The Miami Heat are on a roll and Heat legend Dwyane Wade wouldn't be shocked if this team makes another NBA Finals appearance.
“No way [I would be surprised]," Wade recently told the Miami Herald. "This is a team who was just in the Finals in one of the hardest seasons we ever watched. I couldn’t imagine the mental strain that put on the individual players and this team made it to the Finals against a seasoned Lakers team.”
The Heat have one of the best odds to win the championship this season with a 30-17 record. Wade, a three-time champion, agrees. The Heat have a great mixture of veterans and young raising talent such as Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin, and Duncan Robinson.
“They retooled in the right way," Wade said. "They added the right pieces. This looks like a team everyone in the league has their eyes on and should watch out for. With health and the coach of the year over there, they definitely have the opportunity. The Bucks are who they are. They are defending champions. You put nobody over the defending champions until they’re dethroned. Milwaukee is the team you have to continue to keep an eye on. But the Heat have shown - with Jimmy [Butler], without Jimmy, with Bam [Adebayo], without Bam, with Kyle [Lowry], without Kyle - they’re for real.”
Wade said the Heat have the "perfect team" to compete for a title.
“It’s a great mix of young players -- obviously [Tyler] Herro and what Caleb Martin is doing,” Wade said. “And then you’ve got the right mix of players who are young but been around enough, like Bam and Duncan [Robinson]. And then you’ve got the leadership like Jimmy and Kyle. They have it all.”
Landon Buford is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He can be reached at landon.buford@att.net
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