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Far too many people are looking at the HEAT’s season last year as a failure because they didn’t win a championship. What is overlooked is that the core of this team is going to be intact for the foreseeable future. Developing championship-caliber chemistry takes time and the HEAT were completely unfamiliar with each other last year. Plus, their top two reserves were out for a significant period of time. This year their overall depth has improved with the additions of Shane Battier, Norris Cole and Eddy Curry. Their failures from last year and all the criticism they received will give them the motivation they need to take the Southeast Division crown once again.

1st Place, Southeast Division

- Yannis Koutroupis

The addition of Shane Battier was huge for the HEAT, who were already one of the two best teams in the Eastern Conference last season. With Orlando and Atlanta taking steps back it seems the only team that can challenge Miami is the Chicago Bulls, and the HEAT are easily the best team in their division.

1st Place – Southeast Division

- Bill Ingram

In their first year together, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh made it all the way to the NBA Finals despite a rocky start to the regular season and almost zero depth to their team. Adding Shane Battier for as little money as he cost was a fantastic bargain, and with that first insane year out of the way I imagine the HEAT will come back looking quite a bit stronger this season than they did last. That probably means a return to the Finals. With the competitive fire under the bellies of that much star power, it’s hard to pick anybody else, even though they still are nowhere near the deepest team in the league. Barring injury, this is my pick for the Eastern Conference this year.

1st Place, Southeast Division

- Joel Brigham

No matter what the mainstream public perception may be, the 2011 season was a resounding success for the Miami HEAT franchise in year one of the Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh era. The team was only a few possessions away from not only winning the NBA title, but also was ever so close to pulling off a Finals sweep at one point over the Dallas Mavericks. Entering the 2012 campaign the HEAT quickly quieted rumors of head coach Erik Spoelstra being on the hot seat by extending his contract through the 2014 season. In free agency the team signed perennially solid veteran forward Shane Battier and reclamation project Eddy Curry to the rotation. Battier is expected to provide perimeter defense and the ability to stretch opposing defenses, while a slimmed down Curry will be counted on to provide spurts of offensive effectiveness on the low block. Anything less than another Finals appearance in 2012 should be deemed a disappointment.

1st Place, Southeast Division

- Lang Greene

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh nearly managed to win a championship during their first year together. Now, after a full season together, few teams are scarier than the Miami HEAT. The Big Three have developed chemistry and are extremely motivated by their Finals loss and the criticism that followed. The addition of Shane Battier will ensure that the HEAT is once again one of the top defensive teams in the league. Teams like the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks have taken some of the attention and pressure off of Miami. After the lockout and recent departures of Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul, there’s less vitriol directed at Miami. Even with all of the recent player movement, the HEAT is still the most talented team in the league and anything less than a championship this year would be a disappointment.

1st Place, Southeast Division

- Alex Kennedy

Top Offensive Player: LeBron James. This was a difficult choice, but James gets the nod. He led the HEAT in scoring last season with 26.7 points per game, which was 1.2 more than Dwyane Wade averaged. James also deserves credit for posting those numbers under a new head coach and system. At the end of the day, James and Wade are both electrifying scorers and will likely compete for the NBA’s scoring title this season. Last year, James averaged the second-most points in the league while Wade averaged the fourth-most.

Top Defensive Player: Dwyane Wade. This is another toss-up between Wade and James. Both players do an excellent job locking down the opposition, which is why Miami held teams to 94.6 points per game and limited them to a .434 field goal percentage last year. Both players received Defensive Player of the Year votes last season and there’s no question that they’re two of the best perimeter defenders in the league. Wade gets the nod because he finished with slightly better stats – he averaged 1.46 steals and 1.14 blocks. Honestly, this could go either way.

Top Playmaker: LeBron James. Last season, James averaged a team-high seven assists and, at times, played the point forward role to perfection. Mario Chalmers struggled last year and Mike Bibby didn’t get the job done either. James will likely spend more time at the one this season so that he can play alongside Dwyane Wade and Shane Battier. Miami still lacks a facilitator, which means James will likely lead the team in assists once again and be the team’s top playmaker.

Top Clutch Player: LeBron James. Go on, make a joke. “Never ask LeBron James to make change for a dollar because he won’t give you the fourth quarter.” While he struggled during the NBA Finals, James was one of the top clutch players in the league last season. James averaged the third-most points per 48 minutes of clutch time during the 2010-11 season. According to that stat, only Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose were more productive during games with less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter or overtime when neither team was ahead by more than five points. For those that think Dwyane Wade is the top clutch player in Miami, he finished outside of the top twenty with just 33.4 points per 48 minutes of clutch time. The Unheralded Player: Udonis Haslem. He has been described as the “heart and soul” of the HEAT and that’s not an exaggeration. There’s a reason LeBron James and Chris Bosh signed for less than maximum money just to keep Haslem in Miami. Last season, Haslem only played in 13 regular season games after tearing a ligament in his left foot, but made an impact during Miami’s postseason run. Now, Haslem is completely healthy and ready to do the dirty work for the HEAT. He won’t receive much attention, but there’s no question he’ll make an big impact for Miami if he remains healthy.

