Miami Heat: 5 Reasons They May Not Win Multiple Championships
The Miami Heat, just coming off a NBA Finals defeat, are probably the best team in the NBA talent-wise. Even now, they're already considered favorites for next year.
However, even with all of that talent, there are factors that may affect how many championships this team will win. There's no doubt that they'll probably get one, but multiple championships may be harder to earn.
Here are the top five reasons the Miami Heat may not win multiple championships.
5. The OKC Thunder
1 of 6
The Oklahoma City Thunder are still on the rise, if that's even believable.
Fresh off a Western Conference Finals defeat, it's hard to imagine that their best players are both only 22 years old. Their supporting cast are also very young, but also very talented.
With the experience they've received these past two playoffs, they should be a force to be reckoned with next year.
Eventually the Thunder and Heat will meet up in the Finals. With one (maybe even two) superstar player and another all-star player, they have the talent to go head-to-head with the Heat. They also exhibit a much better bench and role players than the Heat, which should cause the them some trouble.
If these two teams met up in the Finals, it could go either way.
4. The Chicago Bulls
2 of 6
These two teams promise to be the top rivals in the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future.
Derrick Rose, the most recent MVP, and his Chicago Bulls were eliminated by the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Most people think the Heat will easily slide by these Bulls every year.
That, however, may not be the case in the future. It's just as unbelievable as the age of OKC's stars, but Derrick Rose is also only 22 years old.
He's nowhere near his prime. Rose came into the season with a much improved jump shot. We all know he works hard each offseason to improve his game and this summer won't be any different.
In addition to Rose's improving skills, all the Bulls need to match up with the heat is improved play by Carlos Boozer and a secondary scorer who can create their own shot. Let's face it: Boozer was not playing at the level he can during the playoffs, and if he improved the Bulls would have a better chance of beating the Heat.
If the Bulls add a secondary scorer who can create their own shot, the Bulls would match up nicely with the Heat, almost evenly.
3. The New CBA
3 of 6
There will most likely be a lockout in the NBA this coming summer.
With a lockout also comes a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. This new CBA may cause some undesired effects on the Heat, in terms of a Hard Salary Cap and the free-agency exceptions.
If a hard salary cap takes effect, the Heat would not have any cap space to add any new, much-needed bench players. If there's one thing the Big 3 of the Heat need, it's some good bench players to give them some much needed rest.
If a hard salary cap doesn't happen but the free-agency signing exceptions don't come back (The MLE and the Bi-Annual Exception), the Heat will have no way of adding any bench depth. Sure, they can trade, but nobody wants older players, which the Heat currently have.
One thing everyone noticed about the 2011 NBA Finals was how the Mavericks' bench was able to consistently outplay the Heat's bench.
If the Heat aren't able to add any decent bench players, they don't have a realistic shot of winning more than one championship.
2. LeBron James
4 of 6
LeBron James is probably the best player today in terms of physical skills. However, the 2011 Finals proved LeBron isn't all that mentally.
During the playoffs, he was able to close out games against Boston and Chicago. While they helped solidify him as a closer, those two series were nowhere near as important as the Finals. With that in mind, everyone thought LeBron would finally get his ring against the Mavericks.
However, LeBron was shown to regress, playing passively and fading during the crucial fourth quarters of the Finals.
He wasn't playing on point, like he usually does. Perhaps it's the big stage, where everyone was watching him so closely. Maybe he was tired. Nobody knows why LeBron struggled mightily through those fourth quarters, and the finals in a whole.
What everyone does know is that LeBron must be able to come through in the clutch and close out games for the Heat to have a chance at even one championship.
1. Dwyane Wade
5 of 6
Throughout the course of the 2011 NBA Finals, Dwyane Wade proved that he was still the face of the Heat.
He showed time and time again, while he carried the Heat, that this was his team. And that right there is probably the biggest problem for the Heat.
D-Wade is, right now, a top five talent. He has the speed, athleticism and skill to get to the rim and take hits. However, what nobody is really talking about is his age; Wade is 29, and is set to turn 30 midway through next season.
Soon, D-Wade's speed and athleticism will start to decline, as well as his health. Wade is injury prone, and nobody gets healthier with age. His style of play is directly affected by his athleticism. He is an okay jump shooter, but that's not going to cut it when he loses his ability to do what he wants in the paint.
Kobe was and still is an above average shooter, which allowed him to prolong his career. D-Wade needs to get better at shooting to even have a chance when he gets a little older.
Because D-Wade is the face of the franchise and the Heat is his team, he likely won't pass the torch over to LeBron that easily, which means more losses for the Heat as Wade's athleticism decreases.
Conclusion
6 of 6
The Heat will most likely win one, maybe even two championships because of the talent level of their team.
However, they won't likely be the dynasty LeBron was talking about (not five, not six, not seven).
Questions? Arguments? Leave a comment below!
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
