This second year expansion team is a long ways away from competing for anything, but they have some bright and underrated young stars and if they can fill in a few more important pieces and just keep growin they could sneak into the playoffs sometime in the near future, they showed flashes this year, raymond felton also looked really impressive during the season's 2nd half, they also succeeded in not having the league's worst record. to the casual nba fan the bobcats look like a bunch of scrubs and d-leaguers, i thought this for a while myself and in the case of matt carroll this is actually true, but there a few talented players who dont get enough credit and who form a very positive young nucleus. they are definitly set at point guard and shooting guard and at the power forward position for the long term, but who knows if primoz brezec can be good for the future, i dont think so, and they need an athletic scorer at the small forward position. alan anderson is a forward and rookie out of msu, he was kind of an underacheiver, a tweener, hes undersized too and wasnt even a star with the spartans but he showed the potential and physical skills to be a decent nba contributor, he also impressed in summer league with the aggressiveness in which he attacked the basket, knocking down open shots, and he also showed a better work ethic. hes one of the scrubs on this team though. lonny baxter is a young player from maryland who was traded to charlotte from the houston rockets to add some serious beef to the bobcat's frontline after the injuries to their two best post players, emeka okafor and sean may. hes not really polished skill-wise and is kinda out of shape, but hes a hard working banger who gives you plenty of hustle and energy, he works hard on defense and the boards and is tenacious with offensive rebounds and scoring around the basket. primoz brezec is their european center who put up a pretty productive career with the pacers and now thrives as a pick and pop expert in charlotte, just drive and kick it out to brezec and he will knock down the 15 footer every time. hes inconsistent and isnt a really tough inside player but hes long and he can shoot, just not a long term center. kevin burleson is a good athlete and a tenacious player and hardworking defender, also the brother of nfl wideout nate burleson, but he is a scrub by nba standards and is usually warming the bench for the bobcats. matt carroll is the former mvp of the d-league, not really athletic, quick, or overly talented in one area or physically but he can really shoot and light it up big time when hes hot and hes skilled in multiple areas and knows how to play the game right. melvin ely is a big and athletic banger whos strong and tough and knows how to attack the basket and finish but he is not really skilled and is raw as far as post moves come but he gets by on both ends of the court with his physical play and strength and he played well to end last season with all the inuries in the front court. raymond felton is the face of the franchise and one of the game's brightest young point guards, he had questions about his ability to run a slower tempo attack and the halfcourt sets coming out of north carolina's championship team and there were questions about his ability to consistently knock down jumpshots, but he showed major improvement in all those areas (still needs to work on shooting though), he is already a cat-quick sparkplug who holds the team together with his playmaking and makes a huge impact on his teammates and knows how to make them better. running the fastbreak and transition game is his specialty and he knows how to do that to perfection, hes also quick and strong enough to get in the paint and score and drive and hes a tough and scrappy player as well. jumaine jones is a forward who came over from l.a. (he was a benchwarmer over there) and who played much better and fresher in his new role with the bobcats and became one of their primary scoring options. the bobcats could eventually be known for giving all these so-called scrubs a chance to succeed and in doing so they built a good team, and jumaine could be one of their key players for that idea. with his good size he is a real versatile player and he has shown that hes a great three point shooter, a good defender, and a versatile scorer from different areas of the court. brevin knight is a veteran point guard who is tutoring raymond to eventually take over his position for good and who has quietly been one of the league's better playmakers for the past two years and has ranked at the top of the charts for his assist numbers, finishing 2nd only to steve nash the season before last. hes real quick and obviously knows how to find the open man, but he has always been a poor shooter his whole pro career and thats still the weakest part of his game. sean may is an undersized power forward and star from north carolina, one of the promising young players for the bobcats future. hes had questions about his athleticism