[cleaveland]

It all started with three franchise players who can carry the team. Then they made sure to keep or add perfect role players to the mix: Anthony, Haslem, Miller, Battier, and now Chalmers is becoming a great role player. That's exactly how the good recent team USA teams have been built v. the weak teams that were all star teams.

Now that I think about it, team USA has changed the NBA forever I think. Supposedly many of the elite players in the NBA formed real friendships from playing together on team USA and that's a big reason why they want to play together.

I think this might be the thing that the old timers like Magic and Bird are forgetting when they say "We wanted to beat each other, not play with each other"... If team USA would have had NBA players playing together in 1980s then those guys may have become friends and wanted to play together, it's only natural. Now that I think about it, watching Bird, Magic, Jordan, Barkley, and the other greats playing on the first Dream Team, you could kind of see the friendships and chemistry etc. forming, it's only natural. That may be the difference and I think team USA has changed the NBA and will continue to do so. What do you think?

[zoo youk]

Absolutely disagree. Yeah the dream team was the GOAT but in those days it wasnt about playing with your boys and having a good time. It was pure blood sweat and tears full blown competition the best wanting to beat the best to be the best. Not playing with each other.

[NYSportsGuy210]

I totally agree with the OP. It's a new generation of young guys all looking to make a life together off the court. Since they are all young, rich and in the same environment....it's only natural for these stars to want to be together.

It would have happened if a young Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Larry Bird and Barkley were all on a US Olympic team as young players too.

Good insight by the poster.

[Mac4Lyfe]

Larry Bird would have never teamed up with those other guys. NEVER. Nor would have Jordan or Barkley. It was their way or the highway. None of them would play second fiddle to the other.

Lebron started this shit because he doesn't have the clutch gene and knew he couldn't do it on his own. He took the easy way out and will forever be tainted if he ever wins a title.

[cleaveland]

Larry Bird would have never teamed up with those other guys. NEVER. Nor would have Jordan or Barkley. It was their way or the highway. None of them would play second fiddle to the other.

Lebron started this shit because he doesn't have the clutch gene and knew he couldn't do it on his own. He took the easy way out and will forever be tainted if he ever wins a title.

I read that the Heat's big 3 and Chris Paul made a pact to play together on the same team while they were playing together on team USA. I don't remember the details but it was something like that.

[InTheDrink]

Op has no idea how the basketball world works

These guys all get to know each other when they're 14 years old playing aau and going to big time hoop camps all summer long as teenagers. These guys all know each other before they ever step foot on an nba court and they all generally have a common bond that they're stars before they're 18 so they can all relate.

Check out the movie gunnin for that #1 spot

None of that shlt existed when bird and magic played.

Op couldn't be more wrong

[NYSportsGuy210]

Op has no idea how the basketball world works

These guys all get to know each other when they're 14 years old playing aau and going to big time hoop camps all summer long as teenagers. These guys all know each other before they ever step foot on an nba court and they all generally have a common bond that they're stars before they're 18 so they can all relate.

Check out the movie gunnin for that #1 spot

None of that shlt existed when bird and magic played.

Op couldn't be more wrong

Your line "none of that sh1t existed when Bird and Magic played" actually proves the OP right genius.

[InTheDrink]

Your line "none of that sh1t existed when Bird and Magic played" actually proves the OP right genius.

Holy shit you're stupid

I hope you're drunk or high

[BigDeem5]

You guys are on one. Bosh isn't a superstar.

[Mac4Lyfe]

I read that the Heat's big 3 and Chris Paul made a pact to play together on the same team while they were playing together on team USA. I don't remember the details but was something like that.

Lebron orchestrated the pact...

[cleaveland]

Larry Bird would have never teamed up with those other guys. NEVER. Nor would have Jordan or Barkley. It was their way or the highway. None of them would play second fiddle to the other.

Lebron started this shit because he doesn't have the clutch gene and knew he couldn't do it on his own. He took the easy way out and will forever be tainted if he ever wins a title.

I don't know if you're right but I think these two would have enjoyed playing together...

[milkncereal]

its the aau circuit and society saying your God when your 13 and your the best player ever. They are completely different beasts then magic and the older guys were.

[zoo youk]

its the aau circuit and society saying your God when your 13 and your the best player ever. They are completely different beasts then magic and the older guys were.

puzzys you mean.

[onlooker]

Lebron started this shit because he doesn't have the clutch gene and knew he couldn't do it on his own. He took the easy way out and will forever be tainted if he ever wins a title.

Lebron orchestrated the pact...

The Lebron hate just spews out of your posts.

[H1Cypher]

its the aau circuit and society saying your God when your 13 and your the best player ever. They are completely different beasts then magic and the older guys were.

Over exposure and the media has ruined it. You lose that killer mentality when you have it too easy... too young.. Kobe is an 80s baby
One he's gone we might lose that mold. Wade has it too, but with his injuries + he's not nearly the shot maker Kobe is.
Chris Paul kinda has it- oh maybe cause he's played with a chip on his shoulder cause of his stature and people telling him he can't make it in the NBA.

Basically- if you're coddled... most likely this 'killer gene' won't surface. You need the fervor method not the focker method.

