Miami Heat: Can Dwyane Wade Lead Them to the Championship After a Strong Season?

Last season, the Miami Heat went quite far after acquiring the two big stars, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, to play alongside Dwayne Wade. Initially they were still trying to pull themselves together, finding their ideal playing style. Once they meshed, they were almost unstoppable.

They were able to beat the Lakers on all occasions and conquering of the Celtics came with time. They were prolific in the playoffs and were able to beat the 76ers (4-1), the Celtics (4-1) and the Bulls (4-1), but they fell short against the Mavericks in the finals (4-2).

With LeBron on the team, the Heat have been playing more of an individual style of basketball. It's been either LeBron who has been dominating their opponent or it's been Wade who is unstoppable.

Honestly, I think this is the reason that Miami faltered in the finals. They certainly will have to make use of the other players on the team. With Dwayne Wade being one of the players who has been on the Heat the longest, he needs to be the one to shine some light in the right direction.

Ever since LeBron has joined the Heat, he has been an individual power instead of a beneficial factor to the "team." He has made some nice plays with Dwayne, but honestly, he needs to realize the truth of things.

Dwayne would be a much better leader than LeBron considering that Wade has been with the Heat through fiery wins and horrific losses, while LeBron initially played for the Cavaliers, bringing them to the playoffs on many occasions. But then he came to the Heat along with Bosh. Wade and James might be the best players on the team, but Wade has the qualities of a better leader.

Wade is a great player and when he's hot, everyone in his path will get singed by extreme skill. His trickery in the paint is just fabulous, with some spin moves there and some pump fakes here. His shooting needs improvement, if he wants to include it in his game plan.

The Heat aren't a great shooting team. I mean, Mario Chalmers can make threes, but he doesn't do that on every occasion. They also have Mike Bibby, who was one of the great shooters in the league, but his shooting has been mediocre with the Heat.

Bosh can make his mid range shots, but he can have some nights where not one ball goes in the basket. LeBron can have some magnificent shooting nights, but on others he fails to make the most of his shooting opportunities.

Dwayne shouldn't be forced to be the prolific shooter of the team, but eventually, if no one is able to pick up their shooting game, it could turn into a problem for Erik Spoelstra. 

Dwayne Wade might be one of the players who has played for the Heat the longest, but after observing him last season, it was as if LeBron had been facilitating this team for a while. Dwayne would take on a leader-like role in some games, but LeBron was the one who was really dominating on almost every game.

Wade would also be a monster on the offense and his defensive stops were huge gifts to Miami, but he needs to make it clear that he's been on the team longer, he knows the team better and he is the one who should take control.

Dwayne Wade should realize that Bosh needs to be utilized on more occasions. Bosh has had some nights where he has been the top scorer for the Heat, but it was mainly LeBron James and Dwayne Wade who took that honor.

Bosh has some great turn around moves in the paint that he uses whenever his back is to the basket. When Chris' shots are going in the basket, he can have some terrific shooting nights. But unfortunately, his shooting hasn't been as great as it has the potential to be.

Miami's bench only has a few assets, Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem. Mike is a good shooter and Udonis is good down low. The reality of the situation is that if a starter gets injured there are only two options for the replacements.

Let's say LeBron James got injured. Miller could replace him, but eventually he would have to be subbed out to take a rest. He would probably receive a short one, with the only other suitable player to come in being James Jones. Jones can shoot quite well, but what other contributions could he really make to the team? This shouldn't really be a problem for Miami but if a worst case scenario happens, the Heat would probably be screwed.

Ultimately, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James have both proven that they can lead the Heat through tough times and ensure victories when they are most needed. They have managed to shine some light for the Heat whenever the situation was bad. When others weren't playing very well, it was James and Wade who stepped up. Both players could lead their team to the playoffs and/or finals. But the real question is, who would make a better leader for the Heat?