Miami Heat: 10 Signs That Will Let You Know They Are For Real

The Miami Heat laid the foundation for something grand with the coupling of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James. Never in the history of the NBA had a team managed to pair together three of the top four leaders in player efficiency.

Yet the Heat were able to do just that.

There are many critics saying the gathering won't and can't work. Mainly for sound bites and partly out of being solely in awe of what the Heat organization was able to pull off. The Heat fans, on the other hand, are expecting the ball club to dominate early and often. I stress caution when deciding which following you choose.

Like with everything that is unprecedented in life, we have no backing on which to refer what can and will be.

The season will be a steady uphill climb for the newly formed “Three Kings.” It should be natural that people doubt the unknown. It’s been a characteristic of human nature since man became aware of himself. However, it’s idiotic to think that the “Boston Big Three” could be successful and not the three kings of Miami. They are more versatile, dominant, and have a small history of playing with each other since they entered the NBA. They have a legitimate friendship to each other… something Boston’s trio didn’t have.

With that said. This will be a season filled with baby steps for the Miami Heat. Meaning there will be a ton of first-time events for a group in which so much is expected. With this kind of foundation, there is more uncertainty than certainty.

Sure Dwyane Wade has led a team too a title and LeBron James has guided a club too a Final’s berth. And yes Wade, Bosh and James helped Team USA capture gold at the Olympics in 2008. To some, those are all indications that the trio is capable of doing great things individually and together.

However, this new venture is still as uncertain as it is certain. There will be signs early and often that will indicate the direction this team will journey. There will be so many that it will make it darn near impossible to say what will and won’t be. Yet still we will all have our opinions on the matter as the season progresses.

Being a Heat fan, I will cheer for them, and hope they win. But based on my understanding of the game and the players that play, I feel they have as strong a chance as any team to win. But I won't be blinded by my biases as a fan.

The Heat will need to achieve at least 10 key things before I go yelling on a mountain top of their greatness. Those 10 things are as followed….

10. New Guys Buying Into The System and Heat Culture

What many so called basketball-analysts are over looking is the fact of how many players are returning on a team that won 47 games last season. I’m still scratching my head why this is so but to each their own.

We all know that the game of basketball is a 12 man game. The Heat is returning nine players that were a part of last season’s 47 win club. All but two of those nine players started a game last season. Heck, five of the players returning were part of the eight-man rotation that Miami generally employed.

The Heat is set to bring in five players that are new to the organization and one that is a former employee. Of those six players, three are former All-Stars, and all three were a part of 50-plus win clubs last season. One of the remaining three is a former rookie of the year winner, another a NBA champion, and the last one is a rookie.

The Heat is an organization built on the backs of accountability and defense above everything. This has been the Pat Riley staple since he came to Miami to reshape the culture and image of the Heat organization. That won't change because LeBron and Chris Bosh are now on board. 

In the cases of LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Juwan Howard: They are players that came from two defensive minded clubs last season. They are no stranger to hard work and accountability when on the court. Never the less, Howard and Ilgauskas might not even see major time on the floor due to their age and limited physical abilities; mainly due to being older players.

In the case of Eddie House: He’s a Pat Riley draftee and won a NBA championship under the defensive oriented Celtic regiment of 2008-09. He will have no problem picking up a system which has been in place for over 15 years.

In the case of Mike Miller: This will be the real challenge for the Heat organization. Can they convert Mike Miller into a respectable defender? If they can, then the Heat very well may go to a BIG line-up for long stretches in games. Miller has never been apart of a Title contending culture, nor has he ever shown any consistency in competing on the defensive end of the court.

In the case of Dexter Pittman: The Heat will develop him during practice early during this up-coming season. If he shows signs of catching on, expect this young guy to shoot up the dept charts as fast as James and Bosh bolted their former clubs. Being that he was a college guy that was over-weight, it’s hard to say what he will do until he gets in-shape.

Unity will be the first wall that must fall in order for the team to progress. With only three new players joining a eight to nine man rotation. It’s hard to see why the Heat won’t click early and often.

9. When Erik Spoelstra Gets On The Trio For a Lack of Effort

Erik Spoelstra is great at preparing players before game time. Where he falters is during the actual game. He is very poor at player management and paying attention to which player is giving maximum effort and which isn’t.

I’ve witnessed personally Dwyane Wade giving a less than respectable effort on defense, getting beat, and having his teammates end up taking the heat for the breakdown. Often that player was the departed Michael Beasley.

To often Spoelstra mishandled him and other young players. He was quick to get on them, but never ever did he address Wade, Haslem, O’Neal and Richardson. That kind of differential treatment will be the downfall of a club filled with so many alpha-dog egos.

If LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade are free to do as they please; this club will not accomplish their goal of winning it all next season. They have to be held accountable and their coach has to show the capacity to do just that.

So until Erik Spoelstra shows that he can treat each player exactly the same, this team will never reach their full potential.

8. When The Referees Aren't Trying To Balance the Field of Play

The Miami Heat team will be the most difficult team to officiate come next season. They have three of the top six best one-on-one players in the NBA.

