A great team? The Heat mightn’t be better than the Hawks
LeBron James’ new motto: If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
And here’s the funny part: He still might not be able to beat the Orlando Magic. Or the Boston Celtics. Or, believe it or not, the Atlanta Hawks.
The Miami Heat aren’t yet a team and might never be. It’s tempting to call them a collection, but it’s more a mismatched set. There’s a power forward (Chris Bosh) who’s less power than finesse, and there are the two All-Stars whose styles most mirror each other.
Put LeBron alongside Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen or even Joe Johnson (when not in Iso mode) and you’ve got a working partnership. One drives and dishes and the other shoots and finishes. Station Lebron next to Dwyane Wade and you’ve got Miami Twice.
What does LeBron do? He dribbles and drives. Sometimes he shoots a jump shot, but shooting is the least part of his game. What does D-Wade do? He dribbles and drives and dishes. Sometimes he shoots a jump shot — he’s a better shooter than LeBron, but he’s still not Kobe.
How will this work? Will they take turns? (”This is your possession, ‘Bron; I’ll just stand over here in the corner.”) Will they go rock-paper-scissors to see who gets the ball when?
We saw it — admittedly on a different level — at Georgia Tech this past season: It’s never ideal when your two best players do the same thing. They don’t complement one another; they get in each other’s way. And for all the happy talk emanating from the purported Big Three today, wait and hear how it changes when the Heat lose three in a row.
Yeah, they got along when they were playing in the Olympics, but the NBA isn’t made up of players looking just to get the Dream Teamers’ autographs. Every player on every other NBA club now has a target, and there are a handful of teams in the NBA East capable of beating the Heat without it being an upset.
Bosh is accustomed to being the focal point on his team. LeBron and D-Wade are accustomed to being, more or less, the entire team. As much as they might insist, “I’ll do whatever it takes to win,” we cannot deny the presence of ego. It broke up the Beatles. It will get to the Heat.
Even now, Orlando is a better team: It has a center and shooters to surround him. Boston is a better team: It has a Big Three — actually a Big Four, given the ascendancy of Rajon Rondo — who have proved they can work with one another. The Hawks — yes, the Hawks — are a better team: They’re deeper and their three best players play different positions.
If LeBron thought the pressure to win in Cleveland was oppressive … well, he ain’t seen nothing yet. D-Wade has his title. If the Heat fail, it won’t be Wade who takes the hit. It will be the man who couldn’t get Cleveland past Round 2 despite the addition of Shaquille O’Neal, Antawn Jamison, Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker, not to mention the re-acquisition of Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Loading ...Had LeBron held up his end, those Cavs wouldn’t have crashed against Boston. But he didn’t, and they did. And what did owner Dan Gilbert say about his former employee’s playoff performance after the alleged King had abdicated his Ohio throne? Quoth Gilbert: “He quit.”
More from Gilbert: “He has gotten a free pass. People have covered up for him for way too long.”
Yes, this is harsh. But the reality of LeBron choosing to join Team Wade as opposed to leading a team of his own has thrown everything about James the player into question. There was a time when Michael Jordan couldn’t get past the Pistons, but he didn’t demand a trade to Detroit.
The man whom some have decided is the greatest since Jordan has just told us he can’t do it alone and no longer wanted to try. Where will he go if he can’t take a title with the Heat?
Well, there’s always the Yankees. Maybe they could use a pinch-runner.
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297 comments Add your comment
Skeezix
July 9th, 2010
1:07 pm
All this free agency/LeBron/off-season NBA stuff is inane babble and just plain boring. Mark, can we get back to baseball now?
Dre
July 9th, 2010
1:08 pm
I tell you there is alot of Haters of LBJ. Now I will start off by saying the hour long special was a bit much but hey ESPN and sponsors bought into it and I bet there were millions watching. But the guy was in a no win situation with the public. If he would have chosen NY, it would have been for marketing value (The LBJ Brand), if it would have been NJ, it was becausue of Jay Z and the Billionare Russian, if it was Chicago, “he wants to follow Jordan”, if it was LA(clippers) he’s gone Hollywood, Cleveland “yes he is being loyal, but he only stayed for the money because they wont’ win a championship. But he goes to Miami for less money to try to win a Title, with two other stars.
