LeBron James: 20 Bold Predictions for His First Season in Miami
LeBron James and the Miami Heat are the target of constant media attention and predictions. They are the biggest news in the NBA right now.
I just cannot stop thinking about all of the possibilities. There are just too many storylines that could take place this season, and I want to take this opportunity to view all of the angles. From the events that could bring the Heat a parade, and those predictions that might have them cringing in June. I will cover them all.
So, let's take a lighthearted look at all of the scenarios that could happen in 2010-2011 for LeBron James, the Miami Heat and the rest of the NBA.
20: Role Players Suffer
1 of 20
There are two things that will hurt the 2010-2011 Miami Heat's roles players.
One is the increased media coverage. Many players that are not used to cameras will be in front of them nightly.
The second is the Heat will have to ask some of them to come out of their comfort zone. All the talent on the team is hogged up by three players.
Aging vets like Juwan Howard and Zydrunas Ilgauskas will have to play more minutes than they may be capable of, while inexperienced players like Mario Chalmers and Joel Anthony will have much asked of them.
19: Heat Will be Out-Rebounded
2 of 20
Not only will they be out-rebounded, but it will be nightly. The Heat will have to face lineups with taller players this year. Their rebounding machine will have to be Chris Bosh and Chris Bosh alone. This is, of course, unless Joel Anthony learns how to grab more than four boards a game.
And with LeBron having to take a point forward position, there will be little in the middle to compete for rebounds.
18: LeBron Runs Point Forward, to Mixed Results
3 of 20
With a sub-par point guard in Mario Chalmers, the Heat may wish to use James' unique ball handling skills instead. He ran the point forward quite often in Cleveland, but this may prove ineffective.
As we saw in the playoffs, James at the point position couldn't yield positive results and the Cavs were stagnant. This time around James also has to worry about distributing the ball to the demanding hands of players like Dwayne Wade.
17: All-Star Game Co-MVPs
4 of 20
If there is anything that we can assume about the NBA's festivities come All-Star time, it is that they drain every last drop of marketing and emotion they can get out of it.
Many times the hometown hero has won the MVP award at the mid-season classic. This year it will be the Wade and James show.
16: Record Road Attendence
5 of 20
This is much is obvious. As the Heat travel the country, they will bring with them the most publicity and talent of any team. The Heat, for lack of a better word, are hot. They are on the front page of every sports section every day and will continue to be until the finals are over in June.
They will sellout every arena like The Beatles. Even fans in Charlotte may come out to see their team. Anything is possible.
15: Highest Ratings of Any Christmas Game
6 of 20
The NBA game on Christmas day has grown in popularity every year. This year it will explode. All the parts are there for success.
You have last year's champions facing off against what many believe will be this year's winners. Kobe, Pau, LeBron, Wade; four of the top-10 athletes in the NBA will be on the floor one magical day in December.
14: Heat Falter
7 of 20
Many pundits believe it will happen. At some point the Heat will show they are human. It could come at any time in the season.
For at least a few games the Heat will be off. It will fall on Wade and James then, as the team's vocal leaders, to right the ship.
13: Another PR Gaffe
8 of 20
First there was "The Decision," a public relations firestorm. Then LeBron James related the media's reaction to racism. Fans were not pleased.
As the season gets underway and media coverage tightens, something else will go wrong. It has to. You cannot say the right thing all the time for an entire season.
12: In-Fighting
9 of 20
So you now have three All-Stars. Each one has always been the best player on their team. Fans of their respective teams have always shouted their name. The ball always went to them first.
You now have one milk bone for three big dogs. Egos will be kept in check as long as they're winning. If they stumble for a bit, there could be big issues among the three best friends.
11: Injuries
10 of 20
To some extent this has already happened.
The preseason has brought us knowledge that Wade and James are not super human. They also get hurt, just like you and me. The good news is their recent hamstring issues are minor.
However, it does raise concern about their depth. If one or both of these superstars are gone for any length of time, can Chris Bosh lead a team on his own?
He didn't in Toronto.
10: Heat Do Not Make Finals
11 of 20
It is entirely within the realm of reason to expect that the Heat will be left wanting at the end of the season. With great teams that have more to offer in camaraderie, they could easily be ousted in the later rounds by the Magic, Celtics or Bulls.
9: A No. 3 Seed Could Be in Their Future
12 of 20
Following the same logic, you have to say it is hard to win, and win consistently in the NBA.
The Heat are literally a new team. The majority of their roster was not in Miami a year ago. So you cannot judge how they might make it through 82 games with any facts to go back on.
We do know that the Celtics and Heat were the class of the East for a few years. Why not one more time?
8: Kevin Durant New Face of the NBA
13 of 20
As Kobe Bryant ages and LeBron James falls out of favor with NBA fans, a new face will appear.
Kevin Durant was the third best player last year. He is coming off a World Basketball Championship win for his country and he plays for an up-and-coming, dynamic team. A decrease in the LeBron brand will inversely affect Durant's marketability.
7: Kevin Durant for MVP
14 of 20
LeBron James has had a monopoly on MVP voters for the past couple of years. But one thing that was abundantly clear this offseason: writers and journalists did not like his move to Miami.
Couple that with the fact that he will have to share the ball with two other scorers, and you have a drop in his ability to retain the MVP. With Kobe Bryant getting longer in the tooth, you have to assume the third best player in the Association will sneak in to grab it.
6: Diminished Stats
15 of 20
Granted, LeBron James will have to play a lot of minutes this year. But keep in mind he was already playing close to 40 minutes a night for the Cavs.
Playing with two other All-Stars now, he will have to share production three ways this season.
A drop in stats is expected.
5: LeBron Could Miss NBA First Team
16 of 20
If indeed his stats diminish, it could mean that LeBron could miss the All-NBA first team for the first time since 2007.
With Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki waiting in the wing, this is well within reason.
4: Heat Win it All
17 of 20
The final four slides are reserved for the most likely of scenarios.
The Heat have issues: on the bench, depth-wise, at point guard and at center. But they have LeBron James.
Look at how far he got the Cavs, and they were playing with less than stellar talent. Now, he has the same type of teammates but with a major plus, Dwyane Wade.
Too many people are quick to dismiss the Heat's chance to win it instantly. I for one will not be one of them.
3: Heat Win 73
18 of 20
This team will not be derailed. At least, that is what the big three would have you believe. This team already has a chip on their shoulder and they haven't played a game yet.
If they do not pass the 72-game mark, they will at least challenge for it. The lesser teams will have no shot and the elite teams will have fight to contain the onslaught of Wade, James and Bosh.
2: Coach Change
19 of 20
Pat Riley would really love to have a crack at this All-Star team. If the team falters he will pull the plug on Erik Spoelstra, immediately.
It may not even come to that. We all remember the "family issues" that Stan Van Gundy brought up when he left the team.
We could see another resignation in the future. That is, if Riley gets the itch, which he will.
1: LeBron is King Once Again
20 of 20
When it really comes down to it, all the components are there for a LeBron James rebirth. He has lost fans in the past and could lose more. But with major publicity and a large win column, the opposite is more likely to occur.
Winning cures all ills. LeBron James is one of the best players on one of the best teams around. If he can take the Heat back to the promised land, all the troubles he's had during the offseason will be mere memories.