and how in-shape he is and has never had a chance to prove the critics wrong seeing as he was hurt all of this past season. hes got great hands, good size, a soft touch, and he can score around the basket and is a really good teammate and competetive guy. playing with emeka is gonna make the team really undersized so thats why they need a big center. emeka okafor is their talented young post player of the future and one of their promising young stars. he won rookie of the year last year and was hurt for a good part of this season, but he has improved big time since coming out of uconn. good size for a power forward but undersized as a center, he was really raw on the offensive end coming out of college and he still has plenty of room to work on his offensive skills but hes got a much better touch and he can shoot better from the midrange now, it cant hurt that he trained with hakeen the dream last summer either, a similar player in various respects. hes a phenom physically and athletically and is a beast on the boards and on defense and once he gets healthy again and keeps improving on offense he will be a preimer young star in the league. bernard robinson is a young athletic guy who plays with energy and intensity, hes a good defender but raw and not really nba ready with his other talents but his speed and athletic ability could make him a good scorer if he improves. jake voskuhl is a center whos not here for the long term but here for depth and hes not the most talented or skilled player when it comes to finesse stuff. hes got good size and toughness, he brings plenty of energy, and he attacks on both sides of the ball, he played a much bigger role in the team during the last half of the season with all the injuries and he put up good numbers with the boards and was a tough defensive presence. gerald wallace is one of the most underrated players in basketball and a bright young star, good leader, and preimer player for the bobcat's future. hes a freak athlete and already a defensive stopper and steal expert, great slasher and scorer who can finish in transition with the best and whos only fault is his spotty jumpshot. and it can't hurt that micheal jordan has recently joined the charlotte ownership, even with his failure in washington fresh on many people's minds he will bring positive attention to the team that they have been lacking ever since their inception and that can only be a good thing.

This ain't your daddy's beantown celtics of the larry bird or the bill russell days, they are in a serious rebuilding phase right now and they're really banking on the immediate development of their young players, they definitly have the talent and potential in their young and recently drafted players but they are trying to rebuild around paul pierce and he wants to win right now so i doubt that he will stay committed to the cause for much longer. i honestly dont think that will be much of a problem if paul leaves because danny ainge has drafted really well and made the most of his picks over the last few years, and if he trades pierce he could probably get more young players or draft picks for it. the end of season surge by boston when they got themselves in the playoff race before eventually falling out should be credited to the suddenly star-worthy play from their roster of the future, most notably guys like ryan gomes and gerald green who both had relatively quiet seasons before coming on big time to close the season. delonte west, al jefferson, and kendrick perkins all seem to be panning out as well, they are still very young. when i saw this roster before the year i thought ainge was crazy for putting this weak team together but now i think he's a genius for getting all these good young guys and giving them plenty of confidence and time to grow. there is no denying paul pierce's immense talent and his impact on this team (he also played like a man possesed down the stretch) but hes not indispensable. it was also a smart move to trade vets mark blount and ricky davis midseason because they were just holding back the development of the team, ricky is also too selfish of a scorer. in return they got career underacheiver micheal olowakandi, who its worth saying played much better and fresher when he got to boston than he had in a long time in minnesota, and catch and shoot wiz wally s., who should help open up the offense for all the other players with his shooting skill. boston also got rid of two young nonfactors on their team, justin reed and quick marcus banks, who was playing much better for the timberwolves. they are still a long ways from competing for titles but they should be making the playoffs and fighting in the near future, if maybe even this next season. the only real faults they have at the moment are inexperience and problems with consistency and defense, all common issues with young teams. they also need a true point guard to run the offense desperately, delonte is talented but not fit as a long term, "real" point.

