TONIGHT'S GAME: Heat (19-6) at Charlotte Bobcats (7-20).

TIME: 7 p.m.

WHERE: Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte.

TV: Sun Sports (Eric Reid, Tony Fiorentino, Jason Jackson)

Radio: AM 790/104.3 FM & The Heat Radio Network (Mike Inglis)

Spanish Radio: WAQI 710AM (José Pañeda)

SERIES: Miami leads 21-10. The Heat has won eight consecutive games against the Bobcats since March 9, 2010, and won the three meetings last season by an average of 21.0 points. Four of the Heat’s five victories during its winning streak are by double digits.

SCOUTING REPORT: Following its Christmas Day win over Oklahoma City in a rematch of last year’s Finals, the Heat opens a four-game road trip that will be played over six days. The Heat will try to sweep a set of back-to-back games for the first time this season and improve upon its 5-4 road mark that includes a 1-2 mark against Eastern Conference foes. The Heat is 3-0 on the second night of a back-to-back so far this season.

The Bobcats have lost 15 consecutive games following a 7-5 start. Charlotte has the third-worst record in the East ahead of Cleveland (6-23) and Washington (3-22). The Bobcats, however, are catching the Heat on a short turnaround and will try to pull off an upset similar to the Wizards’ 105-101 win over Miami Dec. 4 at Washington.

The Heat, which enters the game half a game ahead of the Knicks (20-8) for the conference’s top spot, is outscoring its opponents by an average of 15.6 points during its five-game winning streak. Although its three-game streak of making at least 10 three-pointers came to an end against the Thunder, the Heat still made 8 threes in 28 attempts. The Bobcats are allowing a league-worst 105.0 points this season. Charlotte was giving up 99.6 points during its first 12 games, but has allowed 109.4 since. Kemba Walker has been a bright spot averaging 18.3 points, but injuries to key players such as Ben Gordon and Gerald Henderson have been disruptive.

Following his 29-point performances against the Thunder, LeBron James has scored at least 20 points in the Heat's first 25 games of the season. James' personal streak dates back to end of last season. James has scored at least 20 points in 30 straight regular-season games. Including the playoffs, he has scored at least 20 points in 46 games. His 30^th consecutive 20-plus point game set a new franchise record.

The Heat continues to play great defense during the winning streak, forcing an average of 17.4 turnovers. The Heat has held its last eight opponents under 100 points.

Dwyane Wade has been a factor on defense and efficient, shooting 59.8 percent (61 of 102) over the past seven games.

BOSH VS. BOBCATS

Chris Bosh returned to the lineup against the Thunder after missing the Jazz game with the flu. He's been especially good against the Bobcats during his career. Bosh is averaging 24.0 points per game against Charlotte lifetime – his best against any opponent.

Here's what Ray Allen had to say about his game-winning 4-point play to beat Denver Saturday night at the AAA.

Hey everybody,

I went to the Heat's final practice before opening the preseason Sunday against the Hawks.

Here are interviews with Erik Spoelstra, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Each talked about starting the preseason Sunday against the Hawks and a little bit about the team's upcoming trip to China.

Enjoy,

Andre Fernandez

It's simple math. So let's just face it, accept it, embrace it and move on to the more favorable matchups. 

The Heat will lose most battles this season at point guard and center. Hold up. Scratch that. Let me rephrase this. Unless Dwyane Wade plays a more prominent role at point guard, the Heat will lose most battles this season at point guard and center.

Granted. The debate should start - and end - there. And that's no disrespect to the Heat's candidates at point guard and center. Most are hard-working, respectable, established veterans at varying stages of their careers.

But it doesn't matter if the starter at the point is Mario Chalmers, Carlos Arroyo, Eddie House, Kenny Hasbrouck or Pat Beverly. Nine times out of 10, you're going to prefer the opposing team's starting point guard over Miami's when you break down that matchup going into games.

