5 Reasons Why the Miami Heat Will Win 2014 NBA Championship
Five Reasons Why the Miami Heat Will Win the 2014 NBA Championship
This upcoming season may be the most important for the Miami Heat in franchise history. Not only by potentially winning a third-straight title, but by also being able to potentially sign the Big Three to long-term contracts in the 2014 offseason. It has been made pretty clear by the Heat roster, and especially the Big Three, that this season is all about winning a third title, not the 2014 offseason following.
The three-peat is what the Heat have their sights on, but it won’t be easy. Since the NBA was formed in 1949, only four teams have been able to win back-to-back-to-back titles: The Minneapolis Lakers (1952-1954), Boston Celtics (1959-1966), Chicago Bulls (1991-1993, 1996-1998) and the Los Angeles Lakers (2000-2002). The Heat could potentially join this rarefied air by winning a third title, but again, the road to the Finals will be a most difficult one.
This season, there will be plenty of challenging teams trying to dethrone the defending champs. Although the Heat play in a weaker conference, the East is going to see many of its star players return to the fold, like Derrick Rose, Danny Granger and Rajon Rondo. The competition in the Eastern Conference playoffs this season should be a lot more aggressive than last year.
Even with all the competition against the Heat, they are by and large still the heavy favorites to win it all. These are five reasons why the Heat will absolutely win it all this season.
Jared Doyle is a Miami Heat writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @outofboundsjay, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
5. Ease of Schedule
The Miami Heat will go into the 2013-14 season with one of the easiest schedules not only out of their conference, but also in the entire league. The Heat will start with a home-heavy schedule in the beginning of November, heading all the way through December. Not only is this in their favor, the Heat will also be spared the odyssey road trip most teams go on throughout the course of the season. Their longest stretch away from American Airlines Arena will be from Feb. 4-20. All of this could result in the Heat once again claiming the top seed in the conference, plus home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
4. Veteran Players
Since the formation of the Big Three, Pat Riley and the rest of the organization have made their best efforts at surrounding the three superstars with quality talent, both young and old alike. The veterans they have brought on board over the last few seasons have been key in the Miami Heat winning back-to-back titles. Players like Shane Battier, Chris Andersen, Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and Udonis Haslem help bring a level of calm and stability to the roster. This is why teams full of young players struggle to make it out of the regular season. It takes a balance of young and old to help solidify a championship roster, and the Heat have just that.
3. Challengers
The Miami Heat are very lucky that they play in the Eastern Conference. They get to avoid the slew of strong Western Conference teams such as the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies. The Eastern Conference has gotten stronger, though, with the Indiana Pacers deepening their bench and the Chicago Bulls getting back Derrick Rose. The Heat will have a more difficult time getting through the Eastern Conference playoffs, but in the end, getting to wait until the Finals to face a Western Conference opponent is more of an advantage.
2. New Additions
The Miami Heat went out and signed both Greg Oden and Michael Beasley to contracts this offseason, helping them shore up their frontcourt. Since size has always been an issue with the Heat, these signings prove the Heat are heading in the right direction in terms of coming to grips with their weaknesses. Although both are considered “project” players in their own right, both Oden and Beasley can contribute to the defending champs, especially in the offseason, where size means everything.
1. LeBron James
Having the best player in the world on your roster is the No. 1 reason why the Miami Heat will win the 2014 NBA Championship. LeBron James is leaps and bounds better than most of the competition in the league, with Kevin Durant being the only player within his stratosphere. James continually elevates his game year after year, especially since winning his first title in 2012, and this has turned him into one of the greatest players we have ever seen in the NBA. James took a talentless roster in 2007 all the way to the NBA Finals, and now that he is on a team with a lot more talent, expect James to continually win championships for the next few seasons.