[thechaoz]

New guys are an embarrassment.. That's why ppl were on suicide watch for the nfl lockout... No one gave two shits about the nba

[jjgold]

New guys are an embarrassment.. That's why ppl were on suicide watch for the nfl lockout... No one gave two shits about the nba

Players too friendly with each other on different teams
Why??

Social Medias mainly

The old timers were never friends with opposing players

[upscope]

You guys are on one. Bosh isn't a superstar.

He would be if he wasn't a 3rd option.

[cleaveland]

He would be if he wasn't a 3rd option.

He's a franchise player and I think he's having another all-star season, I expect him to be an all-star again.

[onlooker]

You guys are on one. Bosh isn't a superstar.

He would be if he wasn't a 3rd option.

He's a franchise player and I think he's having another all-star season, I expect him to be an all-star again.

When Wade was out, Bosh was averaging somewhere near 24-27 a game. Not share on exact average, but its in that range. Bosh needs to be 1st or 2nd option to shine, he is lost out there when Lebron and Wade is.

Hell, sometime Lebron and Wade are lost when they are both out there.

[Ninersnut]

Lebron's imagine is tarnished. He will not be Jordan as much as he wants to be. He is a whiny cry baby who deserves to win nothing. He make rule the regular season but he will choke in the playoffs. Miami will need to buy a championship with 1 more player. (Insert Howard here)

[darkhat]

Lebron joined team USA/Heat cause he couldn't win a ring with the number one ranked cavs in the east. 60 plus wins, home court, number one ranked defense, like 2 or 3 dudes on the AllStar team even. Needed more support I guess. Now that he has the starting line up for Team USA it should be enough eventually.

Fact: You don't win over 65 games with a bad team.

[Rolo1984]

LOL the topic is not even about james but some people just try every opportunity to hate on him. Be glad the game has such a great player

Grow up.

[onlooker]

LOL the topic is not even about james but some people just try every opportunity to hate on him. Be glad the game has such a great player

Grow up.

So true.

It could be a thread about Cricket, and it could turn into a Lebron hate thread.

It's comical.

[darkhat]

Our copy machine at work can not work and I'll relate it to Lebron for no reason. Can't Stop.

[onlooker]

Our copy machine at work can not work and I'll relate it to Lebron for no reason. Can't Stop.

[PR9]

OP continues to show her rudimentary knowledge in the game of basketball.

The Heat, as Pat Riley has stated, were designed after the early 90s Bulls. Those Bulls teams were designed with two ultra-dominant wing players who had an excellent all-around game. Both could score in a variety of ways, but both could also defend with great efficiency and be versatile enough to each defend multiple position (as wade and lebron can), both were also excellent rebounders for wing players (as are wade and lebron), and both were excellent passers (as are wade and lebron).

Having 2 wingers that can do-it-all gives a team great matchup advantages vs their opponents. This Heat team is built around their WINGS, just like those Bulls teams.

Jordan did not win a playoff series until Pippen came aboard. And it took them time (and years) until they got really good together playing in sync to become the championship team they were. Jordan and Pip did not know how to work well off the ball initially, as they were both ball dominant players. However, Phil Jackson had them spend 2 summers working on off the ball movement, which made them far more effective in swinging, cutting off the ball as cutters, and far more effective off screens and the pick and roll together.

And this is where we are with Wade and Lebron. They have gotten a lot better with their off ball movement since the beginning of last season, as can be seen in the following graph in the 2nd link.. Wade though has always been a better off-ball player than LeBron, as can be evidenced in the 2006 playoffs where Wade was spectacular off the ball., but they are still learning how to play well off it TOGETHER

http://www.nba.com/heat/video/2011/1...795/index.html

http://www.nba-general-manager.com/h...ut_111215.html

With that said, basically the team is built around the idea of the early 90s bulls teams. The 3rd best player on those Bulls teams offensively was the Power forward position - Horace Grant.. Enter Chris Bosh. And for the center position. those Bulls teams went with a center-by-committee approach with Bill Cartwright, Will Perdue, and Wennington et al. As the Heat have been attempting to do. And finally, those Bulls teams had some very good 3-point shooters like Paxson, Tony Kukoc (won 6th man of the year award), Steve Kerr, etc.. the Heat have some good 3-pt shooters like Miller, Jones, Battier, Chalmers etc.

The Bulls had Rodman, one of the most dynamic rebounders in NBA history, also a terrific defensive player. Well at the same position the Heat have Udonis Haslem, the Heats glue guy. He is Top 5 in rebounding rate for all power forwards in the nba, and is very good on defense. Haslem also has an automatic midrange shot so he can also bring some offense to the table as well.

Furthermore, Riley also likes the dimension of having 4 or 5 very good wing players who have an all-around game. He said this is what he had with the Lakers with Worthy, Cooper et al, he had 4 of them in LA and he loved the mismatch advantages it created versus the opponent. Hence Riley signing some good all-around wing players like Mike Miller and Shane Battier over the past 2 off-seasons ( Miller is a very good rebounder, his rebound rate is astonishing, a very good passer off the dribble, can defend - he is a lot more than just a spot up 3-point shooter)

so there you have it, the real blueprint of the heat. And not some silly fallacy from the OP, who has no clue what she is talking about.