2011-12 NBA Schedule: Most Intriguing Matchups For Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are the most captivating team in the NBA, and the schedule makers did fans a favor by putting them in some very stimulating situations.

Last year, the Big Three got off to a 9-8 start, as their lack of chemistry was incredibly obvious.  It caused the skeptics to come out in full force. We all know how that story ended.

Will they be better prepared from the jump this year? Will they be able to handle the compressed schedule?

Here are the top five matchups to look forward to in Season 2 of the LeBronJames-DwyaneWade-ChrisBosh Show:

1. Heat @ Dallas Mavericks - Dec. 25

This year’s schedule is going to test Miami right off the bat.

They open the new year against the team that ended their season in June. Miami is dying to exact revenge on the team that ruined their first year together.

They will be forced to watch Dirk Nowitzki and Co. receive the new rings that could have been theirs.

This is going to be a game with playoff intensity.

2, Heat @ LA Lakers- March 4

By March a potential trade for Dwight Howard, Chris Paul or both may have gone through and it will be Miami’s first chance to get an idea of just what they’ll be dealing with in the postseason. It will also be the Heat’s third game in four nights as well.

With Kobe Bryant and the Big Three from Miami, with potentially two more All-Stars…the star power would be unprecedented.

3. Heat @ Cleveland Cavaliers- Feb. 17

How is the city of Cleveland feeling about LeBron these days? Do they still hate him with a passion? Or have they finally forgiven their former hero?

What adds further intrigue to what looks to be a one-sided affair on the court is that the Heat play at Indiana on Tuesday…and don’t play Cleveland until Friday.

What will LeBron do for two days in his old stomping grounds?

4. Heat @ Indiana Pacers- Feb. 14

The Heat are not going to have any energy for their special Valentines this year, as the Pacers game marks the third game of back-to-back-to-back games played by Miami.

Every team has to deal with them and luckily for the Heat, they only have one. Their mental toughness is really going to be on display as they must travel from Atlanta to Milwaukee to Indiana for the stretch.

This may be a precursor for how they handle the grueling playoff schedule down the line.

5. Heat @ Boston Celtics- April 24

In the second-to-last game of the regular season, will playoff positioning be on the line?

Last year, these two were battling it out for the No. 2 seed all the way until the end, and nothing has really changed.

It will be interesting to see how the aging Celtics are physically at this point in the season, and if they’ll be in a position to challenge the Heat.