tony allen is a combo guard coming off the bench for boston, he didnt play as much as some though he might have last year, but hes only played two seasons in the nba and he has plenty of time to get his stuff together and develop, i think hes had some legal troubles. hes a tenacious perimeter defender and really aggressively attacks the ball, hes a high energy player overall and he can hit the set shots, theres better players on this roster right now though, hes also kind of a tweener because he isnt a true point or a great shooter but hes still a young player. dan dickau is a pretty young point guard from gonzaga, he had a breakout year as a score-1st point in new orleans the season before last but when he came over to boston to supposedly solve their point problems his issues were exposed, hes way too little and short and isnt athletic or quick enough to make up for the height defiencies, he isnt a true point guard either but he can fill up the points category in a hurry, hes a good shooter and scorer and he can jack them up. ryan gomes was an impressive rookie from providence who looks like maybe the most important young guy for the future in boston, he came on as one of the best rookies of the year during the 2nd half of last season and down the stretch and he was a main reason that boston stayed in the eastern playoff race, he was a draft steal and hes a great all-around player, a great scorer, and really athletic and versatile and he maybe the glue that holds the future celtics together. gerald green is a tmac-like rookie high schooler who has the limitless potential to be a superstar someday, but he still has plenty of room to grow and lots to learn. a positive, however, was how well he played to end the year last season when he finally got out of the d-league and earned some playing time with his scoring theatrics and nice offensive play. hes had a questionable attitude and intangibles and hes rail thin by nba standards, but hes got a great jump shot from any range of the court, hes a clutch player, and hes got out-of-the-gym athleticism and jumping ability. orien greene is a scrappy rookie outta louisiana-lafayette, hes a hardworking and high energy player and one of the teams defensive stoppers and best hustlers who gets the hustle buckets, but he doesnt have much of an offensive game or a great jumpshot, still, hes an important young player and will probably be a nice role player. al jefferson is a key young player for the celtics and probably their most vital contributor for the future,hes a real big guy who knows how to use his body to score, he eats up the post and the boards with his size and has shaq-like finishing skills, he has problems with conditioning however and his skills and overall game are very raw seeing as this was his 2nd year out of high school, didnt have the season some thought he would have but he is still developing and im sure the coaching staff are handling this precious gem with care. dwanye jones is a young, tall and long forward/center who hardly ever plays so i dont know much about him, hes spent the majority of his rookie season on the bench, he also was one of the players who came over from the timberwolves. raef lafrentz is a veteran center from kansas, has always been reliable and hardworking, good size as well, just not really quick or athletic , never really been a long-term option for his position but hes always been a solid player and matchup problem because of his long ranging shooting ability, when hes hot from downtown theres nothing you can do to stop him and his shooting range seperates him from other guys like him. micheal olowakandi is notorious for being the number one pick whenever he was drafted and for being one of the biggest draft busts in sports history, hes long, athletic, and looked like he was full of the talent and potential to be a revolutionary center like kevin garnett was for the forward position, he ended up not having the work ethic, effort, or the intensity to be a great player and he never realized his potential, really just a career underacheiver who never learned to take advantage of his physical gifts. hes still fairly young though and he seems to be taking advantage of his fresh start with boston, he has found a new role as a nice scoring contributor and energy guy off the bench. kendrick perkins is a young big man out of a high school in texas who should be a key contributor in the near future, for the time being he is most known for his alleged confrontation with paul pierce in the locker room, but hes real big and has great size, he knows how to use his body and once he harnesses his ability along with his physical skills and aggressive style of play he will be good. paul pierce is the team's superstar for the time being, he is the protypical superstar in today's nba, incredible strength and eye-popping athleticism that make him nearly unstoppable at getting to the basket and scoring, all the skills and moves possible on offense, very versatile on the offensive end, he also has shooting range all over the court and is streaky from three point range, he is by no means a sharpshooting superstar and isnt a pure shooter like guys such as tmac or ray allen, but he carried this young squad on his back multiple times this year and is vital at keeping the celtics afloat while they go through their rebuilding stage. brian scalabrine is a big high energy hustle player, not the most skilled or talented, or a very pretty player, but he goes after the ball and always fires up the team when they are looking stale with his hustle and pursuit of loose balls and rebounds. wally szczerbiak was a key player in minnesota and kg got him plenty of shots to make him an all-star, but he wore out his welcome with selfish play and an obnoxious attitude, luckily he found a great role in beantown as a catch and shoot expert who opens up the offense and is very valuable with shouldering the scoring load, hes a great shooter and hes offensively skilled but he cant create his own shot, hes not very quick or athletic and he doesnt always give much defensive effort. delonte west handled the point guard duties this past year and i dont think he gets enough credit, he is quietly one of the best young playmakers in the game and impresses me every time i see him, hes quick and athletic, hes got great court vision and passing ability and he is actually really athletic, he can score and be a streaky shooter when he wants to and always plays with more freedom and confidence whenevr he gets to handle the 2 guard position but he doesnt score a lot or put up big stats, he prefers the backseat role, boston should probably get a true, pass and defense 1st point guard so delonte can focus his all-around talents on making plays happen himself.

