February is here, and that means it’s the midseason mark for the National Basketball Association. Already five months have been played, and the contenders and the pretenders have either risen to the top of their game or have seen their season go down the drain.
For the reigning NBA Champions, the Miami Heat, it’s business as usual in their quest to repeat their victory. Currently the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the Heat has become the team to beat.
The goals coming into this season were simple for the Heat — finish with the best record in the conference, thus assuring home court advantage during the playoffs; keep players healthy and free of any major injuries; and address the lack of a big man in the frontcourt.
No NBA team can operate in a vacuum. The Heat is one of 31 other teams, and old and new rivals have also stepped their games up.
The New York Knicks, the longtime laughing stock of the league, has rebuilt itself into an offensive juggernaut. Its players have shot three pointers at an amazing clip and have turned those into two victories over the Heat.
The big men of the Indiana Pacers have caused the Heat a lot of drama and have gotten under the players’ skins since last year’s playoff season.
Chicago is without its superstar Derrick Rose, who was injured last season, but that hasn’t stopped the Bulls from claiming a winning record and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Boston Celtics, which brought the Heat to the brink of elimination during last year’s conference finals, has refused to go away quietly. Without its point guard Rajon Rondo and with an aging roster, the Celtics fought back to beat the Heat in overtime in January.
To get back to the finals, the Heat might have to go through one, if not all, of these teams. Prone to play down to the competition and sleepwalk through games, the Heat has won when it shouldn’t have and has lost when it shouldn’t have.
A last second three-pointer from Ray Allen in a game against the Denver Nuggets was one of the highlights of the early season.
The Heat also have shown a lackadaisical effort against several teams, including the bottom of the league-dwelling Washington Wizards.
The addition of Ray Allen has yielded immediate results for the Heat, thanks to his years of experience and his clutch performances.
The recent signing of Chris Andersen is an intriguing prospect for a team that lacks a true big man. Known for his rebounding, hustle and ability to protect the rim, it remains to be seen what the 34-year-old has left in the tank. The hope is that he will leave an imprint on the team before the reputation of South Beach leaves one on him.
But there is a sense that another piece is missing from this team. The disappointing plays of Rashad Lewis, Mario Chalmers and Mike Miller have robbed the Heat of another shooting threat, increasing the burden on LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, which could cause problems during the playoffs. Can this team win another championship on the backs of just three of its players?
The Heat’s Head Coach Erik Spoelstra has admitted that his team is often on cruise control. The idea the regular season doesn’t mean anything has infected the players and often leads them to think they can turn it on during the playoffs. This attitude worked during last year’s successful season; hopefully we’ll see that it’ll work again.
At this point in the season, the Heat is in the driver’s seat. But after this weekend’s NBA All-Star Game, which showcases all the league’s best players, the Heat will need to refocus in their sprint to another championship.
