Miami Heat: How the Boys of South Beach Can Win an NBA Title

LeBron James and the Miami Heat are the best team in the NBA this season and there is absolutely no excuse for them not to win the championship, but in order to do that they must dedicate themselves to be exceptional defensively each game.

Defense is the common denominator among all championship teams and if Miami can frustrate their opponents with spectacular defense, then they will march toward the title with ease.

We know with James and Dwyane Wade that the Heat will score points, but defense is the key and that starts in the middle with power forward Chris Bosh and center Joel Anthony.

Bosh needs to be strong in the paint and worry about his defense more than his scoring. If he plays good defense then his offense will take care of itself because he is athletic enough to run the floor and score in transition off steals and blocked shots.

Bosh has never been known for his defense, but that doesn't matter because playing good defense is all about effort. You have to commit to playing defense and want to rebound and block shots.

Players like Ray Allen and Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics were not considered great defensive players until they teamed up with Kevin Garnett to form the "big three."

It was at that point they realized that they needed to become better defensive players to achieve their dreams of winning an NBA title.

The Heat need to have that same mentality this season for James and Bosh to finally win their first ever NBA championship.

The other major thing the Heat must do to win an NBA title doesn't focus on the team aspect, but the play of an individual, and that player is James.

James' struggles in the fourth quarters of the NBA Finals last season cost the Heat a championship against the Dallas Mavericks.

LeBron needs to take smarter shots and give himself a better chance to score. If he gets nervous or tightens up in these moments, which by watching him in crunch time it appears that he often does, then he has to drive the ball to the basket and either get fouled or get a good look at the basket from a few feet out.

James takes too many outside shots late in games and that is exactly what the defense wants him to do. He bails teams out late in games instead of taking the ball to the basket and making the opposing team make a play defensively.

He has an incredible combination of speed and strength, so it's really puzzling when he doesn't take the ball to the basket on nearly every play.

James must be mentally tough enough to asses the situation late in games and create the shot that will give him a quality chance at scoring important points, instead of bailing teams out.

If the Heat can be strong defensively and James is able to take advantage of his superior talents in late-game situations, then Miami will raise the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June as NBA champions.

The only people that are going to beat the Miami Heat are themselves and if they put forth the effort to play defense every night, then they will be a runaway freight train that won't be stopped.

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