NBA Finals 2011?

 

NBA Finals 2011? Miami Heat Have Great Players, L.A. Lakers Have a Great Team [12Bet.com]

Most signs point towards LeBron James announcing he will join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, thus forming the NBA's first super team, but before anointing the Heat as next season's league champions, a little perspective may be needed. [12Bet.com]

ESPN's Tim Legler recently said that anyone making the assumption that Wade, James, and Bosh couldn't coexist is just plain wrong, and I tend to agree with his statement.

All three players have formed a friendship from years of playing together in the NBA and from time on the Olympic team so it's unlikely they will fall victim to the usual trappings of ego-related problems.
James and Wade both have the reputation of players who need to dominate the game in order to be effective, but based on James' eight assists per game, and Wade's lack of a quality point guard, that theory fails to hold weight.[12Bet.com]

If James can lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to 126 wins in two seasons imagine what he can do when it's players like Wade and Bosh on the receiving end of his passes, instead of Mo Williams and J.J. Hickson?
If James signs with Miami, the Heat will have the most impressive three-man rotation in the NBA, however championships are not won on the merits of three-man teams and some creative tinkering is needed before any thoughts of a South Beach parade are realized.

To say the signing of all three players would limit the Heat's financial options to add other is an understatement, and the only two players on the roster currently under contract will likely be needed to make the deal work.

The Toronto Raptors will likely trade Bosh to the Heat in exchange for Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley, and once they are gone the team will consist of Wade, James, Bosh, and draft picks Dexter Pittman and Da'Sean Butler.

The Heat will be forced to fill the rest of their roster with minimum wage NBA earners, and it's doubtful they can assemble enough talent to immediately challenge for a NBA title.[12Bet.com]

ESPN's Legler installed a Miami super team as his favorites for capturing the Eastern Conference stopping short of conceding the title to the Heat, but it's still disrespectful to other teams in the East.

Orlando will return the majority of their Eastern Finals' team intact, as will the NBA Finals' runner-up Boston Celtics, yet they have been virtually disregarded when considering Miami's awesome threesome.

Even worse is the manner in which the Los Angeles Lakers have been relegated to secondary status in the wake of a potential Wade, Bosh, and James pairing in Miami.

The Lakers have played in the past three NBA Finals and have won the last two NBA championships, yet their success has taken a back seat to the dreams of league domination by Miami.

The Lakers have two stars in Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol who are every bit as super as the proposed trio in Miami, and they are surrounded by much more talented players than anything Pat Riley will be able to assemble.[12Bet.com]

Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, and Ron Artest could start for most NBA teams, and players like Derek Fisher have years of championship experience that can't be taught overnight.

The Lakers will have the more talented team overall regardless if James signs with Miami or not, but their biggest advantage over a Miami super team would be the chemistry they have already established.

Every member on the Lakers' roster, with the exception of potential signee Steve Blake, knows exactly what it takes to win a championship, and it's doubtful the Heat will find players who can replicate that experience.
Furthermore, only Wade has true championship experience while James and Bosh have yet to prove they have the will and resolve necessary to win in the NBA postseason.

If the Heat can manage to make the NBA Finals with their star-studded team could they hold up against the Lakers' deeper, more talented, more experienced roster over the course of a seven game series?

Injuries are another thing to consider because if James, Bosh, or Wade were to suffer the types of injuries that hampered the Lakers throughout the season they can kiss any dreams of postseason glory goodbye.

Miami Heat fans have every reason to be excited about the future of their team with Bosh, Wade, and James in the fold, and if they are lucky enough to make the 2011 NBA Finals, the Lakers will likely be waiting for them, ready to temper the excitement with a little reality.

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