The same can be said at the center spot, regardless as to whether it's Big Z, Jamaal Magloire, Joel Anthony, Shavlik Randolph or rookie Dexter Pittman. So what do you do if you're the Miami Heat?

You play to your strengths.

And what do you do if you're a Miami Heat fan worried about some of the criticism from the national media, who have labeled Miami as "soft" or "inadequate" in the middle? You turn the channel/station or you change the subject.

Because the plain truth is simple. The Heat won't ask its point guards and centers to do much other than limit mistakes, pass the ball, rebound, block shots, defend, and knock down the easy looks.

So even if Miami doesn't stack up at center and point guard with the likes of Boston, Orlando, Chicago and the Los Angeles Lakers, those teams have to answer for the areas where the Heat will dominate on most nights. And that's shooting guard, small forward and power forward. That's Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Make no mistake. This is nit-picking time. And there will be plenty of pundits out there who will take pride in nit-picking the Heat's areas of weakness. But it's silly to point out those shortcomings and not take into account the clear areas of strength on this roster.

When taking into account the starting five, there isn't a 2-3-4 trio in the league I'd pick over the Heat's. And that includes Boston (Allen, Pierce, Garnett), Orlando (Carter, Richardson, Lewis) or L.A. (Kobe, Artest, Gasol). The question is chemistry, and how quickly the Heat can build it this season.

But all three of those teams - Boston, Orlando and L.A. - have a clear advantage at point guard and center. On paper, if the Heat plays to its strengths, it should come out one spot ahead most nights in the battle of the starting fives. And whatever shortcomings Miami has with that first group must be made up for by its bench.

But there's no need to panic in nit-picking time, although this subject was a key topic in this week's Heat live chat. Here's a sample of Thursday's Q&A session.

That's the most intriguing question posed this week during our Thursday live Heat chat. If I've said it once, I've suggested it a million times.

Take Pat Riley for his word.

And then take it with a grain of salt.

So where does that leave you? Confused, confounded and never quite comfortable. And that's exactly where Pat likes you to be, which is what has made him one of the most rugged, respected and resourceful executives in league history.

But I do take him at his word that his coaching days are over, when it comes to regular-season NBA coaching, that is. Would he step in and try to rescue this team - and salvage Micky Arison's $330 million investment in Wade, Bosh and LeBron - at the first or second sign of adversity?

Absolutely.

And who would blame him? But that's neither the plan nor the preferred method of operation. Erik Spoelstra will get plenty of room to do his thing with this team. At least that appears to be the case.

Spoelstra can afford to lose a game or two or three. He could even survive a few doses of uncomfortable moments with LeBron James (Chris Bosh is a go-with-the-flow-guy in this equation, so no worries there).

But Spo can not afford to lose Dwyane Wade's support and confidence. Then, and likely only then, would Pat be forced off his perch in the president's suite at AmericanAirlines Arena and swoop to the bench.

As an aside, I return from vacation the day after Labor Day and will update the blog daily as we begin our countdown to Heat training camp, which opens with media day on Sept. 27. Until then, here's another sample dose of this week's live chat ...

Most Recently Answered Questions

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/qna/forum/heat_chat/index.html#ixzz0xjimNUV5

(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.)

After seeing Juwan Howard and Zydrunas Ilgauskas commit to joining the Heat for the chance to win a ring alongside Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, it's amazing how many other old-time NBA players had a pep in their step Tuesday night.

Chris Webber still looks in shape. So does Steve Smith. Heck, may as well throw Kevin McHale down on the low block and see what he's got left. I'm sure he can still pump-fake and up-and-under his way to the free throw line to knock down a few.

These days, almost everybody seems willing to jump on board with the Heat. Ilgauskas confirmed his commitment earlier Tuesday when he said he loved Cleveland, but the best path to a championship runs through Miami and alongside good friend LeBron James.

So counting Ilgauskas, the Heat has either signed or is on the verge of signing James, Bosh, Wade, Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Howard and Mike Miller. There's also the qualifying offer out there for Joel Anthony.