The all-nba team selections were really no surprises and full of the exciting and highly marketable superstars that the fans love, the only thing that really pissed me off was yao ming getting booted down behind shaq and ben wallace to 3rd team all-nba, shaq just got by on name value because his season wasnt that great and he showed that he is foul prone and a physical shell of his former self, while i dont see how ben wallace can get 2nd team with a lack of a real offensive game and being one of the worst free throw shooters ever, yao had a monster season and finally started aggressively attacking the basket, hes always had the soft touch and the post moves and obviously the height, the total package really for a center ever since he put on more strength, but now that he shed his passive nature and started attacking the rim (and attacking on defense as well) with authority he became pretty unstoppable. other 3rd team guys were shawn marion, the versatile, long armed, and athletic playmaking machine who is the ultimate finisher and double double machine, his awkward and inconsistent shot is the only knock against this underrated player who finally got his props this year. gilbert arenas was next, hes an unstoppable scoring machine with a fearsome drive to the basket and a deadly three point shot and one of the game's best offensive players, just kind of selfish. allen iverson's team didnt have a good year, but he put up his usual numbers, hes not only one of the most popular guys to ever play the game because of his fearless style of play and his heart and desire, but hes one of the games all-time best offensive players and scorers, definitly controls the ball too much and is selfish but is such a prolific scorer, if not a real sharpshooter. carmelo anthony rounded out the 3rd team, he emerged into a big superstar and prolific scorer this year even though he had a horrible postseason, he improved his decision making and shot selection when under pressure which was the main weakness with him (along with defense) and showed that he is one of the best clutch players in the game right now, great athlete and versatile offensive player and scorer.

the NBA 2nd team starts with elton brand, who had such a monster career year this season and played the best basketball of his life, its no coincidence that his team made the playoffs for the 1st time in 10+ years this season. he was in the best shape and conditioning of his career and got himself a fantastic and consistent midrange shot this year which made him unstoppable, hes always had that amazing length and quickness to make up for a somewhat lack of height and hes a great shot blocker and versatile offensive player, he finally got respect this year. mr. fundamental and consistency tim duncan was next, injuries caused him to put up career lows in most stats, especially offense, but he is still the best player on the champion spurs, not flashy but does everything right and knows how to score and get boards, plus great length and underrated quickness still make him an impact defender. just overall so solid, effective, and plain good and the spurs offense basically runs through him. ben wallace followed duncan, hes an obvious choice for one of the all-nba squads but i think hes overrated and lots of people hype him because of his team's success or his familar name, im not denying this guys impact or ferocious energy on the court though. he makes up for a big height disadvantage for the center position with incredible strength and hops, added to an unrivaled tenacity and desire on defense and in grabbing rebounds. hes the nba's defensive player of the year (4 time winner) and an outstanding shot blocker and finisher around the rim and with alle-oops, plus his height and quickness let him get out of the post occasionally and play defense on the perimeter. chauncey billups was one of the 2nd team guards and an mvp candidate, hes been one of the games most complete and polished floor leaders for a few years now and one of the best big time three point shooters as well, he ran the offense and kicked his own offensive game into high gear occasionally under larry brown but he has been free to unleash his offensive scoring and shooting talents under flip saunders while still making plays happen for others and playing great defense. finally we have dwayne wade, the young superstar and leader of the miami heat, his strength and athleticism and fearless drive to the hoop make him one of the games most prolific scorers, he is one of the best and most acrobatic finishers and some of the ways he scorers are jordan-esque. hes known for being a great leader and playmaker for his teammates and always makes big plays happen and shoots better down the stretch. his inconsistent shot is his only fault.