The NBA is not about to simply sit back and happily embark on another decade of dominance by one team. If the Heat is going to win it all, they will have to defeat 12 players and three NBA officials every game.

The NBA is a brand like no other in sports. Their officials affect the games more than any other in sports. And it is very apparent that their officials are every bit as egotistical as its players…just look at the animations in their calls and how they interact with the players.

The NBA has finally found a balance, or should I say had? Now the Heat stand to destroy this newly found balance…kind of like the Chicago Bulls of the 90’s.

If you’re a Heat fan, get use to teams being allowed to be extremely physical with Heat players. If you think that Wade and James are going to average close to 10 free-throw attempts per game early in the season, think again. The refs will have their whistles in pocket. Nothing short of a Heat player hitting the floor is going to draw a call.

Ironically enough, the trio of Wade, James, and Bosh will see more one-on-one covers since their rookie seasons. Yet serve to see a decline in the respect they have built up in regards to NBA officials.

So until you see games being called consistently accurate, don’t expect the Heat to get on a big run of winning consecutive games.

7. When They Run Off 12-plus Consecutive Games Of Winning

The Heat won’t have arrived in most folks eyes until they go on a long winning streak, something that hasn’t happened in Miami for quite some time. This won’t be no easy task either, every will be pumped to put on their best effort when facing them.

Pride is a funny thing. It can bring out the worst and best in all of us. I’d wager that it will bring out the best in regards to teams challenging Miami. Doesn’t mean that many teams will be successful, because honestly; the Heat are going to be near impossible to match-up with from a talent stand-point.

On nights that teams catch Wade, Bosh and James totally geared up to go and 100-percent in it are going to be the games that will be over come half-time.

It’s the games when two or all three aren’t motivated to go that will be what tests the character of this Heat club.

Once they hit that 12 game in a row marker, their won't be any looking back for them. I personally believe they will challenge the 30 consecutive wins marker. They sure have the talent and leaders to stay focused enough to do so.   

6. When Three Of The Bench Players Begin To Perform Consistently

The Heat have two of the top 20 bench players on its roster. Not many teams can lay claim to that. Yet for some reason, many people are down playing what the Heat have been able to do with their bench with so much of it’s salary cap being purged on the All-Star trio.

Three of the team’s bench players are expected to play 20 plus minutes per game, I’m not sure if ever any Championship team has employed such a strategy. However, it is what will be needed early in the season to keep teams off balance until the All-Star trio gets comfortable playing alongside each other.

The pressure will be heavy mostly on the back-up center position where Haslem and Ilgauskas are expected to garner most of the minutes early in the season. They will provide the outside shooting needed to keep teams from clogging the lane and playing a ton of zone.

Mike Miller will have the burden of filling in for Wade and James when they need to take a rest. Being that both players will probably play between 36 to 38 minutes per game. Miller will play about 20 to 24 minutes per game. Such limited playing time could weigh heavy on his ego being that he is accustome to being a focal point of a team.

The third guy off the bench will likely be a point guard being that Wade and James aren’t fond of the idea of defending a point guard for long stretches. That means Eddie House and Carlos Arroyo will battle it out for playing time. Arroyo is the more balanced player but House's three-point shooting might afford him more floor time.

Should the Heat find any continuity amongst it’s bench and if coach Spoelstra handles his rotations efficiently, the Heat will be all that more closer at being a legitimate Title contender.

5. When Joel Anthony Proves He Can Be Trusted for 30-Plus Minutes a Game

Joel Anthony will enter training camp as the front-runner to start at the center position for the Heat. Many don’t see him as the solution because of his small stature. Never mind the Pistons dominated the NBA for a three to five year period with a guy by the name as Ben Wallace. A player of similar stature and skill set.

Joel Anthony is regarded as nothing more than a shot blocker in most NBA corners. That isn’t an accurate description of the young man. The Heat has been grooming Anthony for the past two and a half seasons.

When he first came to Miami he was 230-pounds soaking wet and didn’t have a very high ceiling as far as potential is concerned. Yet now he stands at 255-pounds and has the potential to be the starting center for a championship game.

Anthony will prove why the Heat is so high on him. After all, he signed a five year $18 million deal this off-season. The Heat could have easily signed another center for that kind of commitment. Clearly they know what most aren’t aware of about Anthony, and that being he is more than just a shot blocker.

Anthony is one of the best all-around defenders at the center position, regardless of his size, and Dwight Howard will tell you how strong he is. He is a vastly underrated individual defender as well team defender.

Only aspect he struggles in his rebounding, or lack there of. You would think a guy with his physical prowess and motor would average more rebounds per minute of play. Especially with there usually being an increase of rebounding opportunities when he enters the game.

His problems start with him chasing after every shot that is attempted within 5 feet of the rim. He needs to understand when to trust that a teammate will challenge the shot of their own man and stay home to box out.

