Miami Heat: Are LeBron James and Miami Thrice Enough To Win a Title?
Things have not gone according to plan for the Miami Heat through nine games of the 2010 season. Miami sits at 5-4 despite possessing two of the NBA's top five players and Chris Bosh, another perennial All-Star.
The Heat were projected to run away with the Eastern Conference and were seen by many as a lock to make the NBA Finals.
Now, after having lost four of their first nine games, and three of their last four, questions have begun to be asked.
Are Miami Thrice enough to take home the NBA crown on their own? Or do the Heat still need a key cog in this puzzle?
We're taking a long look at the Heat, and giving you five reasons why they can win it, five reasons why they can't and coming to a conclusion based on those pros and cons.
Why They Can't Do It 5: Erik Spoelstra
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Erik Spoelstra may have bitten off a bit more than he can chew in Miami in 2010. Superstars can be extremely tough to control and tougher still to motivate.
It typically takes a certain type of coach (Phil Jackson and Pat Riley spring to mind) to run a team such as this, and while Spoelstra's a good coach, he doesn't have the clout to keep this train on the rails.
Unless Erik's got a few tricks up his sleeve, he could be out of a job. Because clearly what he's saying isn't getting through.
Why They Can Do It 5: Pat Riley
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Fortunately for the Heat, they have just the sort of coach who can get through to superstars like these sitting in their front office: general manager Pat Riley.
Riley has stood behind Spoelstra all season long, but the longtime coach might be just what Miami Thrice need to get going.
Riley is one of a select few coaches who have the resume to rip into the triumvirate of talent in South Beach. He's won NBA titles, and we know Dwyane Wade looks up to and respects him.
The Heat cannot afford to wait; they need Pat Riley's authority and coaching acumen as soon as possible.
Why They Can Do It 4: LeBron James
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Love him or hate him, you have to admit that James might be the most talented and versatile player in NBA history.
You need a shot blocked? He can do that.
You need him to knock down a big three? He can do that.
Need him to be a distributor? He's got that, too.
Need scoring? Stand back because James is one of the most potent scorers in NBA history.
James is capable of just about anything on the basketball court. That skill set will serve him well as Miami tries to get it's act together. He's motivated and capable of taking over a game and can play four different positions.
If he could drag the Cavs to the NBA Finals, he can take Miami to a title.
Why They Can't Do It 4: Interior Presence (Or Lack Thereof)
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One of the big knocks on the Heat coming into 2010 was their lack of a post presence, and through nine games of the season, that's been one of the weakest links in the chain.
Chris Bosh has looked like one of the most over-hyped players in recent memory, struggling to score points and failing to defend even mid level players well. Sure he can still block shots, but he's playing some of the worst basketball of his career right now.
And even at his best, Bosh can't hope to hang with the likes of Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan or apparently Utah forward Paul Milsap, who abused Bosh in the Jazz's comback win over Miami.
Without a true post presence on either side of the floor, the Heat will continue to struggle to contain decent players down low all year and could very easily fall in the playoffs because of it.
Why They Can Do It 3: Dwyane Wade
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Dwyane Wade might be the most competitive player in the NBA not named Kobe Bryant. Wade is motivated to perform this season and he won't let this team fail.
He's an elite shooting guard capable of taking over a game and has some of the best ball handling skills of any shooting guard in the NBA. He slashes and cuts with abandon and is excellent at drawing contact.
Dwyane Wade knows what the expectations were for this team coming into the season and he won't let them miss those goals.
Why They Can't Do It 3: Alpha Dog Issues
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Here's a question for you: who's the leader on this team? We know it's not Bosh, but if you had to pick between Wade and King James, who would the team's go-to guy be?
Both players want to be "The Guy," but you can't have "The Guys." They've been alternating who takes over games, but that isn't going to work. Someone has to step up and take the alpha dog role, but who?
Talent-wise, it should be LeBron, but in terms of leadership, perhaps it should be Wade. Either way, until that decision is made the Heat will be stuck in neutral.
Why They Can Do It 2: The Regular Season Doesn't Matter
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Did the Boston Celtics teach us nothing last season? The only reason the regular season matters is to figure out who's going to the playoffs.
We know that no matter what, the Miami Heat will be in the playoffs, so who cares what seed they are? This team will be dangerous anywhere on the bracket, capable of beating anyone at any time. If they turn it on in the playoffs, who cares if their regular season doesn't live up to the hype?
Why They Can't Do It 2: Defense
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Have you watched the Heat's defense this season? It's been awful all season long. They can't stop point guards, can't stop big men and have generally been making poor decisions when the ball's not in their hands.
It's strange because Bosh was a decent shot blocker in Toronto, James has been one of the NBA's better defenders for several years and Wade is an excellent defender as well.
But the three have yet to mesh in 2010, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, and the team looks out of sorts. If Erik Spoelstra can't right the ship defensively, the Heat will struggle come playoff time.
Why They Can Do It 1: It's Still Early
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Right now we're all of nine games into an 82-game regular season. These guys have never played on the same NBA team before and they're trying to jell into a cohesive unit.
After nine games, guys are still figuring out their roles and it's a time-consuming process, especially with guys as talented as Miami Thrice.
So before you say they have no shot, remember that the Heat still have 73 games to get their act together.
Why They Can't 1: No Point Guard
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Every NBA team needs a point guard. They're the floor generals, the oil that makes the offense go, the player who makes things happen.
Right now the Heat don't have anything resembling a point guard. Carlos Arroyo, the current starter, routinely gets smoked by mid-level point guards, much less elite ones like Boston's Rajon Rondo or Utah's Deron Williams.
Backup point guard Mario Chalmers has promise, but his skill set has always been better suited to the 2-guard spot than the point. Plus, he's only playing six minutes per game, so he's not on the floor enough to make an impact. Eddie House is a shooter, not a passer, and there's no one else on the Heat's roster who fits the point guard bill.
Point guards are routinely torching the Heat, particularly late in games when it's most crucial to lock down defensively. Without a point guard of their own, Miami is in deep trouble when the playoffs roll around.
Conclusion
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While the Heat are by no means out of title contention at this point, they are far from a lock.
The lack of a point guard and post presence, two of the most vital areas on a basketball team, are perhaps the most compelling reasons why the Heat don't quite have enough to win an NBA title this year.
While they're certainly good enough to make plenty of noise in the playoffs, and could even reach the Finals, their issues at point and in the post will prove their undoing in 2010.