Timmy
July 9th, 2010
1:08 pm
I’m buying me a nice expensive bottle of Dom Perignon this weekend…won’t be popping it until next spring when LeJoke & the Miami Divas get knocked out of the playoffs. It’s going to be a glorious day!!
Anyone who was not already a Miami fan who wants the Divas to be successful is a bandwagoner. When Mark Bradley says he wants the Heat to lose, he’s just confirming that he is NOT a shameful bandwagoner.
Atlsouthside
July 9th, 2010
1:09 pm
Excellent column, I thought I was the only one who think the Heat don’t have a solid team. If my Hawks can land a Shaq or BIG, I’m confident that we can handle Miami…. We have depth and shooters, they dont… Olympic basketball and NBA basketball, 2 different concepts…
And I agree 100% with the Ego/Beatles refrence, it is so true. “Pride comes before the fall.” Bosh/LBJ will be face heavy criticism if Heat struggle out the gates…(Bosh is very overrated, not a max player, Joe Johnson is more of a max player than Bosh….)
Hawks' Nest Monsta
July 9th, 2010
1:11 pm
MB- this is exactly what i’ve been telling people. Miami is not gonna be THAT great (but i think they’ll be better than Boston). Lebron should’ve either stayed in Cleveland (so people would respect him) or went to Chicago (almost guaranteed championship unless they play the hawks). They’d have an unguardable pg, an elite force in the post, the crazy hustle guy that every team needs (Noah) at center, and Lebron James at 3. Add a shooter at the 2, and that would be a very COMPLETE team.
but he chose miami. I’m not sure how the standings will look in the end, but I know that Orlando and Atlanta could both beat the Heat. Lebron James got a slot on Prime Time TV to tell the world that he’s an idiot.
Timmy
July 9th, 2010
1:14 pm
Nest Monsta, totally agree that he’s an idiot. He doesn’t even know the meaning of the word “humbled” which he uses out of context in every interview. Maybe watching folks from Akron burn his jersey will truly humble him. If not, choking in the postseason yet again with the Divas surely will…at least until 5 years from now when we get ‘The Decision Part 2′ and he’s the center of attention again.
JF McNamara
July 9th, 2010
1:14 pm
You are flat out wrong. Lebron is a Magic Johnson type player. He can score, but he’s better when he has a triple double type game doing multiple things. It never worked for him in Cleveland, because the Cavs wanted him desperately to be Jordan. He knows that he isn’t Jordan, and he doesn’t want to be.
Dwayne Wade is a Jordan style scorer. Bosh will do the dirty work inside. LeBron will run the show, and its going to be a 70 win “Showtime Lakers” spectacle topped off by Pat Riley and his slicked back hair. There is no hope for the Hawks unless one of the Heat’s big 3 gets gets hurt.
Mark Bradley
July 9th, 2010
1:14 pm
Thanks, Atlasouthside. Thanks, Hawks’ Nest Monsta.
Power Up In My Pants
July 9th, 2010
1:17 pm
Au contraire, Mark. People loved Zidane even more after he headbutted Marco Materazzi. The only backlash was against Materazzi!!
Gloria James
July 9th, 2010
1:18 pm
I cant wait to hook up with Bosh/Wade
Timmy
July 9th, 2010
1:18 pm
This is going to be one of the worst NBA regular seasons I can remember..but it’s going to be golden whenever LeJoke flops again in the postseason. Dom Perignon will never have tasted so delicious!
Hoops
July 9th, 2010
1:20 pm
Mark,
Let’s sign Shaq and then you can write a column entitled, “SHAQ-A-HAWK!!
