No coach, no 'D,' no title
Ron Fritz
Baltimore Sun
This is an easy one: Nope. Actually, I hope Miami never wins an NBA championship, with me being from Cleveland and all.
Here's why the Heat will be challenged: Who's going to play defense? LeBron James can hold his own when he wants to, but Paul Pierce abused him in the playoffs. Chris Bosh can't cover his shadow and he's too slight to guard a true power forward, let alone a center. Dwyane Wade is a fabulous talent, but defense has never been his calling card.
The Celtics reached the NBA Finals because of their defense. The Lakers won the NBA title because they shut down the Celtics. And unless the aging Pat Riley comes down to coach this team, Erik Spoelstra won't strike fear in the hearts of the Heat's opponents.
Coaching and defense win championships. The Heat are lacking both.
rtfritz@tribune.com
Lakers are still better
Orlando Sentinel
I once asked a player about the slow but unsteady progress of his team and he said, straight-faced, "Rome wasn't built overnight."
Or in a day, even.
But maybe the Miami Heat did build a title team somewhere between after-dinner cocktails and before last call Thursday on South Beach.
Landing LeBron James to go with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh completed the Marquee Three. And if Boston instantly did it in 2007-08 with their newly formed Big Three — Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joining Paul Pierce — can't the Heat pull it off in Year 1?
Not this season. Some assembly is required.
The Heat still can reach the Finals out of the East to face Kobe's Lakers, but South Beach can't outmuscle Muscle Beach. Yet.
bschmitz@tribune.com
Possible, even probable
Ethan J. Skolnick
Sun Sentinel
With each passing day and each unexpected signing, it will become a greater possibility — until it will eventually be a probability.
Pressure? Sure.
But not just on the Triple Play or the Three Amigos or whatever you care to call them. The pressure will be on defenses. Every night. Every possession. How do you double-team three stars at once?
Chemistry? The Heat can take care of that by signing glue guys who are clamoring for a shot at the title and a place under the spotlight, which could lead them to greater riches later.
The Lakers warrant respect. So do the Magic and Celtics.
But once this roster takes shape, fear will be the league's prevailing sentiment.
eskolnick@tribune.com
It takes a team
Baxter Holmes
Los Angeles Times
The new Miami Thrice is nice, but they won't be title nice next year. So relax.
Standing in their way in the East are the Magic and Celtics. In the West, it's Kobe Bryant's Lakers and possibly Kevin Durant's Thunder.
Three stars does not a team make. The Heat need depth (and a center). With Michael Beasley gone to Minnesota, second-year point guard Mario Chalmers is the only Heat player under contract until the Thrice signs.
Adding Mike Miller helps, but not that much, and since the Heat are out of cap space, the minimum-salary players they'll sign won't help much either.
Ask the mid-'90s Bulls, the 2000s Lakers and 2008 Celtics, which all had great trios — it only works if the rest of the team doesn't stink.
bholmes@tribune.com