A year ago around this time, Carlos Boozer commented that the Miami Heat have two great players in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and the implication-as was Boozer's intent-that Christopher Wesson Bosh did not deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of James and Wade. Saint Kevin Durant called Bosh a "fake tough guy." Dr. Shaquille O'Neal referred to him as the "RuPaul of NBA big men." Talking head Skip Bayliss coined the nickname "Bosh Spice." When Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra intimated that guys were "crying in that locker room" after a tough loss, everyone and their mother assumed that Chris Bosh was among the unnamed criers.

I myself have been as tough on Bosh as any other writer here at PIM, but his recent injury has taught me-in a new way-the wisdom of these words: "You never miss a good thing ‘til it's gone." I just want to go on the record on behalf of any and all Heat fans who have undervalued or badmouthed the guy and say, "Chris, I apologize. I hate it took you getting injured for me to realize this, but 18 points, 8 rebounds per game, and a strong interior defensive presence are hard to come by in this league. I am very sorry for taking you for granted."

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With the entire league roughly one-third of the way into this abbreviated season, the NBA has been nothing short of entertaining. Seeing as how this season was on the verge of not even happening, the excitement was much needed and has been truly appreciated. If the NBA Playoffs were to begin today, teams would begin the second season that most would not have expected to-say three months ago. And because there are only 16 spots available, some teams would not make it that would have been virtual locks in preseason projections. Read on for a take on what the first 22 (or so) games have taught us about the NBAs would-be contenders.

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Twenty-two games into the abbreviated season, the Miami Heat must be relatively happy with its progression through said season up to this point. Yes, even despite a disappointing loss to the Milwaukee Bucks last time out. Current standings: a game back of the Chicago Bulls and in a three-way tie for 2^ND place in Eastern Conference, tied for 1^ST in Southeast Division, tied for 3^RD best record in the entire League, and a Top 10 defense against which opponents connect on only 43% of their field goal attempts. If you think all that is good, it only gets better. Your Miami Heat have accomplished this with the face of the franchise, Dwyane Wade, having been forced to sit out nearly half his squad's contests due to various foot ailments. Want more upside? Only one more back-to-back-to-back set remains on the schedule for this Heat team. Three games in three nights can be tiring, you know.

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It is the best of times and the worst of times for the Miami Heat. A franchise-record best start to the regular season, winning games instead of losing them in the final minute, and LeBron James looking unguardable through nine games-the best of times. Losing all three games of a West Coast road trip, losing two of those three in overtime, and LeBron James looking pedestrian at best on that West Coast swing-especially in the fourth quarter-truly the worst of times. Enter Wednesday night's contest against the San Antonio Spurs. The Miami Heat simply stunk up the joint in the first half. The defense, as it was against the Denver Nuggets last week, was nonexistent. As noted in Dave's most recent game summary, the Heat gave up a season-high amount of points in the first quarter and total points in the first half. The team seemed to have no interest in protecting its home floor. They were getting their rears handed to them by a team playing without its best player (Manu Ginobili-debatable I know, but ultimately true). Reports are that LeBron was getting booed in the second quarter.

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The formula for what makes an MVP-in any league-is, at best, an inexact science. Is it the player that puts up the best numbers in a given season? Is it the best player on the best team? The player who means the most to his team's success? While the Maurice Podoloff (NBA MVP) Trophy will always be a prestigious award, I wonder if the award still means as much as it once did because I think a very important factor-the likelihood of a candidate to lead his hand to the Promised Land in that season-has gotten lost in the shuffle of late.

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I say that with guarded optimism. Wait, no I don't. If there is a hiccup that prevents me watching 2011-2012 NBA basketball on Christmas Day, I will be crushed. To say I am happy billionaires and millionaires have *almost* agreed on how to split the billions of dollars they will make off fans and sponsors for the next few years would be akin to me saying I am happy my brain and my lungs have agreed to work behind the scenes to keep me living and breathing. Okay, that may be overstating my case, but make no mistake: NBA fanatics like me are truly ready for some basketball. Hey, since Hank Williams, Jr. is no longer cashing NFL checks for that Monday Night Football song, perhaps he could allow some brilliant hip-hop producer to adapt the lyrics to fit basketball and then remix it to appeal to the NBAs fan base. I know that was a random thought, but that's mostly what I'm dishing out in this post-random thoughts. It's been a long time since I've been able to log into PIM, let alone post anything, so I just hope this thing is readable by the time I'm done.

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On the eve of the return of our beloved Miami Heat to the NBA Finals, let us take a look at the rotation players of the Dallas Mavericks and determine areas of strength that they may or may not have against us. Is there an answer to the Dirk Nowitzki puzzle? Is their bench really that much better than ours? Who on their team is a wildcard? Follow the jump for a full preview of the weapons at Coach Rick Carlisle's disposal.