the 1st team starts with the nba's highest vote getter this year lebron james. i shouldnt have to say more, you already know hes the most complete player in the game right now and now that he has the jumpshot to go along with the physical and athletic freakishness, the scoring and driving, and the floor leading and passing he probably is the best player in the league besides kobe and is a better leader for his teammates than bryant, hes become very adept at taking control of games down the stretch as well and almost averaged a triple-double this season. just doesnt have the mechanics of defense down yet though. dirk nowitizki is one of the most skilled offensive players ever to play the game and is the biggest matchup problem ever at 7 feet tall, his shooting touch and perimeter sharpshooting make him basically unguardable and hes starting to play on the blocks and attack the rim more on offense and for rebounds under avery johnson, which can only make him more unstoppable. shaqille o'neal is still a big and dominating force who eats up so much space in the post and knows how to use his body so well that he can still be unstoppable for stretches, but his physical skills have declined considerably, hes injury prone, he fouls too much, and officials are calling a lot more on him than they ever have before. still one of the games most dominant scorers. kobe bryant put up historic scoring this season and showed us why he is the nba's best player, not just on offense. he is unstoppable on offense with his scoring theatrics and ability to shoot over the defense, and hes one of the league's quickest defenders and best athletes. steve nash was a repeat mvp winner this year, he makes up for not being the biggest guy and energizes and makes everyone around him a lot better, with his shooting touch, penetration, control of the offense, and pinpoint passes and carefree style of play he inspires confidence in his teammates and in the offense while being of the leagues best playmaking and shooting point guards.

All-Defensive Team 1st: the all defensive team is lead by this years defensive player of the year and 4-time recipient, ben wallace. his intensity and desire seperate him from his counterparts, as well as his fearsome strength and big time hops, quickness, and athleticism. hes one of the games best shot blockers and a frightening presnence when you see him coming at you, hes much smaller than other centers but can physically bang with them easy and he has the versatility to guard the perimeter and get in the passing lane for steals. bruce bowen is the next guy, he has a rep for being the most physical and aggressive defensive presence in the league, lots of offensive stars hate him and many people think he is a dirty player because hes physical and in your face the entire game, one of the most vital members of the spurs tital teams and maybe the most impact defensive guy in the league. andrei kirilenko comes next, he may be skinny but his length is unrivaled among small forwards, he also had great quickness and athleticism and is one of the games best shot blockers and is always tenacious and in the opponents grill. ron artest is the only guy to snatch the defensive player of the year award from ben wallace in the past five years, hes one of the strongest, most aggressive and physical players in the league and very versatile in his skill set. always a frustrating impact defender and very strong and athletic too. jason kidd is the best defensive guard in the nba and has been since coming into the league, hes always tough and physical and not afraid to bang in the post,his impact on the team is most vital however because he has made the nets a great team defensive squad by leading and playing tough defense himself even though they arent very good on defense individually. kobe bryant rounded out the 1st team, hes one of the few superstars to play defense let alone be a game changing defender, his quickness and tenacious instinct and pursuit of the ball got him on the list. the 2nd team starts with tim duncan, one of the best defensive players in nba history ever since he came into the league and defense is just another solid part of tim's game that he uses to impact his team. he has amazing length and knows how to bang and be physical, plus his quickness is underrated. chauncey billups is the defintion of a complete guard and defense is one of his specialties, hes also bigger than and physically overpowers other guards. kevin garnett has been one of the leagues best defenders ever since coming into the nba becasue of his length, noone can touch KG's length and shot blocking, added to his quickness and athleticism that no power forward has had in nba history. marcus camby has some of the longest arms and best shot blocking instincts in the nba, his shot blocking lead the league this year and his length makes up for a lack of bulk or real toughness. tayshaun prince ends the 2nd team, his long arms and height make for huge matchup problems on defense and his quickness and athleticism add to that length to make him one of the nba's premier shot blockers, his strength is also underrated but he still gets overpowered by stronger small forwards at times.

6th Man of the Year: im not a mike miller fan because he has a serious lack of toughness but he did deserve sixth man of the year, he led bench players in scoring this year and is instant offense coming off the bench. he is easily one of the league's best shooters and is automatic when open and is able to create his own shot, opens up the floor and most important player for memphis besides pau gasol. other guys that could have won are jerry stackhouse, another fantastic shooter and offensive wonder whos better overall than mike and antonio mcdyess who may not have the hops, quickness, or athleticism of his past before his knee surgeries but he has an automatic corner jumper and can shoot anywhere from midrange and he still knows how to bang and play defense.

