Why The Heat Can Win It All

Many people think that if you cheer for the Miami Heat, you are rooting for pure evil. Ever since Lebron James made his infamous "announcement" that he was "taking his talents to South Beach", the Heatles have been basketball's new evil empire. Despite the hate, experts still originally predicted that Miami would win as many as 70 games in the regular season and cruise to a championship. Then the actual season began and reality set in. After an 8-9 start, expectations came crashing down. Armchair critics cheerfully cheered the b-word. Busts! As the season went on and the Heat got comfortable, the team started to gel. Although they didn't reach the lofty original expecatations, they finished strong with a respectable 58-24 record. They haven't let up in the playoffs and right now, they're my pick to win it all.

 So what makes Miami the team to beat? For one, they have the most talented player on the planet. The one and only Lebron James. Although King James didn't defend his back-to-back MVP trophys (losing to Derek Rose), he had another spectacular statistical season. He ranked second to Kevin Durant in points with 26.7 per game and near the top of the league in steals, assists, and rebounds. Teammate Dwyane Wade has been just as sharp with 25.5 PPG. Even third banana Chris Bosh quietly averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds. Previously, the concern was depth, but with the addition of a moderately effective Mike Bibby they can now compete with any team's starting 5.

Since the start of the playoffs, Miami hasn't really had an off-day. In fact, their 6-1 record so far is the best of any team left in the post-season. They completely dismantled the 76ers in round 1 and have outclassed the recent class of the East, Boston, in the opening two games of the conference semifinal series. With top seed Chicago struggling against Atlanta, and the two-time defending champion LA Lakers down 2-0 to Dallas, the door has opened for Miami. I believe they will seize that opportunity and win the first championship of what will likely be a long and prosperous run.