Miller's situation created quite a buzz among league people in the two gyms being used for the Las Vegas Summer League. The fact that he remained unsigned as of Tuesday night led to speculation that Miller might be having second thoughts. At least two teams have reached out to him again to see if he would reconsider signing with the Heat.

Miller even reached out to people Tuesday to make it clear that a deal is not yet done in Miami. The hangup, however, doesn't appear to be Miller having any sort of cold feet. Instead, it seems to be a technicality that deals with the completion of physical exams and trade paperwork.

Part of this goes back to Michael Beasley, who has yet to arrive in Minnesota to complete his physical with the T-Wolves. Everyone assumes he will pass the physical, but Beasley had root canal surgery recently and was unable to fly the past couple of days. If Beasley is unable to pass his physical for whatever reason, there's a chance the trade can be rescinded, meaning Mike and his $4.9 million salary for next season would fall back onto the Heat's books.

And that would essentially mean no space for Mike Miller. The T-Wolves expect Beasley to arrive either Wednesday or Thursday to be formally introduced to the media. So this saga could drag on a day or two. The Heat doesn't want another Tyson Chandler situation to come of this. Chandler was dealt two seasons ago from New Orleans to Oklahoma City, arrived in OKC and failed the physical because of a toe injury. He was then sent back to New Orleans.

- The Heat's summer league team fell to 1-1 with Tuesday's 72-69 loss to Golden State. It was a painful setback for a number of reasons. First and foremost was the fact that former Heat camp prospect Brian Chase nailed the game-winning shot on a 34-foot 3-point dagger with 12 seconds left.

Two summers ago, Chase was one of the better point guards in camp. But he got caught up in a numbers crunch because the Heat had more money and time invested in Chris Quinn. Another former Heat short-timer, Kasib Powell, had 16 points for the Warriors. Miami was led by Kenny Hasbrouck for the second time in as many games. He had 14 points. Center Garret Siler had 10 points and six rebounds.

It was another struggle for second-round pick Dexter Pittman, who is being groomed to be a rotation player with the Heat this season. But Pittman was in early foul trouble and closed with seven points, four rebounds and four turnovers in 18 minutes.

The Heat lost former Duke guard Jon Scheyer in the second quarter to a lacerated right eyelid. Scheyer was taken to UMC Trauma Center for treatment and did not return. He received five stitches and was released. His status for the Heat's remaining three games has not yet been determined. The Heat plays again Wednesday night against Detroit at 10:30 p.m.

(For live news, notes and updates on the Heat, follow me on Twitter @ twitter.com/wallacesports. To post a question or join our live Heat chat each Thursday from 1-2 p.m., click here.)

Pat Riley did it. Give the man credit. He placed his bets - and hit the jackpot.

The Heat has the framework in place to build the NBA's next dynasty. The Heat got a clean sweep by landing the three top free agents on the market.

D-Wade. LeBron. C-Bosh. Or, should it be LeBron, D-Wade and C-Bosh? Doesn't matter. All three insist it won't be about egos and in what order they fall in line. There will be enough to share.

Especially when it comes time to hand out those championship rings in the coming years. Credit Chris Bosh for being the first domino to fall. His commitment on Tuesday night freed Wade up to make his return. After that, the duo put pressure on James to form the trilogy.

Here are some key quotes from LeBron during his hour-long ESPN special Thursday night.

(On the stress and strain of free agency) "This process has been everything I thought it would be and more. I have enjoyed it. It's been a real humbling experience to be in this position."

(On when he made his decision) "I think I decided this morning. But it was day to day. I'd wake up one morning and it's this team, wake up one morning and it's that team. This morning, I woke up and had a great conversation with my mom. And I knew."

(On what led to decision) "The major factor (was) the best opportunity to win now and to win in the future also."

(On opportunity to play with Wade and Bosh) "It was hard to turn down. You have two great players there already. You add me, it's going to be a good team."

(On who will coach this team) "Erik Spoelstra will be the coach. Pat said that. Erik had a great mentor in Pat. I respect Coach Spoelstra and everything he's going to do."