Most Improved Player: boris diaw defintly deserved this award and i didnt think he had any serious competetion besides david west. he deserves it just for his sheer unknown before the season, he was just a throw in player for the joe johnson trade when he went to the suns and has come out as a star and probably a future all star seeing how young he is. he was always a great passer and playmaker with great finesse skills, but nash helped make him a star and the phoenix offense brought out the best player in him and gave him the freedom and confidence to be a great player, he also nabbed multiple triple doubles this year and his complete all-around game was amazing. his size can create mismatches and he can play multiple positions, though he is much better in the post where his quickness and athleticism hurts other post players when hes playing defense on them and hes more natural in the paint than he was playin the point in atlanta last year. he has improved his shooting and his finesse game has made him a favorite option for nash. david west also had a huge year after just being an average bench player last year. chris paul has made a huge impact on him and his improvement and west's improved play is also a huge reason for the hornets turnaround. hes athletic and strong and has became a good scorer with a dangerous midrange shot, perhaps his best asset has been his clutch play and all the multiple game winners he drained during the regular season.

MVP: Winner:Steve Nash-steve definitly showed that he is deserving of the nba mvp award for getting his team the 2nd seed in the western conference for the playoffs and doing it all without amare stoudemire, who some people had credited some of nash's success to last year. he is not the best player in the league but he makes his teammates so much better and turned a bunch of no-names into stars this year and his team wouldnt be nearly as good without him, but you could also say that about lebron and kobe since their teams would be nowhere without them. but nash is a fantastic player who is maybe basketballs best penetrator and ball handler, his playmaking skills and ability to run the offense are pretty unrivaled around the league and he fits in the phoenix dream offense perfectly and knows how to get his teammates open looks. his shooting is also great and he can get his own shot off and score a bunch of points if he wants to but he chooses to help his team and lead the league in assist. hes not very big, strong, or athletic and can be a defensive liability but obviously he makes up for it.

the immediate runner up was lebron james, who emerged as maybe the most talented player in the nba this year, probably 2nd to kobe. he had such a memorable season and showed that he basically has no flaws in his game, a definite superstar who will be putting up hall of fame numbers for years to come seeing as he is only 21 and he has plenty of time for deep playoff runs in the future, he is currently having a legendary playoffs carrying his team right now. his all-around offensive game is unrivaled by anyone but kobe and he is a once in a generation physical specimen, but he hasnt grasped the fundamentals of defense yet, that is his only weakness. he ended up getting a perimeter jump shot last year which he didnt have when he 1st came into the league and has the floor vision and passing skills of a point guard. kobe was another runner up, the most talented player in the nba right now and he put up historic numbers this season, dropping plenty of 40 and 50 point games as well as his ubelievable 81 point outburst against the raptors earlier in the season (he averaged 35 a game). his offensive skills are unrivaled probably in history by anyone except MJ and he plays great defense, hes still workin on his leadership and team play though and needs to find better ways to balance his scoring with being able to inspire and lead his teammates while getting them into the game, if he does that then you can start comparing him to MJ. dirk was another runner up, hes the biggest matchup problem in nba history and the most offensively skilled seven footer as well, his shooting and perimeter touch is unrivaled among guys his height and his finesse skills and ball handling make him basically unguardable. avery has him playing more on the blocks too and going after offensive putbacks and more aggressively attacking the basket, which is just adding to his unstoppable ability. he doesnt give much effort on defense and doesnt have the natural talent of other mvp candidates though. other runner ups were chauncey billups, the capable and complete floor leader for the pistons whose always had an unbelievable combination of talents but now has unleashed the full potential of his big time shooting and offensive skills now that larry brown has left, and elton brand, the most underrated player in the league for the past few years whose been a 20 and 10 guy since coming into the nba, hes finally getting the credit he deserves now that he has the right role players around him and the team is winning. hes also got in the best shape of his life and got himself a deadly consistent midrange jumper to go along with his amazing length and quickness for the power forward position which made him such a deadly scorer, rebounder, adn shot blocker.

