or it's simply that Miami have an injured Chris Bosh....

and Wade concentrating more on fighting with the coach.

I hope the pacers win!

To be honest with you, the Heat have the best 3 starting guards in the league with Wade, LBJ and Chalmers.

But they are getting absolutely murdered in the paint. In the last game, the rebound count was 52-36 (+ 16 for Indy)

This Miami team has no frontline; Hibbert, West, George have been destroying them inside.

Even with Bosh in the lineup, they still struggled in the paint.
IMHO, the Heat would be better with a true center instead of Bosh.

They should look at off-loading Bosh in the off-season, and make a play for Bynum and some other handy forwards/guards.

You can't win a championship with no leadership

Despite his "soft" tag, Bosh was actually the one guy that was solid against Dallas last year, and stepped his game up during the playoffs when the other two stepped theirs' down.

The problem is that Riley is surrounding them with washed up duds like Mike Miller, Mike Bibby, Ilgauskas, Dampier, Eddy Curry, Shane Battier, Eddie House and everyone else that's been on that roster the past two seasons.

Fact is, Miami are extremely slow & unathletic outside of Wade & Lebron, and are goddamn OOOOLD too.

It's not just the hole in the middle. It's the holes in the roster from 4 through 15. Bad personnel decisions by Riley that are costing this team titles.

"Not one, not two, not three..."

Agree with Mick, Bosh is a solid player and does really step up on occasion. After getting smashed by KG in one game of last season's playoffs, he then returned the favour and that was it for the Celtics in that series (though if Wade hadn't taken out Rondo it might've been a different story).

Bosh isn't enough though. Miami's big thee just isn't an ideal combo. Either they need to replace Bosh with a truly dominant big man, or Wade with a gun outside shooter.

Tough for them to trade one of the big three though, since they are all supposed to be good friends. Would Lebron basically veto a trade of one of his sidekicks?

I think wade has to go, if they can't retain the core and surround them with talent. I predict his game to enter a decline very soon due to the way he plays, always trying run through everyone and ending up on the floor. The same will happen to Derrick rose unless he changes his game.

This team just doesn't make sense to me. Lebron doesn't need two superstars alongside him; he showed that in Cleveland with the bad management surrounding him with dodgy players and he was still successful. I don't see this Miami team ever winning a title and I've said that from day 1.

Balance > Imbalance

OKC is the perfect example of a balanced team

Westbrook at the PG, Harden at SG, KD at swingman, Ibaka/Perkins filling the big positions.

Heat right now have an inconsistent PG, and the worse center rotation in the league

Karma

Miami and NYK might sell jerseys but the new CBA that cap management to bring in enough talent to fill most spots is working!

Pacers are up and coming along with ageing Spurs have added the right parts to balance veteran talent.

Riley had Showtime (LA) and Bullyball (NY) before Shaq fell in lap in 2005.

He now tried 1-2-3-'Money' but that has failed.

They could Amensty Bosh and add balance.

Or continue with a gimmick that hasn't even given a No.1!!

Still a long way from happening, BUT if Miami go down to the Pacers without Bosh things will get real interesting next season. I've always seen Bosh underperforming as a bit of scapegoat and if they lost 2nd round with a full squad I'd say Bosh would quite likely be traded - but if they lose 2nd round because he's not playing then he can't be the scapegoat.

Miami's not going to trade Wade - he's far too important to their identity, they won't trade a reigning MVP in LeBron, and Bosh can't really be traded if its obvious they need him to get past round 2. Miami is so intriguing and great for the league because of it.

Can't see it happening, but imagine if after a frustrating year or two, Wade started to wonder about this Big Three thing and moved on to a team elsewhere with better complementary players?

I find it a bit depressing looking at Heat boxscores to see if any of the other players managed double figures, or got up more than five shots.

Imagine if Wade had gone home to Chicago like he had been flirting with?

Chicago is better already because they don't sign Boozer (a dud who plays well in contract years only), Noah starts with Taj Gibson, and Wade fills their hole at SG that the skeleton of Rip Hamilton tried to.