JLM
July 9th, 2010
1:20 pm
It was a business decision. Think about it this way, when King James get old and he will…would the Cav’s managment keep him on the roster? No, they will trade him in a second for a better player or higher draft pick. It is no different than the average job, when management feel you are no longer an asset to the organization your days are numbered. Either, you take matters in your own hand to ensure you have a pay check. King James got them before they got him (Gilbert get over it).
I do think the departure of Mike Brown played a role. I thought it was a dumb move…
G-Money
July 9th, 2010
1:20 pm
Mr. Bradley, you and the majority of your respondents sound like a bunch of infantile spoiled brats. LBJ does not owe anything to Cleveland, he operated by the exact same rules and regulations as every other NBA player. I find it interesting that Mr. Gilbert wants to bring out all of the covering up, and supposedly bad aspects of LBJ’s stay in Cleveland. The bottom line is Mr. Gilbert had five years to improve the players on that team and he didn’t, he is probably going to lose in excess of $150million on this departure, so I can somewhat understand his frustration. I think that it is great that these players manipulated this system to position themselves for a tremendous career run on possible championships.
Joe Johnson
July 9th, 2010
1:21 pm
I dont think we can compete against the Magic, Cavs, Celtics.
At the end of the day I am the highest FA from this summer
Ramblin Wrecker
July 9th, 2010
1:21 pm
I tend to agree with this analysis. Lots of people like to make “big three” comparisons to the Showtime Lakers, Bird Celtics, Jordan Bulls and the current Celtic team.
I don’t see how the new Heat compares to those teams. For one thing, aside from the current Celtic team, the big three were teamed together over time, with pieces of the three being drafted onto the team. In other words, they were not established superstars (like LeBron, Wade, Bosh are already). Jabbar was in place in LA when Magic was drafted in 1979 and Worthy was drafted in 1982. Rookies generally take a back seat to learn their place on the team and grow into prominence. Same thing happened with the Celtics and Bulls, they acquired the big three slowly, allowing the pieces to grow together as they became stars.
The current Celtics big three, lets be honest, are not of the same ilk. Sure Kevin Garnett is a superstar, but Paul Pierce was a notch below and Ray Allen is halfway between John Paxon (shooting wise) and Reggie Miller. And neither of these guys are “creators” like LeBron and Wade are. So they never had the issue of who was going to have the ball at crunch time, they needed a distributor (Rajon Rondo) to make things happen.
So ego is going to be a problem, maybe not at first, but eventually Wade or James won’t be getting the ball as much as they’d like, and they’ll lose a few games and start to point fingers. Or one of them will get more credit for the winning than the other and someone will have a hurt ego. Plus LeBron is going to feel the weight of having left his hometown community in ruins. All of that support system he felt for the past 10 years will evaporate because they are no longer benefactors of the King James experience. And the love Cleveland fans had for James, will never be reached by Miami fans (there’s too much else going on in Miami to love one star that much).
iCECOLD
July 9th, 2010
1:21 pm
The whole Cleveland city is under suicide watch
All the strippers, head towards Miami !!!! It’s finna be a huge make it rain worst then katrina party!!! Lol.
B ball Barney
July 9th, 2010
1:21 pm
Will the Heat kick our butts. 98 yesterday and already 94 today. I’m staying close to an a.c. unit.
FUNNY STORY
July 9th, 2010
1:23 pm
Yes, The Decision has been made, but this is a hilarious article mocking the process.
LeBron James announces that he will buy the Miami Heat, endorse the New York Knicks, marry two of the LA Clippers’ Spirit Dancers in a Utah ceremony in August, become Executive Vice President of Mining and Distribution for Polyus Gold (NJ Nets’ owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s gold empire) and play basketball part-time for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Read the FUNNY article here:
http://www.dailygoat.com/2010/07/lebron-james-gives-thanks-god-signing-10-year-100m-endorsement-deal-heaven/
j
July 9th, 2010
1:23 pm
As a 29 year old who grew up with season tickets to watch Michael Jordan in Chicago, I can personaly tell you that Kobe is the closest I have seen to “His Airness”. Lebron is not the King…he is the joker! I now hate the Heat worse than the Yankees. I was always pissed that people compared LeChoke to Jordan. I now have justification to kick someone in the nuts for saying so!