The miami heat were one of the more interesting teams to follow this year, it was pretty hard to avoid them actually because they were all over tv the entire season and the media really overhyped all their storylines and players. they probably have the flashiest players and the biggest names in the league on their squad, some high-profile guys came over to this team after their supposed "failure" last year and i dont think they are any better, lots of flash and fun to watch all these stars but they had better vets last year and guys who could play their roles, chemistry is something this team lacks severly and really needs, they have a talent overload and too many players who want the ball in their hands all the time. they have shaquille o'neal so they are obviously going to get overhyped and followed insanely by the media, plus coach stan van gundy quit pretty early in the season to supposedly spend more time with his family even though many saw this as an excuse for pat reily to satisfy his coaching itch and take the reins once again. he definitly improved the team's record, but whether they became a better team after the switch is debatable, they seemed to have a few distractions when pat took over and they kind of blew off the regular season and acted like they were just gonna turn it up when it was playoff time, something a lot of elite teams seem to do but i dont agree with it because you can lose your hunger and focus plus if you continue to play around with teams and toy with them as if you are superior you will get surprised eventually and lose a game or more because of this lack of focus. there is no denying that pat reily is a legendary coach though and there is a ton of talent on this team, definitly championship worthy talent but there are better "teams" out there and i just cant see the heat winning. the main faults for miami are the lack of chemistry and players who sit back and play roles, too many selfish players that want the ball in their hand, and the careless attitude they took in the regular season as of they were just coasting through until the playoffs. they also are a really bad perimeter defensive team, if u watch their games you can see that talented guards can exploit them and put up huge numbers against them anytime, just watch the bulls playoff series with gordon, hinrich, and nocioni lighting them up. shaq is also getting old and physically worn down, struggling with foul trouble and keeping gas in his tank until the end of the game. 1st off ill profile shaq, probably the most recognizable face in the league and one of the most charismatic and popular players in the nba for a long time. obviously hes a shell of his former self physically, hes battled weight issues and injuries all season and is 34 years old now, hes had stamina problems and is just not the same guy physically, thats why hes smart to let d-wade know that he is the number 1 player on this team now and shaq isnt. its worth saying that he did lose about 15 pounds during the season on orders from pat riley. anyone whos watched o'neal throughout his career knows he is one of the most dominating guys to ever play the game and an instant impact team-changer for any team he goes on. hes so huge and he can use his body so well that in his prime up until about a year ago literally noone could stop him, he doesnt have the softest touch and never really shoots the ball but he is a frightening finisher and is so physical down low that your gonna get posted to the ground if u try to take a charge or stop him from scoring. in his prime he also showed a rare athleticism in people his size and quick feet, but you dont see that much anymore. hes not dominating anymore, and certain players in the league have figured out how to stop shaq and have gotten tougher with him, but hes still so huge and hard to stop that hes a valuable player, but not a star anymore and i still think that LA got the better deal out of the whole kobe-shaq mess. the refs have always let shaq get a way with a lot of pushin, elbow throwing, and real physical, almost dirty play down low because its hard to call things on shaq since hes so physical, but they seem to be much stricter with o'neal now. hes also so big and clogs up the post so he could be classified as a defensive force, with all the pressure and double-teams he draws he also knows how to kick the ball out to the open man and is a premier passing big man. dwayne wade is now the team's superstar and the number 1 guy, he also gets along perfectly with shaq and they both jell excellently together. when wade 1st came into the league he was a physical specimen with amazing hops and strength, and a fearless and explosive drive to the basket that made him a prolific scorer in college and in his 1st few nba years. his main problems when he 1st came into the league was a spotty and inconsistent jump shot, plus the obvious lack of experience and he ended up with a lot of injuries because of his fearless playing style. now he has emerged as one of the league's best players and a definite superstar, one of the toughest and most intense competetors in the pros and a class act and great teammate as well. his scoring skills are jordan-esque and he gets at least 5 highlight worthy plays a game, he has a knack