(On toughest decision of career) "It was tough. Very tough. You feel like you let a lot of people down. You raised a lot of expectations also. You have to do what's best for you. I feel like this is going to give me the best opportunity to win.

(How hard it was to leave Cleveland) "I never wanted to leave Cleveland. My heart will always be in that area. It's not about leaving Cleveland. It's about joining forces (with Wade and Bosh)."

(On disappointment after seeing Cleveland fans burning jersey) "This is tough. Very tough. You feel like you let a lot of people down."

(For live news, notes and updates on the Heat, follow me on Twitter @ twitter.com/wallacesports. To post a question or join our live Heat chat each Thursday from 1-2 p.m., click here.)

Forget the Fourth of July. The First of July is here and the fireworks will soon begin in the biggest free agency market in NBA history.

D.Wade is a free man. LeBron is the most sought-after player on the market. Chris Bosh is tweeting like crazy without saying much of anything definitive.

And the Heat's executive power force of team prez Pat Riley, VP Nick Arison, Heat legend Alonzo Mourning and coach Erik Spoelstra is jetting from coast to coast to meet with the team's top targets.

Before we get any further, let me first recommend that you follow me on twitter, which is the quickest way to get our updates amid the free agency frenzy. Just click the link at the bottom of this post and we're all set.

As we reach the midway point of the first day of free agency, I've got a bunch of hunches after some of the initial developments across the country.

Hunch One - The Heat made one of its first recruiting pitches to Amare Stoudemire out in Los Angeles just after midnight. But we've learned that the sides emerged from the amicable, hour-long session without the Heat offering Amare a contract. That's a clear indication that the Heat, despite its aggressive pursuit of Amare at the February trade deadline, is taking a Bosh-and-see approach in its quest for post help. Bosh tweeted this morning that he received proposals from the Heat, Rockets, Raptors and Bulls. Perhaps there are legitimate concerns about Amare's knees. Remember, we reported last month about his visit to a South Miami clinic to have his knees examined. That clinic, coincidentally, is also used by the Heat.

Hunch Two - My feeling all along has been that LeBron James would find it too hard to walk away from Cleveland when all is said and done. The imminent hiring of Byron Scott might be the best thing the Cavs could have done to help convince James to stay. Not only does Scott bring credentials as a former championship player, he also has led the Nets and Hornets as far into the playoffs as those franchises have been in a long, long time. One key nugget to keep in mind. Scott was really, really close to Chris Paul as coach of the Hornets. James and Paul are good buddies. This might encourage Paul to push for a trade to Cleveland, which has a few attractive pieces to send back to New Orleans for its troubles. Mo Williams (native of nearby Jackson, Miss.) and All-Star forward Antawn Jamison could be a start.

Hunch Three - If Stoudemire somehow walks away from Phoenix, look for the Suns to consider pushing for Carlos Boozer as a potential replacement. Boozer could easily fill the production void Amare would leave behind. Not sure how much salary-cap space the Suns would have to make room for Boozer. But it's clear that Boozer would be a much cheaper option than Stoudemire - although you'd get the same production. We learned in February that the Suns were willing to take Boozer from Utah in that failed three-way trade with Miami that would have sent Stoudemire to the Heat. Utah backed off because it didn't like the pieces it would have gotten back for parting with Boozer at the time.

Hunch Four - As hard as it might be for Dwyane Wade to open his mind up to considering other options in free agency than returning to the Heat, he's going to seriously listen to the Bulls, Nets and Knicks. Those teams could offer as much or more for him than Miami could in terms of surrounding him with impressive talent. The Heat has a clean slate as far as its roster is concerned. But the Bulls have Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng along with their cap space. The Nets have Devin Harris and Brook Lopez in addition to space for two max stars. On paper, Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers don't really stack up to those other parts. New York simply has cap space and Broadway appeal. But Wade has tremendous respect for Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, who was on the coaching staff of Team USA's gold medal squad in Beijing.

