LeBron James and The Miami Heat: 20 Reasons the Heat Will Win a Title in 2010-11
The 2010 NBA offseason was undoubtedly the summer of LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
First there was all of the hype, speculation, and excitement surrounding James' pending free agency, but eventually July rolled around and we were met with The Decision.
Ultimately, LeBron revealed that he would be joining the Heat to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, citing the opportunity to win multiple championships as the primary motivating factor in his move.
Now, Miami has become one of the most hyped-up teams in NBA history. As a result, many people have predicted that the Heat will take home the NBA title, while betting odds (at 2/3) place them as the heavy favorite to win it all.
Yet, these great expectations do, in fact, have some backing, as the following are 20 reasons the Heat will win a title in 2010-11.
No. 20: Opening Night
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On October 26, the Miami Heat kicked off the 2010-11 NBA season with a highly anticipated showdown against the Celtics in Boston.
Coming out of the gates, Miami sputtered, going down as many as 18 during the second quarter.
However, behind the strong play of LeBron James, they were able to surge back to within three points in the fourth.
Nevertheless, a late Ray Allen three derailed the comeback, but the heart which they showed in front of a hostile Boston crowd was certainly impressive.
Moreover, their performance must be recognized as even better when one considers that most of this Celtics team has been playing together for three years, whereas the Heat have only been together on the court for a few weeks (and without Dwyane Wade during the preseason).
Therefore, given some time to get used to playing with one another, expect the Heat to drastically improve in the near future.
Consequently, Boston ought to expect to face a very different team when they head to Miami for the two teams' next meeting November 11.
So, given that they hung with the reigning Eastern Conference Champions and that they will certainly improve, a championship for the Miami Heat in 2010-11 is certainly reasonable.
No. 19: Hype
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Like I said before, the Miami Heat have been one of the most hyped-up teams in NBA history.
When professional analysts—people who certainly know what they're talking about—debate as to whether or not this team will win the Championship or break the regular-season wins record, it says a lot about how good this team really is.
So, basically, this team can win a title in 2010-11 because they have the potential to be one of the greatest teams ever.
No. 18: The Reactions of the Fans
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With all of their hype and big-name acquisitions, the Miami Heat have become a polarizing team in the NBA.
Consequently, Miami has gained a ton of new fans, while also inspiring a legion of Heat-haters.
Therefore, as a star-studded and controversial team, all of their games are going to be played in packed, rowdy arenas, and many will be televised.
This will result in Heat games seeming to have a playoff atmosphere whenever they occur, thereby giving the players an increased motivation to go out and compete to win.
And this motivation, coupled with the experience they will gain playing in front of a national stage, will certainly help Miami to compete to win a title in 2010-11.
No. 17: Confidence
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The members of the Miami Heat know that they are good.
Headlined by James, Wade, and Bosh, this team has a young core of perennial All-Stars, the likes of which the NBA has never seen before.
Furthermore, Pat Riley managed to surround his Big Three with a solid supporting cast.
Therefore, the Heat also know that their team is good enough to win it all.
As a result, the team will be playing with confidence in 2010-11, and such a mindset is crucial to success at the professional level.
Consequently, playing confident, in and of itself, could be enough to carry this talented squad to a 2010-11 NBA Championship.
No. 16: Something to Prove
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With their unprecedented signing of thee big-time personalities, the Miami Heat have also inspired doubters—doubting that they can share the ball, that their personalities will mesh, and that signing three big contracts is a good idea.
These doubters, along with all of the Heat-haters, will inspire Miami's players to win right away or face the or consequence of being called failures.
Consequently, they will go through the season playing with chips on their shoulders, seeking to prove their doubters wrong.
And such a win-now mentality will be very valuable to the Miami Heat's championship run in 2010-11.
No. 15: Other Contenders Declining
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Over the past few years, the NBA title picture has been largely dominated by two teams, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.
However, significant contributors to both of these teams have begun to deal with both age and injury concerns.
For the Lakers, Kobe Bryant has been around for a long time, and his high level of NBA mileage has begun to take its toll.
Last season he was nagged by injuries, and he slipped to third in MVP voting. Furthermore, during the 2010 offseason, he was even asked about retirement for the first time in his career.
So, with talks of limiting his minutes this season, a Kobe retirement could be nearer than we realize.
And without Kobe, the Lakers are still probably a good team, but they're not the same Lakers we've seen contending for the past few years.
The Boston Celtics, on the other hand, are facing a closing window in 2010-11.
Every season it seems that Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are suffering from some type of injury.
And, even though they managed to get it together for the playoffs in 2009-10, it remains to be seen if that can happen again.
Furthermore, with those two, as well as Ray Allen, getting up there in age, this season could be the Celtics' last chance at a title.
Therefore, with the two biggest threats to the Miami Heat's championship quest aging and nagged by injuries, expect the Heat to have an easier path to a title than is largely expected.
No. 14: Durability
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Of the Miami Heat's Big Three, only Dwyane Wade has had any significant injuries in the past.
However, over the past two seasons, he has averaged 78 games played.
Furthermore, he is still fairly young, at 28 years of age, so his body is certainly not wearing down yet.
