Miami Heat: 5 Reasons the Heat Will Not Flame Out During the Lockout

With each passing week, the National Basketball Association erodes the fabric of what had become a revamped and very profitable product.

The television ratings were soaring, the casual-interest population was climbing and the sky was looking less and less like a perimeter.

Then we all woke up.

On a dime, the entire upward thrust of momentum was abandoned, for a cannonball-style free fall that clearly has no viewable bottom. The irony here is very simple; the struggle for more invariably will result in less at the end of the business day.  

Each game is a missed opportunity. Each road trip has a negative economic impact. And in this economy, imagine the public sentiment.

When the action resumes, either this year or the next, rest assured the Miami Heat will do its part to reel in the smitten fans. Expect the image of black Heat jerseys to become synonymous with the new NBA marketing campaign.

The NBA has its star players, but the front-page interests rest mainly in the heart of South Florida. While vilified through most media outlets, the Heat are intricate to the reshaping of a rapidly tarnishing image. 

Rest assured, at least one flame will continue to simmer in the lockout darkness.

The Best Action Flicks Need Good Villains

While the NBA gives the nation its best microcosm of society, grown men with childlike convictions regarding resources, a key piece of good theatre remains the same. To generate prolonged interest, a story needs a good antagonist, one who makes the virtuous appear consistently vulnerable.

Even as the NBA comes off of one of its best seasons since Michael Jordan stopped playing for the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat rest in the wings, ready for the overdone clichés that will hover over the eventual next season.

The media-generated bad boys of South Beach owned the headlines from start to finish a season ago, and in movie-like fashion, came up short.

Even while Kyrie Irving attempts to bring legitimacy to Cleveland, even while Dallas tries to make a dynasty out of the conference most recently owned by the Los Angeles Lakers, the Heat will be the lead race horse.

Considering the Heat will assume the same position as they did in 2010, Floridians can only hope the ending looks more like Arlington Road and less like Rocky III.

The Value of Good Health

The Heat found building continuity a major problem in its first campaign as the flashy pick for NBA supremacy, due in large part to bad luck.

Udonis Haslem appeared in just 13 regular-season games a season ago. Haslem was expected to play a key role for the Heat, especially late in fourth quarters when getting stops and securing rebounds are at a premium.

Instead, due to a bad wheel, Haslem was never able to give the Heat what management hoped when they inked him to a championship-friendly $33 million contract.

Similarly, Mike Miller should regain his atypical form of simply being available to spot up in the corner; hopefully in a jersey, not a custom tailored suit that fits a cast.

Miller appeared in just 41 regular-season games in 2010, and he was a shell of what opponents have come to know with regard to his open three-point-shooting prowess.

The Normal Progression of Growth

It is rational to think the ebbs and flows of last season for the Heat were firmly planted in the sheer newness of blending two supremely gifted players who were accustomed to mirror roles seven years prior.

Then add to that pot the addition of a jump-shooting big man with a unique skill-set of his own. In the end, one still has to consider the value of tangible experience in the face of constant adversity.

How many times have we seem teams get close to the finish line, only to find second or third place as a reward for its best effort?

The Detroit Pistons stiff-armed the Chicago Bulls twice during in the late 80’s, taking the fight to Jordan, while capturing two NBA Championships under the late Chuck Daly. 

Those experiences were critical to what the Bulls were able to accomplish over the following decade as the organization paired his “Airness” with the Triangle offense, Phil Jackson and Scottie Pippen.  We all know the results of that experiment.

Hunger Grows with Starvation

It is no secret that LeBron James has been a man-child since his first game in Sacramento, Calif., in 2003. It is vaguely possible to argue that his numbers have already awarded him a slot in the Basketball Hall of Fame. 

James has averaged 27 PPG, 7 AST and 7 REB in four of his eight NBA seasons. Jordan accomplished this feat just once, Larry Bird just once, and Magic Johnson never accomplished this.

James’ accomplishments, which include multiple MVP awards, multiple All-Star Game MVP awards, still leave the fans and the man himself, void of real meat. The “King” has not owned court in his two Finals appearances; actually, he has looked rather pedestrian in both outings.

There are detailed questions that remain when evaluating what James himself will bring to this year’s Heat table.  We know the stats and we understand the history of his full body of work.

Still, the finite skills needed to compete in the half court are raw, has that changed over the extended Summer?

The experts need to see if James can create from the triple threat position. The coaches need to see if James can still be viable in the final quarter when the jump shot is not falling, using deception rather than pure strength.  

The well-versed need to see some semblance of a post-game. The fans need see James hoist the NBA Finals hardware. Period.

The NBA Needs the Miami Heat to Recapture the Casual Fan

The news that NBA fans were expecting to hear registered much harder than most probably imagined, even while being mentally prepared 12 months in advance.

Now that the gauntlet is hovering over the very resources both sides are squabbling about, there are no silver linings to cling to, past a somber Monday night announcement at the 12th hour.

When the lights come back on in the arenas and damage-control emails are sent en masse to all front offices, the league will need the Heat.

Whatever the ultimate schedule turns out to be, the Heat will max out its national televised appearances, with a particular interest on Sundays.

Expect more commercials that reassure the fan base that the NBA still cares, with a touch of Heat. Although there will be no conspiracy to get the trio back to the Finals, let us assume that fingers will be crossed in both Miami and New York.