A heavily scrutinized 2010 season in which beginning of the Big 3 era resulted in a trip to the NBA finals, only to beaten by the Mavericks in six games. The following year, Miami returned to the finals and succeeded in their chance at redemption by claiming the title in just five games against the Thunder.
Even in the championship year Miami had their fair share of issues. There were times where it just didn't look like the team meshed well offensively. Chris Bosh was being told that it was the "Big 2" now and that he was too soft of a player. It was said that head coach Erik Spoelstra couldn't manage the egos on the team. And probably the most talked about "problem" was that Lebron James wasn't clutch. Analysts and fans alike were saying that he just didn't have it in him and that Dwyane Wade should have the ball in his hands at the end of games.
This all ended when Lebron absolutely obliterated the opposition in the playoffs last year. With his team down 3-2 in the second round and the series shifting to Boston, there was already talk of blowing up the Big 3. James ended up going off for 45 points with 15 rebounds, all the while a menacing scowl frozen upon his face. In a similar situation in which Bosh was injured for the Pacers series, James turned it on and almost single-handedly led his team to the finals, and eventually a title.
And now we're here. The heat put on a defensive clinic almost nightly ranking in the top 10 in points allowed. Their small ball type lineup with 6'10 Chris Bosh as the center and James' ability to play almost any position and guard anyone gives the Heat great versatility.The offense has improved immensely. The addition of Ray Allen has helped spread the floor. Key role players have stepped up and contributed greatly, like Mike Miller, Rashard Lewis, Shane Battier, and even Chris "Birdman" Anderson. Mario Chalmers is having a career year shooting 40% from beyond the arc with almost 2 steals a game.
Even the Big 3 has exceeded expectations. Lebron is shooting a career high and ridiculous 56% from with field and averaging 27-8-7. Dwyane Wade has finally gotten healthy by shooting his own career high 51% and averaging 21 points. Chris Bosh also seems comfortable, with the new small ball lineup he's able to expand his game and take open jumpshots and average his usual 18 points and 7 rebounds.
Erik Spoelstra has found a way to make this team work with their plethora of superstars. Granted that the big 3 is extremely unselfish, Spoelstra has the Heat playing terrific defense and making it the point of emphasis. The result has been that even when the offense struggles, there's always defense to fall back on, which is a great thing to have. But the Heat are 5th in the league in ppg this year, having found a perfect blend of Lebron-Wade fastbreaks and finding open 3 point specialists on the wing.
Now let's look at the Eastern conference this year. The Knicks have cooled off considerably since their fast start and have shown that they still don't have team chemistry. The Pacers are offensively challenged, with Granger and Hibbert being hurt constantly. The Celtics are fighting for a playoff spot and with the losses of Rondo and Sullinger, plus their old age, they most likely won't be the usual team they are in the playoffs. The Bulls are being held together by Thibodeau's great coaching, but without Derrick Rose at 100% they aren't an elite enough team.
The west is clearly the better conference this year, but the Lakers are tanking out of the playoff picture fast and the Mavericks aren't even a contender. The Spurs, Clippers, and Grizzlies are all legitimate threats but the Heat just blew the Clippers out by 25 and have handled the other two teams easily in the past. That leaves the Oklahoma City Thunder.
While I'll still consider the Heat the heavy favorites to win the finals this year, the Thunder will most likely pose their biggest threat. Miami will have to depend on Lebron to carry them like last year with outstanding play, but with Wade and Bosh healthy they'll be able to pick up some slack too. The group of veteran and talented role players in Miami offers them a sense of confidence they didn't have last year, confidence that other players will be able to step up and lead the team back to the finals if they have to.
But it'll still be MVP Lebron James that carries them there.