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First, let me say that it has pained me greatly to not be more involved as a fan in this forum throughout the season. Nevertheless, I have kept a very close eye on the ins and outs and the ups and downs concerning our Miami Heat team. Let me start the first edition of Heat Check by saying I am extremely proud of our guys. They have grown up right before our eyes. No matter what happens against the in the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, our team has developed-in my opinion-ahead of schedule. Follow the jump for more fanatical rambling.

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Back by popular demand, we are taking a look at divisions around the League. I don't know about you guys, but with our team on their current skid, I could stand something to think about other than the ankles of LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Other than a lengthy diatribe, there was virtually no conversation on my first crack at this. I pointed out different things this time around--as I'm sure I'll do with the remaining divisions as well.

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Nearing midseason, I thought it would be cool to take a look at each division of the NBA-beginning across the country in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference and working my way clockwise back around to our own Southeast Division. Along the way I will evaluate teams within each division and project their respective postseason potentials. First up, the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.

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When it was revealed that Head Coach Erik Spoelstra had instituted a so-called reward system with his players, the merits of such a system were called into question. All of a sudden, the defensive intensity was up. Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade were both rebounding noticeably better. What was the reason for the increased production?

In a player interview, it was revealed that Coach Spoelstra had set up a system-a system under which a player can complete a defensive stop by acquiring the rebound and then have free reign to run or make whatever play he wants on the offensive end. Pundits were quick to point out that, while the Heat were having immediate success (and by all accounts continue to enjoy that success) with the reward system (deemed "Heat Rewards" by sports media outlets), such a system would ultimately fail.

My goal in this post is to evaluate the pros and cons of Heat Rewards.

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Christmas Day is fast approaching, and I thought it would be a good thing for me to fill out my own personal wish list for my favorite team. I will make my wishes in five categories: The team as a whole, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and Coach Erik Spoelstra. If I get my wishes in these five areas, there is no reason I can think of that the Miami Heat will not be World Champions by summer.

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All of a sudden, our Miami Heat appear to be on the right track. A players-only meeting and convincing wins over the Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively, have all but made us forget the turmoil of only a week ago. I must say that—despite my fears to the contrary—our guys have rebounded nicely after pushing the rumor mill into overdrive following a record that had dipped as low as two games above .500 and sixth place overall in the Eastern Conference standings. I was looking very closely at how the Heat players would show up with LeBron’s much-anticipated return to Cleveland coming on the heels of so much adversity. To many, the game may have been a foregone conclusion, but I saw it as a potential disaster. For all intents and purposes, that game against the Miami Heat was Cleveland’s championship game. No other game this season will matter as much to Cavalier fans this season until March 29, 2011—the next time the Heat come to town. I don’t think I’d be overstating myself in saying that the majority of Cavalier fans would probably like to see a victory over Miami over winning a Playoff game.

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Hi, Guys. I know I've been noticeably absent of late, but with soooo much drama surrounding our team, I just had to peek in and see if anyone else is as frustrated as I am with the current state of our Miami Heat. By the way, I'm glad Keebler has been able to step in and help Dave over the last couple of months. Keep up the good work, Guys!

Even with the outcome of last night's contest with the overmatched (on paper, but really: Who isn't overmatched against the Miami Heat on paper?) Detroit Pistons, the Heat are a measly three games above .500-the equivalent to baseball's Mendoza Line for a basketball team. Coach Erik Spoelstra is getting punked publically by newcomer LeBron James. The team is already conducting player-only meetings. There are rumors of infighting among the players, and these guys just don't look right on the court together up until this point. Is the season dangerously close to being irrecoverably lost? Is it too early to press the big red Deal-or-No-Deal-style panic button that undoubtedly sits prominently on the desk in Coach Spo's office?

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The merging of powerhouse forces on one NBA team as they have recently in Miami is a first. Think about it like this: What if the likes of Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell had decided to work together to give themselves the option of playing for the same team back in the 60s? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elvin Hayes, and Julius Erving in the 70s? Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Bernard King in the 80s? Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and Hakeem Olajuwon in the 90s? Shaqiulle O’Neal, Tim Duncan, and Allen Iverson in the 00s? These are all some of the great players from their respective eras. Some of these trios are widely regarded as the greatest players of their eras. Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James could all reasonably go down as the best players of their era, and they all now wear the same uniform—aside from when they play for Team USA or the Eastern All-Star Team.