Best New Addition: Shane Battier. The 33-year-old is a consummate professional and the perfect addition to Miami’s roster. Not only is he one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, he’s also a terrific leader and locker room presence. He was a big reason for the Memphis Grizzlies’ postseason run because he helped change the culture and contributed off of the bench. Battier is getting older, but his game isn’t dropping off. He’s still one of the most intelligent players in the league and his presence will only help the HEAT.

- Alex Kennedy

# 1 – Chris Bosh – LeBron James and Dwyane Wade get most of the credit for Miami’s success, but Bosh made a huge impact last season and elevated his game during the playoffs. Last year, Bosh had a difficult time fitting in. Now that he has adjusted and learned his role, expect much more production from the power forward. He spent much of the offseason in the weight room, adding roughly 10 pounds of muscle to his frame thanks to a workout regime designed by Heat president Pat Riley and executive Alonzo Mourning. After the team’s loss in the NBA Finals, Bosh was visibly upset. He didn’t take the loss well, but used the experience as motivation this offseason. Now, Bosh is poised for a big year and hopes to end this season on a much better note.

# 2 – Norris Cole – After being drafted by the Chicago Bulls, Norris Cole was subsequently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves and then dealt to the Miami HEAT later that night. It’s rare that a player selected 28th overall receives significant playing time during his rookie season, but Cole may be the exception. The 23-year-old impressed all of the right people during training camp and played extremely well during the team’s open scrimmage. The rookie has been working hard to prove that he’s a pure point guard, after being labeled as a shoot-first guard during college. If Mario Chalmers struggles this year, Cole could see the court and become a significant contributor for Miami.

# 3 – LeBron James – James has been the butt of many jokes and recipient of much criticism in recent months. After struggling during the NBA Finals, he has worked extremely hard this offseason and he’s determined to prove his doubters wrong. James is still one of the best players in the league and capable of singlehandedly winning games. At 26 years old, he is the youngest of the Big Three and just now entering his prime. Last season, he averaged 26.7 points, 7 assists and 7.5 rebounds, while finishing with the highest player efficiency rating in the league. James was a dominant force last year, and could increase his production now that he’s comfortable in Miami and on the same page as his teammates.

# 4 – Erik Spoelstra – Last season, Spoelstra did an excellent job managing all of the talent and personalities on Miami’s roster. Even with all of the distractions, the HEAT managed to win 58 games and advance to the Finals during year one. Spoelstra’s players praise him and management recently extended his contract, adding two more seasons to his deal. Spoelstra is now under contract through the 2013-14 season, which is when the Big Three can opt-out of their deals and become free agents. He seems to be the perfect coach for this team and will only get better over the next few years as he spends time with his players and gains playoff experience.

# 5 – Joel Anthony – Now that Zydrunas Ilgauskas has retired, Anthony is Miami’s best option at center. Dexter Pittman may see the court and Eddy Curry could emerge as a contributor off of the bench, but Anthony will likely be the team’s starter. He’s the best rebounder and shot-blocker of the three and has the most experience playing alongside the HEAT’s starters. He’s not much of a factor on offense, but he hustles and works hard and that’s all Miami needs from their center.

- Alex Kennedy

Teams are usually classified as either offensive or defensive. Miami is so talented that they rank as one of the top teams in the league on both ends of the court. Last season, the HEAT was the only team to rank in the top eight offensively and defensively, which is why they finished with the top points per game differential in the league (7.5). Miami also finished with the second-highest field goal percentage (.481) and opposing field goal percentage (.434) last year. After a full season and offseason together, they’ll only continue to improve, which is a very scary thought for the rest of the NBA.

- Alex Kennedy

Miami didn’t have many weaknesses last season. The team struggled in the clutch and appeared rattled at times, but that’s somewhat expected given all of the pressure and distractions that surrounded the team. Statistically, the HEAT finished with the fourth-fewest assists per game, but that wasn’t necessarily a problem since they have three terrific isolation scorers. Miami’s assist-to-turnover ratio was seventh-worst in the league, which is why the team will need better play from Mario Chalmers, Eddie House and Norris Cole this season. The HEAT also finished with the fifth-most technical fouls in the league.

- Alex Kennedy

Let everyone else take the spotlight this offseason, folks. We don’t need to make our noise until the ball starts bouncing and the games start to count. We made our team better this offseason, and we were already one of the best three teams in the league last year. With a year to gel and prepare, I fully expect us to contend for a championship again. LeBron, Dwyane, Chris – this is still your team. We will go as you guys do, especially how focused you are on the defensive end. We will turn stops into scores on the other end. Adding a guy like Shane only gives us more frontcourt versatility. Every team goes through some failure before they can taste success. Let’s make our failure a one year adventure, and let’s win some hardware this year.

- Anthony Macri

Will Miami win it all?

This is all that matters. When you have three of the best players in the NBA, every single season is championship or bust. This was evident last season when the HEAT faced massive amounts of criticism despite coming within two wins of a title. Now, after a full season together, expectations will be at an all-time high. If LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh aren’t popping champagne and celebrating a title in June, this season will have been a colossal disappointment and the trio will have wasted another year of their prime.

- Alex Kennedy