B ball Barney
July 9th, 2010
1:24 pm
This kinda heat will hurt you!
mike
July 9th, 2010
1:24 pm
Kanye: Michael Beasley was traded to Minnesota. As for the LeBron dog and pony show, I’d have rather watched a rerun of the hot dog eating contest than that propaganda they showed last night.
LeBron couldn’t win in Cleveland as the guy, and now he goes to Miami, where it won’t even be his team. The guy laughing the most is Kobe, because he knows now that LeBron is no threat to another championship next year.
And what has Chris Bosh done in his career?
niremetal
July 9th, 2010
1:25 pm
Kudos to you, Mark, on your last 2 articles.
Sincerely,
Your #1 Critic
Ramblin Wrecker
July 9th, 2010
1:27 pm
And I think there is an open question about LeBron James’ killer instinct. He’s not shown the ability to will his team to victory the way the other greats did.
I have no doubts that if it were Jordan, Bird or Kobe joinging Wade/Bosh in Miami that you could put money in the bank on multiple championships. Those guys will victory for their teams when things get tight. I don’t think James has that inside him. Must not be room for it with all that spot light chasing in there.
Mike
July 9th, 2010
1:27 pm
The same type of questions surrounded the Celtics when they got their “Big 3″. Unlike Lebron or Wade, neither of the Celtic’s “Big 3″ can legitimately carry a team even to the playoffs. In addition, they had histories of injury. The Celtics’ Big 3 needed more pieces around them, and they got them on the cheap. There is no reason why Miami will not do the same.
The Hawks need to be much better coached in order to beat this new Miami club. Wade gave them fits alone, now he has Lebron who destroyed the Hawks regularly. The Hawks right now are not a challenge to the Celtics, Magic, or Heat.
At the end of the day, Cleveland did not surround Lebron with the Coach or players needed to win. Jordan had Phil Jackson, Scotty Pippen, and a lot of guys who stepped up around him. Lebron didnt win a game against the Celtics that he didnt score over 35 points and got very little assistance. He was overwhelmed and out-manned by the Spurs in 2007, Celtics in 2008, Magic in 2009, and Celtics in 2010. Is Byron Scott the answer? Maybe, maybe not. Lebron had to make the choice given factual knowledge, not supposition.
steve brown
July 9th, 2010
1:29 pm
Bad Karma is a killer, watch and see Miami. Kudos, let’s get fired up about the Hawks. If the Thrashers are sold our ownership choir will have the money to pay some luxury tax and give us a shot at the next level. Hawk fever, catch it! (Okay okay I’m getting a bit carried away-heat stroke perhaps)
Timmy
July 9th, 2010
1:29 pm
America doesn’t have a king. LeJoke needs to take his antics to Europe.
Gloria James
July 9th, 2010
1:30 pm
Delonte West will sign for the minimum. PLEASE I need him
Mr. Phil
July 9th, 2010
1:35 pm
I can’t remember a player having such little respect for the sport. My second favorite player of all time (behind Dominique of course) is Charles Barkley. So clearly I have no problem with a player changing teams to chase a ring.
My problem is the Mr. James took a very public number 2 on the entire City of Cleveland and then appeared to struggle to even feel bad about it. It used to be that the business of basketball was handled in a professional manner. Behind closed doors and only amongst those involved. What is the benefit behind having a one-hour special to poo-poo people who have done nothing but worship the ground you walked on from Day one.
It is absolutely true Lebron has been handed everything and has not earned anything that he has in the way of stardom or respect. He has finally put to rest the argument of who is better him or kobe (thank goodness). And he will never be worthy of the conversation with Jordan, Magic and others. No robin has ever become batman (see Scottie Pippen) and Bron will be nothing more than a robin to Wade’s Batman (let’s remember he has a ring).
So now begins the reign of D Wade ans SATAN’S HEAT. Long live the chump. Basketball is dead.