There are already questions of collusion and possible tampering. The bigger question is: Now that this uber-trio has formed, what does this mean for the NBA? Is a team loaded with this much talent in the primes of their careers good for the League? If you’re lucky enough to be a Miami Heat fan, the answer is a resounding "Yes!" If you’re a fan of any other team, you’ve got to be shouting "Hell no!" Who’s got the right answer here? The answer to this question is not as simple as you may think.

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Time for the third installment in our weekly look at potential off-season upgrades for the Miami Heat. First, we looked at the talent-rich stable of power forward free agents-to-be. Next, we looked at the center position. This week, I am going to look at the perimeter guys as a whole. I’m confident Dwyane Wade will be back, so this is a look at the available point guards and small forwards as a combined group. I’m doing so partly because I’m running out of weeks between now and July 1, and partly because the right pick-up at small forward (say a certain guy who is reportedly on his way out in Atlanta) could allow Presidential Pat flexibility in terms of how he approaches the point guard position. Coincidentally, the right point guard could allow the Heat to start Dorell Wright at the small forward position. Here are my top 5 picks for perimeter upgrades in 2010-11.

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The Miami Heat are in a rather advantageous position this summer. They are only team that has a stud player (Dwyane Wade—duh, right?) poised to stay in town and the luxury of the capability to add another MAX-level free agent and possibly even third MAX guy with a bold trade (which is to say, trade Michael Beasley for a ham sandwich or anyone or anything else that won’t be a substantial Salary Cap hit). I’m not sure if I am a fan of what it will take to get three stars to South Beach, but all that notwithstanding, we know one thing: the 2010-11 Opening Night roster for the Miami Heat will look much different than the collection of guys who put up more of a fight against the Boston Celtics than a 4-1 decision implies.

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Now that the glorious signing period for the heralded Free Agent Class of 2010 is officially less than a month away and most of the Miami Heat’s likely targets have already officially begun their off-season, my brain is on official overload concerning the roster moves Pat Riley & Co just might be scheming up. Over the next several days and weeks, I will rank who I believe the Heat should go after position-by-position. I will begin with power forward. I chose this position is first because there are so many available, and because the Heat need someone reliable to play the position because of the instability of Michael Beasley’s play/future combined with Udonis Haslem’s possible/likely exit.

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It has all come down to this: the Los Angeles Lakers vs the Phoenix Suns and the Orlando Magic vs the Boston Celtics. Only one potentially huge participant in the vaunted Summer of 2010 remains: Amare Stoudemire. He’s not who or what I want to talk about now though. Even though Queen James will make sure the rest of the Playoffs are overshadowed by him and his "team," this year’s Larry O’Brien Trophy is very much up in the air. Think not? Read on.

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I first took notice of Dwyane Wade during his introduction to the collective basketball consciousness during his remarkable run in the 2003 NCAA Tournament. He recorded only the fourth triple-double in NCAA Tourney history on his way to locking up the Midwest Region MVP trophy and carrying his Marquette Eagles to its first Final Four berth in 26 years. These accolades alone cemented D-Wade’s place as best to ever don a Marquette jersey (despite what a rather deranged and otherwise comedically challenged Doc Rivers might have to say about the topic). Am I a little overzealous in bestowing that honor upon him? Not likely. Wade is the only athlete in Marquette history to have his jersey retired without first having graduated from the institution.

All of that is great, but none of it is what impressed me most about this kid. What impressed me most was an interview he conducted during a game that followed one of his own back in 2003. The commentators had already spoken about how Wade, just a junior in college at the time (despite having only played college basketball for two seasons due to a failure to meet eligibility requirements as a freshman), already had a son and was—get this—a married man. He then further impressed me by showing a huge amount of maturity while being interviewed. I didn’t know if his overall game would translate to a successful NBA career, but I knew that the young man from Chicago had my respect—certainly as a ballplayer—but more importantly as a human being.

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July 1, 2010, can’t get here fast enough for most Heat fans. We have the better part of two months to wonder about who may be coming to don the black, red, and white. One thing I took away from what Heat President Pat Riley talked about to the media about is something I already know: Riles would rather do a trade or sign a free agent than take a chance on a Draft pick (maybe he should have traded the 2nd pick in 2008?). It seems our big splash free agent signing will be a power forward, such as Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, or Amare Stoudamire. Other needs include upgrades at the point guard and center positions. I see Brendan Haywood as probably the best center available (if he wants out of Dallas). The point guard position seems rather thin in the free agent class and the draft. Here’s a crazy thought: What about Jason Kidd? I’m looking at the Mavs because after the way they just imploded, Mark Cuban may be willing to pull the plug on the whole thing (keep Dirk Nowitzki of course—if he can at this point) and turn it over to his backcourt in waiting—J.J. Barea and Rodrigue Beaubois.

