The beginning of the NBA season is here but at the same time it is already over. The Miami Heat already have another championship all wrapped up, and here’s why.
Last year the Heat was a team composed of three superstars: Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The rest of the roster was made up of role players Mario Chalmers, Shane Battier, Mike Miller and a slew of players that were not worth anything, but did not cost anything with league minimum deals. The Heat had so much money wrapped up in the big three that they could not afford much help off the bench, but James, Wade and Bosh were so good they ran away with the NBA title anyway.
All three of their stars are back, and that alone might be enough to sew up another championship, but this year they have help. They bring back Chalmers who’s a solid player who can make outside shots as long as he doesn’t have to be a primary ball handler. However, it is the free agent additions that make this team so much better than the competition. Tiptoeing the salary cap, the Heat signed Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis to solidify this already stacked roster.
Allen is the NBA’s all time leader in three point shots made and gives the Heat exactly what they needed. The Heat missed consistent shooting from beyond the arc in the playoffs. If Allen, who fought injuries last season, can stay healthy then he can give the Heat their deep threat.
Bringing in Lewis will do the same. Lewis will add size to an otherwise small roster and can also be a high volume three point shooter. Both Allen and Lewis have seen their best days go by, but the Heat is not asking them to be stars. They just need solid role players and now they have them.
The Los Angeles Lakers have stacked their roster with the additions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. The Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder stand as the biggest obstacles to the Heat. The size that the Lakers have would seem to be a huge advantage over the Heat, and the Thunder roster is full of young talent. Still, the Heat is just too good. James is the best player in the entire league and now with his new supporting cast, you can expect another championship ring headed to Miami.