Trade Nate for Bag of Balls
July 9th, 2010
1:36 pm
I do not see all the hype about the Heat. They will be really good but they need SHOOTERS.
Most of the time a TEAM will beat a club of superstars. Look at the Olympic team sure they won the medal but they STRUGGLED to win. I think playing zone defense will beat the Heat.
TROTTINGHOME
July 9th, 2010
1:37 pm
Here’s a FIRST for ya…kiss my azz
iCECOLD
July 9th, 2010
1:37 pm
If they don’t win every year that they are together, people all over the country are going to laugh in their face no matter where they are at… they might of made one state happy, but what all the other status that have teams is going to dred him for the rest of their career… lives really.
I use to like d wade because he was a hard worker and he won that title with one superstar. shaq.
but this is a desperate move that lessons their superstar status to me.
Lebron sucks any way. he had a stacked team and still couldn’t win.
Chris bosh is just a groupie. straight up… he can’t even compete by himself at all.. he is the main one that wants everything easy…
hawks will shine. watch.. the right way. and Joe Johnson and josh smith will show why they are super stars this year. superstar.
every villain seems too dominant at the beginning until the hero rises from a negative situation and stops the villain…. Miami is the villain of the league now and the hawks looks like the new heros that are about to emerge as such…
its not lopsided. now every team is just going to have to step up their game… beginning of the bottom of the decade. things change.
let’s go hawks
B
July 9th, 2010
1:38 pm
Mark, I hate people who do this but…. Do you think NO would entertain Smoove, Marvin, and Teague for Chris Paul?
Gloria James
July 9th, 2010
1:38 pm
Delonte West is a good shooter. He can shoot more than just a basketball
frankly
July 9th, 2010
1:38 pm
I completely agree. I’ve been saying all week that Chicago would have been the MUCH wiser destination for either Wade or LeBrick.
Its just another indicator of what the NBA has become – a bunch of pampered, coddled, extremely gifted athletes that aren’t terribly grounded in basketball fundamentals.
KOOL
July 9th, 2010
1:39 pm
I don’t have a dog in the fight either way, but it would be hilarious to me if the Cavs give one of their new players jersey #23 and never retire it.
TROTTINGHOME
July 9th, 2010
1:39 pm
On a more serious note…this new offense the Hawls are goin to run is going to get ripped a new azz
Scott W.
July 9th, 2010
1:42 pm
Great column, at least you know the NBA because you drop the ball on college sports.
Mike
July 9th, 2010
1:42 pm
Im not sure why people are getting so upset about the Lebron special. Lets face it, all the cap clearing, coach firing, and media frenzy has been about Lebron. Even though this is the best free agent market in history, Lebron was the focus the whole time. Why not use that for charity?
The dude raised 2.5 million dollars for the Boys and Girls Clubs. He is taking less money and a backseat to Wade to play in Miami. There isnt a selfish move in this whole deal.
If you want to blame someone, blame the media for crowning this guy before he has won anything, and then stumbling over themselves after him for the last week. All this guy has heard for years is “when will you bring a Championship to Cleveland so you can take your seat with the greats of all time?” Not “if”, not “how ya doin, Lebron?”, just one hound after another grovelling.
The Real JC
July 9th, 2010
1:43 pm
Why hello there, casual sports fan! I see that you are wearing a brand new LeBron James Miami Heat jersey! Are you from Miami? No? Do you have family down there at least? No, you’re from Virginia? Well then, what do you think of Erik Spolestra’s chance… Spolestra? The head coach of the Heat? No, it’s not Pat Riley. Wait a second, can you name anyone on the team other than LeBron James or Dwyane Wade? Chris Bush? Close enough. How about anyone else? Shaq? No, he left in 2007. No one else? I hate you.
Scott W.
July 9th, 2010
1:45 pm
Chris Bosh
Trade Nate for a Bag of Balls
July 9th, 2010
1:46 pm
I dont care LeDouche went to the Heat and created an All-Star
But Miami Heat DONOT deserve this. Their fans are fair weather.