And, playing alongside the 25-year-old James and 26-year-old Bosh, injuries should not be a problem for the core of this young, virile team.
So, with a healthy and energetic squad, the Heat should not be hampered by the injuries of other aging teams.
Therefore, they should be at full-strength throughout their quest for a title in 2010-11.
No. 13: Playing in the Southeast Division
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The Miami Heat play in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division, which projects to be one of the tougher divisions in the NBA this season.
First of all there is the Orlando Magic, the 2008-09 Eastern Conference Champion, reigning No. 2 seed in the East, and a contender entering 2010-11.
Then there's the Atlanta Hawks, a talented squad which earned the third seed in the East last year and managed to keep its core intact during the offseason.
And the other two teams in the division, the Charlotte Bobcats and the Washington Wizards, are nothing to scoff at either, as the Bobcats earned a seventh seed in the playoffs in 2009-10 and the Wizards look to be much improved, as Gilbert Arenas will return and they drafted John Wall.
Therefore, the Heat will constantly be tested and kept on their toes throughout the 2010-11 season, and as a result, they will enter the playoffs as a team which is experienced playing in competitive games.
Consequently, this experience will help the team on their journey to become the NBA Champions.
No. 12: Past Success of the Big Three
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In 2008, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade were all members of the undefeated, gold-medal-winning US Men's Olympic team.
Furthermore, the trio were all significant contributors to the team, as James, Bosh, and Wade were the second, sixth, and the leading scorers on the entire roster, respectively.
Moreover, Bosh was the leading rebounder, while LeBron led the USA in blocks and was second in assists.
Therefore, the Big Three have proven that they can play together on a successful team.
So, given the effectiveness of their last showing together, the Miami Heat's core of Olympic champions will certainly be able to add NBA champions to their resumes soon (or two-time champion, in Wade's case).
No. 11: Playoff Experience
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Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem are the only holdovers from the 2005-06 NBA Champion Miami Heat, but both were starters and instrumental pieces to that team's success. Wade even earned the Finals MVP award for his effort that year.
In 2010-11, they are now joined by another former champion, Eddie House (2008 Boston Celtics).
However, although they only have three former champs, who know what it takes to win it all, the Heat still have a number of players with a significant amount of experience getting it done in the playoffs.
The most notable such example likely would be LeBron James.
Sure, he has gotten a lot of flak about never winning the Cleveland Cavaliers a championship, but he brought them to the postseason every year but one, and he often had little help on those depleted Cavs teams.
Furthermore, he almost singlehandedly carried Cleveland to an Eastern Conference Championship in 2007, even scoring the Cavs' final 25 consecutive points, including a game-winner, in one of the Eastern Conference Finals victories.
So, overall, through 71 games, LeBron has put up impressive playoff averages of 29.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks, on shooting percentages of .459 (FG), .316 (three), and .743 (FT).
Therefore, the Heat will benefit from James' playoff experience, as he has proven he can perform on the largest of stages.
Miami will also be helped by postseason veterans like Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jamaal Magloire, Jerry Stackhouse, Carlos Arroyo, and James Jones, as well as others who have limited playoff experience, namely Chris Bosh, Juwan Howard, Mike Miller, Joel Anthony, and Mario Chalmers.
Consequently, by employing so many players with postseason experience, the Miami Heat should understand what it takes to advance through the playoffs and win the 2010-11 NBA Championship.
No. 10: Pat Riley
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Pat Riley is an NBA legend.
Furthermore, as team president, he is the man responsible for bringing together the 2010-11 Miami Heat, demonstrating how he is one of the best NBA executives at assembling a roster.
Therefore, it seems likely that Riley will be able to make any more moves necessary to help his team.
And given his impressive coaching record, it would not be surprising if he were to take the reigns as head coach if current coach Erik Spoelstra is unable to perform up to par.
So, with a man like Pat Riley behind the scenes, willing to do whatever it takes, the Heat can definitely complete for the NBA Title.
No. 9: Athleticism
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In LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the Miami Heat have two of the best athletes in the NBA.
Therefore, James and Wade will pose matchup problems for almost every team which they face.
Furthermore, their athleticism makes both elite defenders at their positions, allowing the Heat to effectively shut down opposing guards and wings.
So, with athletes who are nearly impossible to guard and who are able to shut down the opposition, the Miami Heat should be able to win it all in 2010-11.
No. 8: Depth
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On opening day, the Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelsrta only went eight-deep, causing it to look as though his team is not very deep.
However, one must be forced to recognize that a few players sat out due to injury or other concerns.
Among those who sat out were Mario Chalmers (ankle sprain), Juwan Howard (sore shoulder), Mike Miller (thumb surgery), and Jerry Stackhouse, who is still new to the team, since he signed with Miami a few days ago.
So when the team is at full-strength, expect their depth to provide an essential contribution to the team's run at the title.
No. 7: Role Players
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The Big Three have made the majority of the headlines for the Miami Heat, but the strong play of their role players will likely be essential to the team's success.
Sharp-shooters like Mike Miller, James Jones, and Eddie House will complement the attacking, drive-and-dish styles of both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, while also providing some help for when Chris Bosh kicks the ball out following double-teams.
