After a brief detour to cover Udonis Haslem's exoneration from that felony drug charge and the Heat's player media availability after Thursday's workouts, we resume the countdown of the top 10 questions facing Miami entering the Sept. 28 start of training camp.
5. How much will the Heat hate motivate? Some members of the national media, NBA analysts and
various coaches and players around the league have made this easy for the Heat. Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Pat Riley don't have to come up with their own invisible villains now. All they have to do is look at the next game on the schedule, 'Google' that team and search for "criticism of the Heat." And the transcript of motivational potshots will flow. What we know is that even without the naysayers being so public in their so-called hate of the Heat, this team wouldn't have had too much of a problem creating that "Us against the world" mindset. But how much general hate is really out there aimed at the Heat? I'd say much less than the media would like you to believe. This team has plenty of fans in cities outside of Boston, Orlando, Los Angeles and Cleveland. People who support this team outside of Miami just don't tend to make news.
4. Can Miami overcome weaknesses at PG and Center? Yes and No. What we know is that point guard won't be a problem. As a matter of fact, it's safe to assume that the traditional 'point guard' position probably won't exist in the Heat's vocabulary. It will be replaced by 'playmaker' - and the Heat has plenty of them. Mario Chalmers, Carlos Arroyo and Eddie House will specifically be asked to do three things: Limit turnovers, defend their position and knock down open shots. Wade, James and Mike Miller will handle the basketball. They will make the plays. They will handle the decisions. Expect the three of them to combine for around 20 assists a game. By comparison, the Heat averaged 18.9 assists as a team last season. One thing Wade, James and Miller shouldn't have to do is chase a smaller, quicker opposing point guard around the court an entire game. The center spot is another issue. The versatility and flexibility of Udonis Haslem, Chris Bosh and Juwan Howard should help fill any voids at center, where Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Jamaal Magloire are the natural candidates. The Heat should hold up relatively well there most of the season. But it's the combined dozen regular-season games - plus the playoffs - against the Lakers, Magic, Celtics and Spurs when Miami's power rotation will be severely tested.
3. How long might chemistry be a concern or issue with the Big 3? If Wade, Bosh and LeBron aren't
already on the same page psychologically and physically by the end of this upcoming boot camp of a preseason stretch on those military bases in the Panhandle, then there might be a problem. But I don't suspect that will be the case. What we know is that these guys have wanted this opportunity to play together for years and are committed to proving to the world that this Super Big 3 concept will work. Considering the fact that Wade has already won a championship here and has that credibility, there is no debating who is the leader of this outfit. Bosh will easily flow into whatever system and expectations are set for him. Because Wade and James are essentially the same player (despite their difference in size), it will take some time for them to work through some potential on-court kinks. An up-tempo offense would help alleviate times when one has the ball and the other is setting up somewhere waiting to get it. In some ways, you can say Wade and James are selfishly unselfish players. That means they both are willing passers, playmakers and facilitators. But they also must have the ball in their hands and be in the middle of the action to be at their best. So that will make this chemistry exhibit interesting.
2. How long is coach Erik Spoelstra's leash? I was completely stumped by a question from a reader in our last Heat Q&A live chat. The person asked something to the extent of how bad of a start must the Heat have this season for Spoelstra's job to be in jeopardy. My initial reaction, somewhat sarcastically, was 0-3. That would mean losses to open the season at Boston and Philadelphia, followed by another setback in the home opener against the fri-enemy Orlando Magic. The Heat would be slaughtered in the national media, and Spoelstra would be under more scrutiny than he's ever faced in his brief coaching career. But what we know is that Spo has the full backing of Riley, owner Micky Arison and, perhaps most important, Dwyane Wade. What we also know is that Riley isn't the type to publicly panic at the first sign of adversity or a losing streak. Yes, history reveals Stan Van Gundy was forced out five years ago when Riley's last collection of championship material sputtered out of the gate before winning a title. But that escape hatch was opened for Van Gundy's departure in large part because of the simmering feuds in the locker room and a lack of trust between Van Gundy, Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning. This current Heat team has the talent to overcome a short losing streak under Spoelstra. But not even all the support from the front-office could help him if, for instance, Wade were to be neutralized and find himself torn between supporting Spoelstra and remaining loyal to an uncomfortable or privately disgruntled LeBron James.
1. Will the Heat win a championship this season? This is the way I see it: If this Heat team gets to the
NBA Finals, I believe they win it. Count me among the smaller group of folks who think that, on paper, the Heat would have a harder time against a healthy and hungry Boston team this year than it would against the Lakers or anyone that comes out of the Western Conference. The Lakers are the two-time defending champs and a phenomenal team. But I don't think the Heat is intimidated by an inconsistent Andrew Bynum, an aging Derek Fisher and the solid-but-unspectacular additions of Matt Barnes, Steve Blake and Theo Ratliff. Boston's Big 3 - Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett - could be more problematic for Miami's counterparts in Wade, James and Bosh. And what we know is that Boston is far superior at the traditional point guard and center positions. There is no debating that Boston has had its way against Wade's Heat, James' Cavs and Bosh's Raptors in the recent past. But now they're a formidable trio, with dynastic expectations and are setting out on a championship-or-bust mission in Miami. My take? The Heat shouldn't be considered a bust if it doesn't win a title this season. It does, however, need to at least get to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. By Year 2, this team must have jewelry to show for its 2010 free agency heist.
(For live news, notes and updates on the Heat, follow me on Twitter @ twitter.com/WallaceNBAHeat. To post a question or join our live Heat chat each Thursday from 1-2 p.m., click here.)
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