Well, those are my hunches for now. More to come as the madness continues.

(For live news, notes and updates on the Heat, follow me on Twitter @ twitter.com/wallacesports. To post a question or join our live Heat chat each Thursday from 1-2 p.m., click here.)

Despite the controversy and trade rumors that continuously swirl around Michael Beasley, the polarizing former No. 2 overall draft pick doesn't sound as if he's played his final game with the Miami Heat just yet.

Speaking at an adidas promotional event in Spain, Beasley was quoted in a Hoopshype blog posted Monday morning saying he hopes to stay in Miami and plans to play in next month's summer league.

The Heat will send a team of new draft picks (center Dexter Pittman, forward Jarvis Varnado) last year's draft pick (guard Pat Beverley) and lower-level free agents who seek invitations to October training camp.

In many ways, Beasley is playing for his Heat future at the present, too.

Having said privately for months that he hopes to get one more shot to make things right with the Heat after two seasons of inconsistent play, locker room immaturity and uncomfortable off-the-court issues, Beasley's willing to take an unusual step to prove it.

"I'm going to play summer league. Pretty much don't stop," Beasley said in the interview from Spain. "I haven't had any vacation. I just went straight to working out. I feel I can do a lot to improve my game to help the team and take us further in the playoffs."

The Heat confirmed Monday that Beasley wasn't just blowing smoke. He was one of a handful of players team president Pat Riley has been trying to encourage to play in the Las Vegas Summer League, with the Heat opening its five-game schedule July 11.

Beasley and Chalmers are the only Heat players under guaranteed contracts for the 2010-11 season. But that is expected to soon change with free agency starting on Thursday. Miami had also been trying to get Daequan Cook to play summer league before he was traded last week along with the No. 18 pick in the draft to help create more salary-cap space.

Beasley and Chalmers remain development projects entering their third seasons in the league. So summer league is probably a good thing for both. Beasley has average about 15 points and 7 boards through his first two seasons, but still has several more levels to go before he becomes the player the Heat needs.

The problem is, he doesn't have long to get there - and he might have to go elsewhere to finally arrive. If you take Riley at his word last week, when he said Beasley wouldn't be dealt just to create more cap space and that the team hopes to build around him, there is reason for Beasley supporters to be encouraged.

But in times like these - amid the free agency frenzy and desperate push to rebuild teams into title contenders on the fly - it's tough to believe anything anyone says. Riley included. Beasley, too.

For the record, I'm not one who believes the Heat is just plain better off without Beasley. Right now, he's just not the No. 2 option to Dwyane Wade that many hoped he would be as soon as he stepped into the league. But I see no problem sliding Beasley to a third, fourth or fifth option on the team.

If Mike Beasley is your fourth-best player after a free agency overhaul, then that says something about the depth of your team. In that role, he's essentially the Heat's mid-level option, with that $5 million salary he's due next season. Look at it like that, and Beas can be seen as a bargain and much less a burden.

For his part, Beasley hopes to join a Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire next season in Miami - not be replaced by one of them. He also believes Wade will stay in Miami because Wade "already has laid his foundation."

Regarding his own personal development, Beasley suggested his is often overly criticized, although he admits to making plenty of mistakes.

"Everybody makes mistakes and I feel like sometimes mine have been magnified," Beasley, 21, said. "I feel like I'm expected to act older than what I am. I'm not saying that's a reason to do some of the things I've done. But, you know, I'm like everybody else. I make mistakes, learn from them and move on."

Sort through the public support of Beasley and the recent behind-the-scenes bartering for his services on the trade front, and the question still lingers.

Mike Beasley apparently is headed to Vegas.

But what are the odds his next game will be as a member of the Miami Heat - even with the watered down version that gathers in the coming days for mini-camp in advance of summer league play?

(For live news, notes and updates on the Heat, follow me on Twitter @ twitter.com/wallacesports. To post a question or join our live Heat chat each Thursday from 1-2 p.m., click here.)