Moreover, Zydrunas Ilgauskas will provide the team with a much-needed big body, while also stretching the floor with his solid mid-range game.
Joel Anthony and Jamaal Magloire, on the other hand, will offer the team some post defense, while Udonis Haslem will contribute rebounding and basic hustle.
Therefore, with role players filling their essential niches, the Miami Heat should be able to function as an all-around complete team.
No. 6: Unselfishness
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The 2010-11 Miami Heat were created through acts of unselfishness—namely when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh all decided to accept less-than-maximum contracts because they wanted to play together and win.
Therefore, it's preposterous to think that they will be too selfish to play with one another.
I mean, there have even been a few times in James' career when he was criticized for being too unselfish.
Furthermore, given that LeBron and Wade have career assist averages of 7.0 and 6.6, and that both have played at the point, it's obvious that they will be more than willing to share the ball.
And with a healthy amount of ball-distribution emanating from the Big Three, the Miami Heat should have no trouble overcoming opposing defenses en route to a championship.
No. 5: Versatility
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When firing on all cylinders, the Miami Heat will be able to beat teams in a number of different ways.
LeBron James or Dwyane Wade could go off on any given night, propelling their team to victory.
Or Chris Bosh, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and the Heat bigs could overwhelm a team on the inside.
Additionally, the team's shooters could have an on-night, draining threes to out-pace other squads.
Miami could even shut down their opponents defensively to earn a W.
Therefore, with the Heat's versatility, they have a multitude of paths to victory, which should allow them to rack up wins on their 2010-11 title run.
No. 4: Scoring
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Few teams will be able to score like the Miami Heat in 2010-11.
With their Big Three, the Heat now employ the No. 2, No. 5, and the No. 9 overall scorers from the 2009-10 NBA season—a trio who combined to average 80.3 points per game.
Furthermore, these elite scorers provide the Heat with a diversity of ways to score, allowing them to attack and exploit any number of the opposing teams' weaknesses.
Wade, James, and Bosh also give their squad a number of options late in a game.
And while previously, some analysts cited this as a problem, citing conflicting egos competing over the final shot, the option will likely benefit the Heat, as they will no longer have to rely on one individual to score at the conclusion of a game, but rather, they will be able to go with any one of three possibilities.
So, with that type of diverse scoring punch, which will be further accentuated by role player contributions, Miami should be able to score at will and bury their opponents on their way to the top.
No. 3: Chris Bosh
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At 26 years of age, Chris Bosh is a five-time NBA All-Star, with career averages of 20.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 blocks, and .8 steals, with a shooting percentage of .492 from the field and . 796 from the line.
Additionally, he is a 2008 Olympic gold medalist, a 2006 World Championship bronze medalist, and a member of the 2004 All-Rookie First Team and the 2007 All-NBA Second Team.
With the Miami Heat, Bosh will be able to play at his natural power forward position, providing inside scoring, rebounding, and some post defense.
And while he isn't in the same class as LeBron or Wade, he is likely the best third-option in all of the NBA.
Consequently, his frontcourt presence will be invaluable to the Heat's title quest in 2010-11.
No. 2: Dwyane Wade
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As a life-long member of the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade has accomplished a lot entering his eighth season in the NBA.
He has earned bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics, another bronze at the 2006 World Championship, and a gold at the 2008 Olympics.
Additionally, he has been a member of the All-Rookie First Team, the All-Defensive Second Team (three times), the All-NBA Third Team, the All-NBA Second Team (twice), the All-NBA First Team (twice), and the NBA All-Star Team (six times).
D-Wade also brought home an NBA Championship (2006), a Finals MVP award (2006), a scoring championship (2009), and an All-Star Game MVP award (2010).
Furthermore, he has frequently been in the conversation for the league MVP award.
Therefore, it is evident that Dwyane Wade is among the league's best few players.
He has put up career averages of 25.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks, while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free-throw stripe.
In 2010-11, Wade will continue to do what he does best—everything—helping to power the Heat on what would be his second title run with the team.
No. 1: LeBron James
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LeBron James is arguably the best player in the entire NBA at this point.
Only 25 years old, he has already won two bronze medals (2004 Olympics, 2006 World Championship), two gold medals (2008 Olympics, 2009 Americas Championship), Rookie of the Year (2004), two All-Star Game MVPs (2006, 2008), two NBA MVPs (2009, 2010), and was the NBA scoring champion in 2008.
James also has been a member of the NBA All-Star Team (six times), the All-Rookie First Team, the All-Defensive First Team (twice), the All-NBA Second Team (twice), and the All-NBA First Team (four times).
On his way to these accomplishments, he has put up career averages of 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.7 steals, and .9 blocks, on shooting percentages of 47.5 (FG) and 74.2 (FT).
Therefore, it is obvious that LeBron is a dominating presence, and now that he is teamed up with two other perennial All-Stars and a solid supporting cast, the NBA ought to look out.
Other than that, there is not much to say.
The time is now for LeBron James and the Miami Heat, and anything less than the NBA Championship in 2010-11 will be a disappointment.
