LeBron James' Miami Heat: 23 Reasons Why Heat Aren’t Ready To Win NBA Title
LeBron James and the Miami Heat have been pegged as one of the favorites to win the NBA since James announced he was "taking his talents to South Beach," and with good reason.
With three of the NBA's best players in James, longtime Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade and newly acquired power forward Chris Bosh, the Heat have one of the most potent lineups in NBA history.
But should the Heat be considered title favorites? In honor of LeBron's former number, and the curse it carries, here are 23 reasons why the Heat won't win the NBA title this year.Ā
23. Zydrunas Ilgauskas
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Big Z followed LeBron out of Cleveland and into Miami, hoping to ride the King's coattails to a title. At one point, his low post presence would be a welcome addition to the Heat's roster, adding shot blocking and rebounding.Ā
But that was three years ago. Now? All the minor injuries that plagued Big Z in his early days have caught up to him. He averaged career lows in nearly every statstical category in 2009, and things won't get much better this year. He's a shell of the player he used to be, and if the Heat are going to rely on him for more than platoon work, they're in trouble.Ā
22. Joel Anthony
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Anthony is currently slotted into the starting center spot on the Heat's depth chart. He's a third-year player out of UNLV and stands 6'9". He's a decent defender and shot blocker, but only in spurts.Ā
He's also not accustomed to much playing time, having averaged fewer than 20 minutes in two of his three seasons. He's too small to play center, and might even be too small to play power forward in the NBA, but his skill set is that of a center/power forward.Ā
It could turn out that Anthony is a reliable option in the post for the Heat. But I wouldn't count on it.Ā
21. Udonis Haslem
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Haslem is emblematic of one of Miami's biggest weaknesses: a lack of interior presence. He'll probably wind up being slated in the center position this season for the Heat, despite standing just 6'8". He's averaged 10 points and eight rebounds for his career, and he's a good team player.
But Haslem's defense leaves much to be desired, and he's averaged well under a block per game in his career. He's too small to guard elite big men, and too slow to be a slasher.Ā
Despite this, Miami's relying on him to be a presence in the middle, even though he might not have the size to be one.Ā
20. Outside Shooting
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The Heat are a team built on slashers. LeBron, Wade and point guard Mario Chalmers all score via getting to the basket and making layups. It's not a bad way to play, but typically, for it to work, you need two or three outside shooters.Ā
Right now, the Heat have two outside shooters, in backup guards Mike Miller and Eddie House. But House is streaky, and hit just 34.8 percent of his threes last season, and no one else on the roster hits more than 35 percent of their outside shots in their career. When teams challenge the Heat to beat them from the outside, who comes out of the game to get the shooting guards in?Ā
19. Injury Issues
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We've already seen this problem begin to manifest itself during the preseason. Dwyane Wade is battling a nagging ankle injury, while James had a hamstring issue. Both of these guys' styles of play subject their bodies to constant physical abuse as they drive the lane, while Chris Bosh isn't exactly the sturdiest player in the NBA.
I'm not saying they're going to miss much time; they might not miss a game. But if they're hurting, they might not be able to play at 100 percent, and with the lack of talent elsewhere on the roster, those three have to be ready to bring it every single night.Ā
18. Derrick Rose
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The Bulls' young point guard has quickly turned into one of the best point guards in the NBA. He's an excellent finisher in the paint, and a fantastic slasher. But Rose can distribute the ball, as well, making smart decisions and creating shots for teammates.
In short, he's precisely the type of player the Heat are vulnerable to getting burned by. If the teams should meet in the playoffs, expect that to be a major factor.Ā
17. Andrew Bogut
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In 2009, Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut finally blossomed into an elite center in the NBA. He averaged 15.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks last season, and he became a legitimate force in the post.Ā
While the Bucks don't have the star power that the Heat has, Miami also lacks a post presence who can come close to hanging with Bogut.Ā
16. Rajon Rondo
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Another one of the NBA's young point guards, Rondo has blossomed into an elite playmaker and distributor, who's capable of wreaking havoc on the drive, and hitting his shooters with passes.Ā
The Heat lack the kind of defender who can close Rondo down offensively, and his ball-swiping skills make him a danger to Miami's point guards on defense. Expect him to thoroughly enjoy torching the Heat's guards when the two teams meet.Ā
15. Scoring
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Sure, Miami has some of the best offensive players in NBA history. But LeBron and Dwayne Wade play a similar game, which means that they'll take each other's shots.
And what about Chris Bosh?Ā How will he find space to contribute to his liking in this offense? The Heat are trying something that has never been done before; there's a lot that needs to go right to pull it off.
14. The Milwaukee Bucks
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The Bucks aren't going to win the Eastern Conference, and they won't be higher than the fourth or fifth seed in the playoffs. But should the Heat run into Milwaukee in the playoffs, they'll have serious problems matching up with them.Ā
The Bucks are excellent defensively, and are capable of shutting down the lane and making opponents beat them from the outside. They're deep and versatile, and can dominate the post with Andrew Bogut and point guard Brandon Jennings slashing through the Heat's soft center.Ā
They might not beat Miami, but they'll push them to the limit.Ā
13. LeBron James
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We all know what James is capable of on the court; he's shown himself to be one of the NBA's greatest players in his career, and he's only 25.Ā
But James has also been the unquestioned alpha dog his entire career. How will he handle sharing the spotlight with Wade and Bosh? If he doesn't get enough credit early, he could sulk like he did against Boston in the playoffs last season. And that would be a serious problem.
