Miami Heat are now the 9th seed in the East...

[Roundball_Rock]

How much impact does LeBron have? The Heat replaced him with a 2x all-star and added Whiteside (to superstars Wade and Bosh) but have went from the Finals to perhaps not even finishing in the top 10 in their conference without him.

Injuries explain part of it but every team in the league has had significant injuries through 50+ games. Wade going down is a factor but the team has sucked with or without Wade throughout the year.

I have heard it argued the Heat lacked motivation but there was plenty to motivate that team.

*Bosh had to prove he was a legitimate superstar. Bosh being referred to as a "superstar" in the press became almost a punch line among close observers of the NBA. Bosh's production was that of only an above average starter, not anywhere near that of a max player during his time in Miami. Moreover, Bosh is in the prime of his career. This year was a perfect opportunity for Bosh to prove that he could be the #1 option on a contending team.

*Wade had to prove that he was not washed up. Wade had poor playoff runs and Finals in 2014 and 2013.

*Spo had to prove he indeed is a good coach, not someone who simply was along for the ride.

*The rest of the role players needed to prove they were no merely along for the ride as well.

Despite all these personal agendas that would motivate the team they simply could not produce. This should not necessarily have been a surprise. The Heat without LeBron were pedestrian from 2011-2014. The fact is no LeBron team has ever come close to maintaining its level of play without LeBron, whether that means when he misses time during a season or the following season after he departs. He is simply that dominant in his impact. His departure exposed the myth of the "stacked Heat."

[HylianNightmare]

I'll be shocked if they can't squeeze into the playoffs by seasons end

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

How much impact does LeBron have? The Heat replaced him with a 2x all-star and added Whiteside (to superstars Wade and Bosh) but have went from the Finals to perhaps not even finishing in the top 10 in their conference without him.

Injuries explain part of it but every team in the league has had significant injuries through 50+ games. Wade going down is a factor but the team has sucked with or without Wade throughout the year.

I have heard it argued the Heat lacked motivation but there was plenty to motivate that team.

*Bosh had to prove he was a legitimate superstar. Bosh being referred to as a "superstar" in the press became almost a punch line among close observers of the NBA. Bosh's production was that of only an above average starter, not anywhere near that of a max player during his time in Miami. Moreover, Bosh is in the prime of his career. This year was a perfect opportunity for Bosh to prove that he could be the #1 option on a contending team.

*Wade had to prove that he was not washed up. Wade had poor playoff runs and Finals in 2014 and 2013.

*Spo had to prove he indeed is a good coach, not someone who simply was along for the ride.

*The rest of the role players needed to prove they were no merely along for the ride as well.

Despite all these personal agendas that would motivate the team they simply could not produce. This should not necessarily have been a surprise. The Heat without LeBron were pedestrian from 2011-2014. The fact is no LeBron team has ever come close to maintaining its level of play without LeBron, whether that means when he misses time during a season or the following season after he departs. He is simply that dominant in his impact. His departure exposed the myth of the "stacked Heat."

Bron is THAT dude when it comes to making somethin outta nothin. Not saying Miami is trash or whatever, but they looked a hell of a lot better with LeBron in there making up for their deficiencies on offense. Guy could go there right now and instantly change the morale and culture of that team. Maybe even lead them to another finals appearance.

What LeBron's issue (not really an issue per se, but not his strong suit either) is playing with great talent and incorporating his skillset to adjust to said talent. If Cleveland can win another title with LeBron playing up to his superstar standards, dude is gonna be regarded with some of the greatest. Like.. Tier 1, upper echelon greatest.

[tpols]

IIT Bron stans compare 2015 Wade and bosh to prime 2010 versions LeBron initially joined with...

[aj1987]

IIT Bron stans compare 2015 Wade and bosh to prime 2010 versions LeBron initially joined with...

Lets not forget that Kobetards were saying that Bosh was/is a superstar and that Wade was playing like prime Wade from '12-'14?

[tmacattack33]

IIT Bron stans compare 2015 Wade and bosh to prime 2010 versions LeBron initially joined with...

I don't see anyone trying to say that.

We're talking about 2014, not 2010.

[tpols]

I don't see anyone trying to say that.

We're talking about 2014, not 2010.

Mann.. Read this entire post of bullshit..

How much impact does LeBron have? The Heat replaced him with a 2x all-star and added Whiteside (to superstars Wade and Bosh) but have went from the Finals to perhaps not even finishing in the top 10 in their conference without him.
"

Using this season to say that heat were pedestrian without Bron during their entire tenure.. Acting like today's Wade was 2011 or 2012 Wade who was still a superstar caliber athlete and player..

Being completely dishonest in referring to lebrons replacement as being an all star.. Shit that's worse than those who call Bosh a superstar.. Lol Deng has sucked balls for years.. And is a cripple now.

Just a whole lot of bullshit.


