Miami Heat are Rallying Around the Hate

After a lot of hype, now it's time to get down to business for the Miami Heat.

I don’t know if any of you guys have watched footage of the Miami Heat’s first two days of training camp (check ESPN and Heat.com if you are curious), but if you are seeing what I am seeing then the rest of the league outside of maybe LA and Boston may need to take some mental notes of their own.

First thing to note, it is clear that LeBron James is pissed off about all of us hating on his “decision,” legacy, competitive fire, etc. It is clear that this new-found hatred was what he needed to become “all about business” as he likes to put it.

As difficult as it is to imagine that players need extra motivation to strive to get the most out of their talent; this is clearly the case with LeBron. From the clips I have seen, he has put his stamp on the team already vocally during their intense defensive practices.

Second thing to note, with LeBron and D-Wade on the floor, the Miami Heat could become a lock-down defensive team that may not allow teams to break 70 points.

Both these players are excellent on-ball defenders when they want to be and should be able to create easy transition points that will put them well ahead of the league in fast-breaks dunks and alley-oops.

Third thing to keep in mind, this team is fueled by the hatred, scrutiny, and the golden opportunity presented before them.

Players like Carlos Arroyo, Zydrunas Illgauskas, Mike Miller, Jamaal Magloire, and Juwan Howard know that this will be the best opportunity they ever have to win it all.

Don’t underestimate Eddie House and his newly slimmed down frame and attitude as he recently stated his desire to prove that he should never have been traded by Boston.

Finally, LeBron will get to thrive in a role that might have been more suited for him than being the primary scorer, as well as playmaker.

He will just have to be the primary playmaker on this team and get to do his best Magic Johnson imitation. The prospect of him being able to possibly average a triple-double this year is very realistic with Dwyane Wade being the scoring machine on the wing and multiple shooters around him in Jones, Miller, and House.

One question mark still remains: What will they have at center? (They should have signed Erick Dampier for insurance in my opinion.)

With Howard, Haslem, Magloire, and Illgauskas all expected to contribute, this team still looks like a superpower for years to come. The question is: Can they exceed my expectations and win it all in the their first year together?

This is just an opinion...so please Pardon My Bias.