With that said, the Heat were 12-4 in the 16 games that Joel Anthony started last season. If he can stay on the floor and provide the Heat with positive play for 30-plus minutes per game, the Heat will be all that closer to winning a title.

4. When Mario Chalmers Channels "Derek Fisher" And Becomes A Leader

The man known as “Rio” to Miami fans has a very big role on his plate. Mario Chalmers will be expected to be the deep shooting threat to keep defenses honest next season. He will play the role of Zone-Buster amongst the starters this up-coming season.

With the All-Star trio set to garner most, if not all the attention. Chalmers will be the recipient of countless wide open looks…looks that he will be expected to make on a consistent basis.

However, the Heat will need Chalmers to do something else. It will be something that may very well be more important than him knocking down shots?

The Heat will need Chalmers to play the role of Ego-Breaker. He will need to be Derek Fisher or Rajon Rondo for the Heat. Not from a production standpoint but definitely from a leadership standpoint.

To watch Chalmers these past two seasons is too see two different players. There’s the passive guy who looks to let Wade do everything. And then there’s the aggressive dude that shows up every time Wade is injured or when he is pitted against one of the top 10 point guards in the NBA.

Chalmers could serve as the calming voice that decides who and when each player gets the ball. He could alleviate a lot of pressure off Spoelstra on how many times he goes to Wade or James.

Chalmers has been gifted with a chance at stardom playing alongside the trio. He can become the B.J. Armstrong of his generation. All he has to do is shed his immaturities and understand what stands in front of him…nothing but himself!

If Chalmers can achieve these things, the Heat will be assured of at least a Eastern Conference berth this up-coming season.

3. When The Heat Beat The Top Six Teams By 10 Or More Points

It won’t be enough for the Heat to simply skate by the top teams. Not where the critics are concerned. Any time they struggle on the floor, all types of idiotic and ill-advised criticism will spew out.

The Heat will need to beat the top six ranking teams in a convincing manner. Not only to send a message to any team that may be up next on their schedule, but to also silence whatever criticism they don’t care to hear.

An early stomping of the top teams won’t prove much, but it will let all future challengers know that they won’t like what Miami is cooking. They can’t wait till they are two or three months into the season either to do so. They have to start fast and quick. The season opener would be a nice spring board.

They must convincingly defeat the Lakers, Celtics, Magic, Blazers, Thunders, Nuggets and Mavericks. These are the only teams with any realistic title aspirations.

These wins will need to be by 10 or more points. They don’t want any parts of a close game because it will build a confidence from those wanting to smash their title hopes.

2. When LeBron James Show's He's Comfortable Playing Beneath Dwyane Wade

LeBron is accustomed to doing everything. He’s never played beside a legitimate option as good as he. So him playing alongside a Dwyane Wade will be a struggle early on…even when the Heat is winning.

He must be the Scottie Pippen of this team and understand the perks of being regarded as the best overall player in the game. Not many fans can understand what that means. For many years, Jordan was regarded as the best player because of his ability to score. However it was Scottie Pippen who was regarded as the best overall player in the NBA because he did do a quite a few things at a better rate than Michael Jordan did.

James focus should be to initiate the offense and becoming the team’s most dynamic defender. He should allow Wade the luxury of leading the team in points and garnering all the headlines. While he in return tries to lead the team in everything else.

I don’t see James doing that, not with him wanting to become a BILLIONAIRE. After all, it was Jordan that got all the glamour headlines and not Scottie Pippen. Pippen received all the criticism and blame for when the Bulls weren’t successful. It’s amazing how both duos are shaping out to parallel one another.

However, if James can step out his ego just one more time, the Heat could be just one step short of finding their way to a NBA 2011 Championship.

1. When Dwyane Wade Show's He's Ready To Be Regarded As The Best

Everything that happened this summer is because of Dwyane Wade. If Riley didn’t have faith in his abilities, this wouldn’t even be a reality. If James and Bosh didn’t respect the abilities of Wade, they wouldn’t have come here. And if Wade wouldn’t have cowardly sacrificed the development of Michael Beasley, Riley probably wouldn’t have dreamed it.

Wade asked for all this and Riley went out and delivered. Now Wade must make sure that the Heat finish as the last team standing.

Statistically speaking, only LeBron James has been more productive a player since Wade entered the NBA seven seasons ago. Like James, he two has led a team to a NBA Finals berth. Unlike James, he was able to raise his game to the level in which legends are made of.

Yes LeBron is the bigger match-up advantage, but Wade is the better player because of his ability to raise his level of play when the situation is most dire. No player in the NBA is better at making a game winning play on either ends of the court…Wade is unrivaled.

He must take hold of that ability and make sure that this team has one true voice. He’s as equally gifted or better than anyone on his team. He’s also older than James or Bosh.

He can no longer afford to be passive like he has been in All-Star games and like he was at times in his first Olympic stint. The Heat need Wade to be it’s best player and it’s best leader.

With a bulls-eye being on James’ back, Wade could serve as a head-ache reliever of sorts.

If he’d be willing to take this role, the Heat will be complete. They would be without question the favorite to win it all.