Miami
Heat
Southeast
| 2011-12 Team Rating | |
| Offense | Defense |
| 104.3 | 97.1 |
| 6th Overall | 4th Overall |
2011-12 Season Stats
W
46
L
20
PCT
.697
GB
--
CONF
35-13
DIV
9-5
HOME
28-5
ROAD
18-15
LinksVideo | Statistics | Tickets | Team
|
Category | Grade | ||
 Rashard Lewis isn't exactly a big man, but he'll be playing plenty of power forward with the Heat. Their lineups will become even more untraditional with the additions they've made.
|
B |
||
 The Heat didn't really need a shooting guard, but they got the best one available. Ray Allen is 37 years old and coming off of ankle surgery, but there's no pressure on him to play big minutes.
|
B |
||
 Neither Allen nor Lewis is a great defender at this point in their careers, but the Heat don't need much help on that end of the floor. Their speed and athleticism on rotations is unmatched.
|
C |
||
 What better way to supplement your bench than with two veterans who can shoot? The only question is health. Both Allen and Lewis missed time last season.
|
B |
||
 After a rough first year with the big three, Erik Spoelstra embraced the unconventional makeup of his roster and became one of only four active coaches who have led a team to a championship.
|
B |
||
B
Summary
Center and point guard are often thought of as the two most important positions in basketball. And if we wanted, we could continue to point out that the Heat lack a top-10 point guard or a center who can make an impact.
But that meant nothing last season. The Heat put their best players on the floor, LeBron James played point guard and power forward at the same time, and none of the league's other 29 teams could match up.
So in free agency, there was little need to chase a lesser player just because he plays a certain position. The Heat sought the best players available, given their financial constraints. And by adding Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, they improved what was the best team in the league.
The Lakers' acquisition of Dwight Howard could certainly affect Miami's chances of repeating. But James is on a completely different level than any other player in the world right now. And the Heat have done everything to put him in position to win a second straight championship.
-- John Schuhmann
Explanation of Marking System
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