities.

On the defensive side of the ball, Allen doesn't bring much to the floor, but with LeBron and Wade locking down the perimeter, Allen won't need to be much more than a body on the court.

In some respects, like penetrating the defense and finding teammates, Allen is a downgrade over Chalmers, but when it comes to clutch abilities, there are few better players in the league than Allen, and that's something the Heat will definitely benefit from. 

Small Forward: Shane Battier

Shane Battier's role in the fourth quarter isn't to be a spot up shooter or an offensive powerhouse by any means.

His role is to be a tenacious defensive presence, and that's exactly what the Heat need him to be.

Sure, Battier can knock down jumpers late on the shot clock, like he did in the NBA Finals this past season. But with Allen on the perimeter, Battier's focus certainly won't be on making those kinds of shots as frequently.

Battier is a mature player who brings consistency to the court for a Heat team, that in all honesty, can be rather inconsistent at times. Maturity and veteran leadership are extremely valuable, no matter which superstars you have on the team, and we saw that perfectly when Battier helped the Heat win the 2012 NBA Championship. 

Power Forward: LeBron James

Having LeBron on the court is a no-brainer for the Heat for every second of the fourth quarter.

LeBron brings intensity to both sides of the ball. He's also developed into quite a leader by the way he plays on the court, and that will be at the foundation of the Heat's success next year.

He has the versatility in his game to play in the paint and also play on the perimeter, and with Allen spotting up on the perimeter and Wade slashing into the paint, LeBron can become a master facilitator when he needs to be.

There's no way around the fact that LeBron is the heart and soul of the Heat, and no matter who has the ball in the clutch-time moments, the focus will be on LeBron.

The way he plays, either aggressive or tentative, will dictate how the Heat play in the fourth, and it will also be at the foundation of the Heat's championship possibility next season. 

Center: Chris Bosh

The enigma that is Chris Bosh needs to be at the center position in the fourth out of necessity rather than any other reason.

Depending on who the opponent is, the Heat will need LeBron to be a physical defender in the paint at the power forward spot, which all but guarantees a move to the center position for Bosh.

He's not the biggest or most intimidating player, but Bosh is intelligent and he uses his fundamental talents to be at least a presence in the paint, specifically on the defensive side of the ball.

Offensively speaking, Bosh can take advantage of his mismatches at the center position, with bigger and slower defenders on him out on the perimeter. While that won't make or break the Heat next year, it will certainly be an advantage at times, and that's something the Heat will certainly focus on. 

With the fourth-quarter lineup of Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen, Shane Battier, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, the Heat are going to be one of the most dangerous teams down the stretch next year.