I know what you’re thinking. 1) He’s in the twilight of his career, and we’re trying to build for the future AND 2) He’s under contract. Kidd is a little long in the tooth, but he is still more than serviceable because he appears to be in great shape, and he’s still one heck of a floor general. He’s also turned into a respectable spot up 3-point shooter, which would work well to keep the floor stretched for Dwyane Wade. As for his contract status, he’s got two years left (which is one more than I thought he had when I started writing this crazy post, but I still think he’s worth a look—if he’s available) on his current deal at about $ 8 million per season. The two remaining seasons almost scared me off, but my final reason for considering him warrants the risk. Here it is: other than Steve Nash, who definitely isn’t going anywhere, J-Kidd would be the ideal PG for Michael Beasley to play with. Keep in mind that Jason Kidd made an All-Star out of Kenyon Martin. Just a thought. What say you?

Just from what I've seen on this blog, the opinions about what should or should not be done concerning Michael Beasley's immediate future with the Miami Heat are split right down the middle. Writers for other teams have Michael's trading being imminent and certain. They are even asking their readers to answer whether or not their beloved franchises should even entertain the possibility of acquiring Super Cool. The question to you is: Should he go, or should he stay? If yes, at what price? If no, why not?

This is an important question with the Free Agent Class of 2010 getting ready to cash in at a potentially historic rate. Conventional wisdom says ANY team looking at Dwyane Wade and/or LeBron James knows they’re worth MAX $. After that, things get a little more tricky.

In my opinion a MAX $ guy is one who is a franchise player—not just a guy who serves as the face of a franchise because he’s the best player on a bad team, but a true franchise player. My definition of a true franchise player is a guy who can carry his team and get it to the Playoffs with little to no help. A true franchise player, with a little help, makes his team a threat to advance deep into the Playoffs and possibly contend for a World Championship. In my mind, there’s only a few guys who fit that bill. They are (in no certain order): Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Dirk Nowitzki, and Brandon Roy (Yao Ming, provided he returns healthy, is on this list). There are a few guys who may be there in the next few seasons, including: Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, and Tyreke Evans.

Then there’s a set of second-tier All Star Caliber players who are worth MAX $, but only to the team they play for in an effort to keep them. That’s right, they’re not true MAX $ guys, but they’re teams will need to break the bank to keep them from making sub-MAX $ on a better team. This least includes free-agents-to-be Amare Stoudamire, Carlos Boozer, Joe Johnson, and Chris Bosh. These guys are looking to ink the contracts that will set them up for the rest of their lives this summer, and they will have to leverage their financial prospects against winning when making their final decisions.

In the case of the Miami Heat and its hopes of landing one or two big-time free agents, I am hoping the prospect of winning weighs more heavily with the incoming big name(s) than the money because we do have a few other needs to address if we’re going to truly contend.

It's obvious that the Miami Heat's roster will be vastly different on Opening Night than it is right now. Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Jermaine O'Neal, Quentin Richardson, Dorell Wright, Carlos Arroyo, and Jamaal Magloire, among others, are becoming free agents along with seemingly half the League. That's a whopping seven roster spots (maybe more) that could be open on this Heat team as of July 1. Debating about which free agents could come, won't come, and whether or not they'd fit in with D-Wade and the Miami Heat Way is certainly fun, but the truth is no one really knows what our roster will look like come late October.

So our roster is in for a major overhaul. Is there anything else that needs to change along with the arrival of the fresh faces that will soon be headed to South Beach? Some have called for the removal of head coach Erik Spoelstra as well. I was on that bandwagon for a while myself, but overall, I believe Coach Spo is good for this team. What I do believe needs to change, however, is the offensive philosophy he has for this team. What specific offensive changes would really benefit this team?

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Michael Beasley had an awesome opportunity in the Heat’s First Round matchup against the Boston Celtics. I’m not talking about the unique experience each Playoff provides.  I’m not talking about another opportunity to prove himself that he essentially squandered. I’m talking about the guy he was matched up against for most of the series. Yes, Public Enemy #1 after his antics in Game 2 of our opening round series: the one and only Kevin Garnett.

What could have been so great about Beasley sharing a court and a series with KG? Read on after the Jump to see.

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Perhaps the one on the left could come and work for the Heat. Special statistical consultant?

A stat sheet doesn’t tell you everything, but as I found out when I looked at key stats from our 1st Round matchup with the Boston Celtics, stats sure can tell you a lot.  They key areas I looked at were points scored, rebounds, turnovers, 3s made, FG%, and Jermaine O’Neal’s production (or lack thereof). Follow the jump to see what the numbers show.

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