Bringing up last year.. Yea Wade sucked but the heat has the easiest route to the Finals of all time! Their biggest yest was an imploding Pacers team.

2013 was also a cakewalk til the finals and Wade stepped up BIG time against the Spurs and had great games in critical junctions when LeBron lost his shot and started to choke.. Again.

[BuffaloBill]

Spurs crushed their spirit



Also they can't win shit without Beasley, and the 2013 finals mvp Ray Allen, lbh

[navy]

2013 was also a cakewalk til the finals and Wade stepped up BIG time against the Spurs and had great games in critical junctions when LeBron lost his shot and started to choke.. Again.

lol, What is this bullshit. Wade stepped up in Game's 4 and 7. The same game's Lebron stepped up in as well. Which game did they win in that series where Wade stepped and Lebron choked?

[DMAVS41]

Mann.. Read this entire post of bullshit..



Using this season to say that heat were pedestrian without Bron during their entire tenure.. Acting like today's Wade was 2011 or 2012 Wade who was still a superstar caliber athlete and player..

Being completely dishonest in referring to lebrons replacement as being an all star.. Shit that's worse than those who call Bosh a superstar.. Lol Deng has sucked balls for years.. And is a cripple now.

Just a whole lot of bullshit.


Bringing up last year.. Yea Wade sucked but the heat has the easiest route to the Finals of all time! Their biggest yest was an imploding Pacers team.

2013 was also a cakewalk til the finals and Wade stepped up BIG time against the Spurs and had great games in critical junctions when LeBron lost his shot and started to choke.. Again.

This.

Although Wade was awful in the 13 playoffs until the finals...he stepped up against the only team with a real chance to beat them...and they won.

Wade was a monster in 11 (better than Lebron) and still an elite player in 12.

It was only 14 in which he fell off in a way that prevented them from winning. Tit for tat. LeBron cost them 11...Wade cost them 14.

Also, this Heat team isn't that far way from being really good. If they were fully healthy and had McRoberts....they'd be dangerous in the East. Bosh and Wade are still forces when right.

[tpols]

lol, What is this bullshit. Wade stepped up in Game's 4 and 7. The same game's Lebron stepped up in as well. Which game did they win in that series where Wade stepped and Lebron choked?

Wade made the pushes in game 4.. He was the momentum creator in that game.. I remember vividly LeBron padding like hell in that game once Wade created the separation..

And what do you mean LeBron didn't start choking.. Are you really going to revise history?

Are you really going to act like Wade didn't massively improve his performance from previous rounds in Miami toughest test/opponent?

[Andrei89]

But we beat Cleveland on Christmas

[SouBeachTalents]

Here's how I'd describe Wade & Bosh since 2010

Wade: Still a top 3-5 player in the league in 2011, a top 5-10 player in 2012 and the 2013 regular season, was terrible in the 2013 playoffs but stepped up in Games 4-7 of the Finals, has seriously regressed/been injured since then

Bosh: Played well in 2011, was pretty good in 2012, had decent regular seasons in 2013 & 2014, was awful in the 2013 playoffs and a non factor for most of the 2014 playoffs

[DMAVS41]

Wade made the pushes in game 4.. He was the momentum creator in that game.. I remember vividly LeBron padding like hell in that game once Wade created the separation..

And what do you mean LeBron didn't start choking.. Are you really going to revise history?

Are you really going to act like Wade didn't massively improve his performance from previous rounds in Miami toughest test/opponent?

LeBron through the first 5 games...really the first 5 games and 3 qtrs of game 6 was actually as bad or worse than he was in 11. He was doing all the same shit offensively.

LeBron against the Mavs put up something like 18 ppg on 54% TS.

Through 5 games against the Spurs in 13 he put up like 21 ppg on 49% TS iirc.

And again...he was ****ing terrible through the first 3 qtrs in game 6. Give the man props for the come back, but if Ray doesn't make that shot...people are legit debating which meltdown was worse offensively.

Lebron was much better defensively against the Spurs...have to give him credit for that, but dude froze up big time in that series until that late 4th qtr run...then made multiple terrible plays down the stretch and got bailed out about as much as anyone ever.

So lets tap the brakes on this revisionist history. Only a couple years ago. We all watched it...and we all were wondering if Lebron was melting down yet again in the Finals.

[navy]

Wade made the pushes in game 4.. He was the momentum creator in that game.. I remember vividly LeBron padding like hell in that game once Wade created the separation..

And what do you mean LeBron didn't start choking.. Are you really going to revise history?

Are you really going to act like Wade didn't massively improve his performance from previous rounds in Miami toughest test/opponent?

The Heat were already up in that game where Lebron already had like 24-25 points before the 4th. It's not like Lebron was chopped liver. I never said Wade wasnt the one who made the final push, but it's just dumb to say Wade stepped up when Lebron was playing bad and they won, that never happened.