for draining circus shots. his out of this world athleticism make him nearly impossible to stop from getting to the basket, and his energy and clutch play have propelled this team throughout the regular season and the playoffs. he still isnt the best jump shooter but seems to be much better in the clutch and has been near flawless with his shot in the playoffs and finals. if he were healthy last year miami would have beaten detroit and gotten to the finals, and he has been afflicted with injuries again this year in the playoffs, but has continually played at a high level and they dont seem to be affecting him too much. the rest of the roster starts with derek anderson, who was picked up in the offseason by the rockets before getting hurt and eventually shipped off to the heat. he is a vet with an impressive injury history, he has been injury prone his entire career and would have been a lot better player if injuries hasnt afflicted him so much, i guess his durability is partly to blame. he is a three point shooting ace when he is healthy and a good defender and veteran presence with experience. shandon anderson is a nice veteran bench player, he brings a toughness and leadership ability when he comes into the game and is a real team player and playmaker. hes strong and a good defender, not a great shooter or offensive player but seems to deliver in that area when needed. micheal doleac is a backup center who is a vital player whenever alonzo or shaq is hurt, provides pretty good minutes whenever spelling either of them. he has a real soft touch and is a great midrange shooter when open, just not a real strong banger inside or big impact player. udonis haslem is a very important role player on this team, maybe the only guy that really plays his role and does great at it, his shaq's best friend as well because he doesnt demand the ball and is very unselfish. hes strong but undersized for the pros, which is obviously not a problem playing next to shaq, he has excelled in his position. hes maybe the toughest and best defender on the team and a great rebounder who leads the team in that category, he also knocks down the shots and makes plays happen when shaq gets pressured by double or triple teams. jason kapono was a big time scorer and shooter in college but doesnt have that total package or the athleticism to make it in the nba, hes a great shooter and offensive boost coming off the bench but he doesnt play much, too much good depth on this team. alonzo mourining is probably the best bench player for the heat, he is extremly valuable and still a big impact player even as a veteran with kidney problems and multiple surgeries. hes still one of the strongest and most physical guys in the league today, and maybe the best shot blocker, he is a fantastic defender and really intimidating in the post with all the shots he blocks. also a strong finisher around the basket who spells shaq whenever he is tired. gary payton is a veteran point guard and trash talker who is way out of his prime but still a good player and playmaker coming off the bench, i still question why miami picked him up in free agency because hes kind of selfish and wants the ball in his hands often. he was one of the best point guards in nba history in his prime, known as the glove thanks to his quick hands adept at getting steals, he was a flawless ballhandler but a selfish player who always demanded the ball in his hands to make the big shot or pass. now he is a great ballhandler and tough defender and pick-pocketer like he used to be, but not as good on offense. he takes too many shots and misses too many as well, but he can still be dangerous all over the court and he can definitly still make plays happen, he doesnt have a big impact anymore though. james posey was picked up from memphis in the offseason, he is a good, athletic and strong swingman who is most known for his lockdown perimeter defense and knack for hitting the open threes, especially from the corner, even though he is a slahser at heart. wayne simien is a rookie from kansas, kind of undersized and not the most athletic but he is strong, hes a banger, and a good post scorer who could complement a dominant center well(like shaq maybe?), really what you call a blue-collar player, winning experience and good attitude as well. antoine walker is a very talented and high energy player but he has been erratic and shot happy his entire career. he has versatile skills on offense, really a playmaker and all over the place, he can shoot the three but he settles for it and misses it way too much. he is pretty athletic and quick and can be a good defender but he gambles way too much and definitly not what you want out of your role players. jason williams is manning the point this year, he has always been one the flashiest, most talented, but erratic point guards in the game, he seems to have toned down most of his wild style now however and is content to being a pass-1st floor general who makes threes and makes plays around the basket when he has to. hes still a great ball handler and a risk-reward kind of passer, his assist to turnover ratio is much better now though, hes quick, talented, inconsistent still but he gets the ball to shaq and does what he needs to do, very valuable to the team.