The Miami Heat have been to the NBA Finals four straight years but this year they will need to try to do it with a new look roster.
When LeBron James took his talents back to Ohio this off-season, team president Pat Riley and the Heat knew they had their work cut out for them. After going to the Finals every season that James was in Miami, it was immediately known that a fifth trip was not going to be easy without him.
That being said, the Heat should contend this year and anything can happen in the postseason. The roster is still one of the top tier ones in the Eastern Conference which remains a weaker group than the West. With Derrick Rose back in Chicago and James headlining a new look Cleveland team, the Heat have a tough road to the Finals but they also have talented players who have been there before.
Dwyane Wade is still in the fold for Miami and so is Chris Bosh. Both members of the now defunct "Big Three" will take on increased roles on the team with James gone. Wade will be needed on the court more often than he was last season and Bosh will need to return to the form he once had with the Toronto Raptors. Both men will see more touches and the plays will go through them a lot more often than the past four seasons.
Bosh and Wade are not alone though, they will have newcomers Luol Deng and Josh McRoberts alongside them on most days at tip-off. Deng had a relatively quiet preseason but is a dependable option. While he will not be able to replace the man he's taking over for in James, he should be an asset for Miami and a key to its success. Deng has always been known for his competitiveness and for giving it his all.
McRoberts is unlikely to be ready for the opening game as he continues to recover from off-season toe surgery. McRoberts missed the entire preseason and has yet to take part in contact plays in practice. It's possible the forward could miss a handful of games before joining the Heat in November.
While McRoberts is out, Shawne Williams will likely start in his place. Williams made several starts during the preseason and did a solid job. Prior to Williams producing, it appeared Udonis Haslem could make a few early starts. That now seems like a remote possibility as Haslem will more than likely come off the bench as he has in recent years. Williams hit several three-pointers along the way including going 5-5 on October 17th. That will be key for Miami as it lacks deep threats.
Sports
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the preseason was the fact Norris Cole started every game but the first contest. Mario Chalmers figured to remain the starting point guard when he stayed in Miami but the preseason is telling. While the lineup has not been announced, it appears likely that Cole will be the starter at PG to begin the year with Chalmers backing him up. Both men should see minutes each game and the starting role could easily flip again.
Depth wise, the bench looks a bit different for the Heat going into the year. First round pick Shabazz Napier and an up-and-down preseason. Napier started slow and then had a couple of solid games before fading again towards the end. Napier isn't likely to see much game action at least in the early going.
James Ennis is an interesting piece on the bench for Miami. Ennis had an electric start to the exhibition slate but faded in the latter part. The 24-year old should find a spot in the rotation but his minutes will likely be limited until he shows consistency.
The rest of the roster includes Chris Andersen, Shannon Brown, Andre Dawkins, Danny Granger, and Justin Hamilton. Of the group, Andersen will see the most action as he continues what has been a very productive run in Miami. Granger is a wild card in terms of staying healthy. Injuries have plagued Granger's career but he can be a valuable bench player when he is available.
The Heat start the year with a busy schedule and will play five games in the first week of play. Three of the games will be at home which is in contrast to a stretch in December on the road. From December 5-12, the Heat will also play five games and all of them will come on the road. That is also part of a stretch of seven road contests out of eight games.
The game that the world is waiting for comes on December 25th when James returns to Miami for the first time. It will be the first of four games between the teams as Miami will travel to Cleveland on February 11th before the Cavaliers come to Miami again on March 16th. The Heat will go back to Cleveland on April 2nd in what could be a big game for both teams. Miami will only have seven games left following that battle with the Cavs.
Before the Heat can think of any of that, they will focus on their opening night opponent. On Wednesday night, the Heat will take on the Washington Wizards in Miami at 7:30 p.m.