12. Defense
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The Heat's biggest tactical weakness is going to be their defense. Dwyane Wade and LeBron are both athletic defenders, who use their athleticism to make up for the tactical gaffes they make.Ā
But other than those two, there is no one in Miami who can shut down opposing offensive players. Bosh is a decent defender, but can get eaten alive by strong post players, and Mario Chalmers has revolving door moments on a regular basis.Ā
If Miami can't shore up its defensive woes, the Heat are vulnerable to teams with dominant bigs and slashing point guards.Ā
11. Depth
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The Heat have three fantastic starters, but their bench goes just two deep, in Mike Miller and Eddie House. Other than that, Miami has no depth whatsoever. They could acquire more in coming years, as salary cap space opens, but in 2010, they're one of the NBA's thinnest teams.Ā
10. Chris Bosh
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When did Chris Bosh become an NBA superstar? I mean, he's a good player, don't get me wrong, but he struggles defensively and gets pushed around in the post on a regular basis. We haven't seen any sort of competitive edge from him in his career, and he's a serious injury threat.
He can score offensively, but not with his back to the basket. If the Heat want to win the title, Bosh needs to find a low post game.Ā
9. The Potential Chemistry Issues
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Sure, they're getting along well right now, but once the season gets underway, everything can change in a hurry.
What if Dwyane Wade steals LeBron's shots? What if Chris Bosh thinks he's the odd man out? What if the role players stage a coup and demand more shots? Ā This could be a fantastic move for the Heat. But if the chemistry doesn't work, it will be a disaster for them.Ā
8. Kevin Garnett
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Kevin Garnett is getting old. His legs are starting to go, and his stats took a big hit in 2009. But the Celtics power forward is now one of the savviest players in the NBA. He's capable of embarassing Chris Bosh on a regular basis, blocking shots and dunking over Bosh's head.Ā
The Heat lack a post presence who can handle Garnett, but they need to find one if they want to take home a title.Ā
7. The Chicago Bulls
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Other than the Heat, the Chicago Bulls might be the most improved team in the NBA. They shored up their big weaknesses (post presence and outside shooting) by snagging Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer from the Jazz and C.J. Watson from Golden State.
They're scrappy, tough defensively and have one of the fastest teams in the NBA. The Heat match up well with the Bulls, but they don't have someone to contain point guard Derrick Rose, who will torment Miami's haggard point guards whenever the teams go head-to-head.Ā
6. Erik Spoelstra
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Spoelstra did an excellent job getting the Heat to the playoffs with a lackluster roster in 2009, but the challenge is decidedly different heading into the 2010 season. Can the young coach manage his trio of superstars?Ā
Can he get them to jell and play as a cohesive unit, rather than a collection of individuals? Can he handle the pressure of coaching a title favorite?Ā
If not, the Heat won't hesitate to look elsewhere for their coach.Ā
5. The Boston Celtics
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The road to the NBA Finals goes through Boston. It's that simple. The Celtics' core of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo is still intact, and the Celtics have bolstered their depth with Delonte West, Shaquille O'Neal, and Jermaine O'Neal.
Their defense is one of the NBA's best, and, despite their age, they can still get it done on a regular basis. Boston is not to be trifled with, as we saw last season, and they've still got plenty of gas in the tank for this season.Ā
4. Point Guard Play
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In the NBA, point guards win titles. Look at almost any elite team in the NBA (outside of Los Angeles and Oklahoma City) and you'll see one of the league's best point guards.Ā
The Heat? They have Mario Chalmers, a talented but streaky player, and Carlos Arroyo, who can't do anything but hit mid-range jumpers. Doesn't exactly strike fear into opponents hearts, now does it?
Until the Heat can find a point guard who can lead this team on the court, they won't win an NBA title.Ā
3. Dwight Howard
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Howard is a physical freak and the NBA's best true center. He's athletic, strong, a good rebounder and fantastic shot blocker (even if he can't figure out how to direct them to teammates).Ā
His biggest weaknesses are a lack of post moves and free throw shooting. If rumors coming out of Orlando are true, Dwight may have figured out some low post moves in the offseason. If that's true, watch out.
Miami has no one who can hang with Howard, and unlike the other players on this list, Howard can carry the Magic on his back past just about anyone if he needs to. He's the biggest obstacle the Heat will face in the East, and if they can't figure him out, they won't even make the Finals. Ā
2. Pressure
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The hype surrounding the Heat is unprecedented. They are being called the greatest team in NBA history before they've even played a game. Many people will consider it a failed season if Miami doesn't win the NBA title.Ā
With the expectations comes unprecedented pressure on Miami's players to perform. If they stumble out of the gate, don't be surprised to see them start pressing, trying to will the ball into the basket.Ā
Dwyane Wade has dealt with these types of expectations before, but LeBron and Chris Bosh have never been the prohibitive title favorites. How they deal with the pressure this season will determine the Heat's success.Ā
1. Kobe Bryant
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Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are the biggest hurdle the Heat will have to clear to win the NBA title in 2010. The Lakers are deep, obscenely talented and motivated by Kobe's hunger to be the best ever.Ā
Should they meet in the Finals, expect the Lakers to exploit Miami's lack of depth, wearing the Heat down. In a year or two? Who knows? But this year, the Lakers are the most talented, balanced team in the NBA, and will be the reason Miami doesn't win an NBA title in 2010-2011.Ā
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