I am a hawks fan but I would have liked for him to 1. stay in Cleveland 2. Knicks 3. Bulls.
I want to see superstars battle each other in the playoffs not play with each other.
Trade Nate for a Bag of Balls
July 9th, 2010
1:48 pm
If Kobe was 3-4 years younger.
It would be the Lakers vs Heat (4 of next 5 Finals)
But I only think Lakers will reach 2 more and win in that five year span
GABred
July 9th, 2010
1:48 pm
Well said Big K, Lebron is entitled, like any other employee, to take his skills wherever he deems suit his needs. The world didn’t come to an end and if your life or city is defined by a player; you didn’t have much of a life or city. Funny How Gilbert was still offering $125m to this so called “quitter”. And I do agree that Atlanta is a better team (now that we have a coach)and if our team grows up this off season, we can start talking NBA titles here this season.
tyger
July 9th, 2010
1:49 pm
Finally, Mark Bradley returns, dumber than ever…
The Heat just signed the three of the four best players in the NBA and he says they arent better than the Hawks. Give me a break, the Hawks barely made it outta the 1st rd. twice in two years and were swept both years consecutively.
And what did they do to get better? Absolutely nothing. They return as they left: undersized and overmatched. The spunky lil’ group will beat up on all the below .500 teams at home and split on the road and barely make the playoffs once again. But another 2nd rd. exit is inevitable. I guess progress would be not getting swept.
Well, that’s something, I guess…but how do you go over the cap and near luxury tax without one additional player, other than a late round draft pick? Even though Jordan Crawford will be a dynamic player, it’s the lack of size, rebounding and toughness that’s getting us swept two years in a row, not the lack of wingmen. So, instead of getting one of the several 7fters available, we get another wing, then lolly-gag until all the free agent BIGs worth a hoot are gone.
And the icing on the cake? They don’t even have enough money to get a 7′3 behemoth at the MLE b/c Josh Childress could sign his offer sheet any day and they would have to pay luxury tax. So, they are basically going to wind up paying luxury tax and all they have to show for it is the exact same swept squad as last year and two extra wings at the position that you just overpaid $20M dollars for?
Unbelievable, only in ATL. Not to mention Miami gives away #2 pick Michael Beasley for a second rd. pick and we couldnt even get in on that action either.
Where’s Billy Knight, this thing has gone full circle. He told those guys to fire Mike Woodson and they wouldn’t, but a year later, after another embarrassing second rd. sweep, they fire they guy. So, doesn’t that mean he was right in the first place? We probably couldve saved ourselves a boat load of embarrassment and cap space.
We’re not looking real smart right now, but at least we’re not Cleveland or New Jersey.
benchwarmer
July 9th, 2010
1:53 pm
Despite all the grap about basketball hero individuals. The game is still won by the best team. The Heat have alot of figuring out to do before they achieve that status. My bet is the egos will run this “team” into the ground.
ReddJonn68
July 9th, 2010
1:54 pm
The media created this monster called ” The King ” What rings true for every sport is, rosters on paper do not win rings, what you accomplish in between the lines get it done. I’m tired of everyone talking about people hating on Lebron, Miami is gonna win the title, or those that are just bashing the guy. Just pull up the Miami Heat’s roster then make a comment.
jon
July 9th, 2010
1:54 pm
They heat r not better than the hawks rite now, matter of fact JJ is better than wade, how bout them apples!
Scott W.
July 9th, 2010
1:55 pm
You have to have at least 5 men on the court. Cap room is destroyed for this team. 9 guys making the league minimum.
Mike
July 9th, 2010
1:58 pm
Scenario: LeBron decides to remain with Cleveland. However, two days before he signs his new lucrative contract, he seriously hurts himself in a pick up game (and will not be able to play for two season). I can picture a letter to LeBron from Dan Gilbert would go a little something like this: Dear LeBron, although you are a home grown hero our mission … See Morehere is to win. With you being sidelined we will not be able to sign you here in Cleveland. Good luck on your future endeavors! Sincerely, Dan Gilbert!